Think about fear for a moment, what comes to mind?
You may visualize standing at the edge of a plane before diving out or getting stuck in an elevator, especially if you are claustrophobic (yikes!) But while these are typical examples of fear, it doesn’t end here.
Far from what we expect, the tricky thing about fear is that it shows up in more ways than we usually think of or like to accept anyway. Even though fear is another emotion as many others, it can get out of hand when it remains unacknowledged and starts driving us.
Consider any of these common behaviours, at the root of which is most likely to be the ‘F’ word:
| Chronic patterns | Dominant root- cause | Potential Long -term implication |
| Drinking at a party against your own will | Fear of being judged otherwise | Low self-worth |
| Procrastinating on stuff you need to do | Fear of failing | Remaining stuck and stagnant |
| Reacting aggressively when you don’t have it your way | Fear of losing freedom | Conflict and strained relationships |
Now, you may have bought into naming these behaviours as being a loser, lazy or aggressive, but fear? Probably never thought of that right? Not your fault. Fear is usually associated with being ‘weak’, as a result of which we often camouflage the emotion with other unhealthy patterns as outlined above.
Moreover, we also neglect to realise that on any given day, we are either operating from a space of expansion (frequency of love) or from a space of contraction (frequency of fear). Check out the levels of consciousness here:
Now that you’ve seen this chart, you may want to ask yourself which end of the spectrum do you usually find yourself at? Functioning with low-level emotions such as shame, guilt, apathy or anger leads to damaged relationships, stagnation, health ailments among other serious life issues.
The extent to which where fear holds us back from achieving all that we wish to be or do really has no end.
Surprising as it may sound though, both anger and fear have positive sides to it too, as long as you use them consciously. Fear can be used as a signal to take steps for avoiding uncertainty while anger can be used to be assertive and put your foot down when the situation calls for it!
With that said, regardless of what the circumstances may be, we always have a choice. The choice to change course by becoming more conscious of the underlying emotion behind our most common behavioural patterns; and with that awareness, shifting our mental state. Only through acknowledgement and acceptance of our emotional patterns, can one do something different about it.
No life will ever be pain-free or ‘perfect, for there will always be challenges and hurdles. The ultimate difference lies in whether we get stuck in those stories or paint our lives with powerful possibilities, using our inner knowingness.
No matter where you are in your life journey, it is never too late. Step into faith and let love rule.