Why Do We Fear

My Dear Friend, Fear

Today I want to share something going on in my mind, I think about it day in day out. I feel a lot of us live a life of constant fear; it might not be obvious as we all have learned the art of hiding it, hiding it from others and protecting it from ourselves.

We are happy, we smile and do regular things in life, but there is a constant fear inside, fear that we are not the best at work, not the best wife, not the best husband, not the best son/daughter, fear of not having money, fear of losing a job, fear of losing loved ones, and so many more. There are some days when we get bogged down by these fears, and some days these fears are like sleeping monsters waiting to be awakened.

I want to tell you that it’s prevalent and we are all humans, it’s okay to have fears. We all are drowned continuously, yes, drowned in this fear, and no one tells us that it's okay to have this fear, no one tells us that everyone does. We never acknowledge the concerns within us, and we are taught to hide the fear, we are taught to put it behind us so that no one can see it, we are taught it's a bad thing which no one is supposed to see… but it’s okay to have fears.

Growing up, how many of our parents told us it's fine to be scared and talked about their fears? My parents didn’t, so we grow up thinking other have no fears and it’s only within us, so we learn to hide it, and by the time we are adults, we have mastered the art of concealing our fears.

You know what, I want to tell you that it's okay to have fears. You will feel afraid of so many things in your life, but I don't want you to be drowned in that fear for the rest of your life. Liberate yourself and your experience of that fear. It is doing no good for you. It's like a bag which is hanging on your back, it's doing no good, all it’s doing is slowing you down, it's taking you nowhere. So, let go of that fear, fear of not being right, fear of not having enough money, love, fear of losing or whatever.

Easier said than done, right? I think the first and most essential step in this process is to recognize the fear. Fear is like having another person behind you, like a shadow. Identify this fear, personify this fear. Imagine it is a person, call him/her to the front, stand face to face with him/her, acknowledge that it exists. Tell it, “I put you behind me and forget about you,” “I live every day as if you don't exist.” Tell your fear, “You know what, you don't have to be here anymore. What will be good for both of us is for you to return to wherever you came from.” Send it back—bid it goodbye. Trust me, you will feel fresh and light, as if some burden has been taken off. Well, it is a burden, just an invisible one which you have been carrying all over the place with you for so long.

It's always better if you can identify what the fear was born out of; something which you got when you were a kid, something that runs in the family, maybe some silly apprehension you have. But most of the time, fear is like a monkey which just hopped off from someone else’s back onto yours. Tell the fear this is not its home and send it off. Tell your fears you are ready to accept whatever happens in life, so you don’t need it.

Everything that comes to you comes for a reason, and everything that you have right now serves a purpose; everything that you have lost or that's left you is for a reason. When things are meant to be, it's going to find you and come to you. Everyone would have experienced this in life. So, there is no point in holding on to something and grieving if it's lost or gone. Be happy and thankful for all the things you have. There are so many things in life that you can be grateful for: your family, your health, your job. If not anything, be thankful that you are alive and breathing, some people would do anything to live one more day. Be happy and grateful for everything in the past. Your past is the reason for your present. Be happy and thankful for everything that will end up with you in the future.

Let go of the fear, rise above it, don’t let it drown you. Life must be cherished.

Face Everything And Rise

The Guiding Voice