Fear ≠ safety
Many of us tend to worry. We get fearful about our health, finances, love partner, offspring, jobs, etc. There’s no shortage of topics we can find ways to worry about.
While fear can sometimes make us more alert to possible physical danger, it isn’t as helpful in our current lifestyles. The things we fear usually aren’t imminent injury or death.
Fear may immobilize us, keeping us from doing when action might be helpful. We can get lost in a loop of fearful thoughts instead of choosing a response to a situation.
Worse, fear often is anticipatory. We worry about things we fear might happen but may never actually occur. We feel bad about a potential situation that doesn’t exist.
Additionally, worrying repetitively about a scenario may lends energy to that possible outcome, making it more likely to occur. We can end up creating exactly what we don’t want to see.
That’s not to say we should blithely ignore any potential danger or warning signs. Yes, we should pay attention to the input we receive. But it is merely a sign of possibility, one that we can likely evade with appropriate neutral action.
Worrying and fear also will impede our ability to assess scenarios accurately. So, remaining calm helps us handle things better. We’ll be able to enjoy the present moment more fully when we don’t taint it with anticipatory negativity.
Today’s message reminds me that fear is a signpost to recognize and not a state of being I want to inhabit. Fear doesn’t make me safer; love does.
Please reflect and share. What is your relationship with fear?