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The Power of Fear
Fear is something no human can live without and if you don’t learn to control it, fear will be your worst enemy. Fear is an emotion controlled by the brain. You can fear many things, emotions, animals, height.
You may be afraid of not being enough for somebody.
You may fear failing school and with that fear your future possibilities.
You may fear love, of falling in love.
You may fear animals, such as bees.
You may fear the truth.
You may be afraid of certain people.
All these fears are acceptable; no one can tell you that you are not allowed to feel what you feel. But many of these fears you can overcome, with help from others and going through with your fear over and over again. It takes time, patients and a big effort. Some fears you don’t understand why you have them, where they came from or when you got them. But some fears, you are very aware of having. And those fears you can overcome, no matter how impossible it seems. Fear can come from different experiences or from something you’ve seen or heard. But if you work hard then you can learn to control your fears. Some you can live with, others you will have to overcome to be able to go on with your everyday lives.
Often if people are scared, they
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Cry
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Scream
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Complain
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Close themselves in
All these are natural reaction of discomfort and fear. Often fear shuts down the decisions part of our brain. If we panic, we will not be able to think straight. For example I am a little bit claustrophobic. I don’t know where it came from or when I got it. Nor can I explain why I have it, but whenever I get in an elevator I feel sweaty and dizzy. Some days are better than others.
“Once my father and I were loading a horse into the trailer and the door was locked. I did not know this when I went in on the big ramp, neither did my father. When he closed the ramp and jumped into the car I tried to get out and I realized then that the door was locked. I panicked, especially when I heard the engine starting. I started crying and did nothing for a few seconds. Then I decided to breath and though that eventually he must notice me gone. I tried to calm down, and when I had calmed down a little I realized I had my phone. So I called him.”
This is the closest example I have in what I want to get out of these ideas and thoughts of fear. I panicked because my fear got the best of me. But then I tried to calm myself down, in this case trying to think of the possibilities that my father would find me. When I was calm I could think clearer and get myself out of the mess.
You were not born to fear. An infant is fearless. Show him/her to a stranger or a dangerous weapon, and they will not show a reaction. I think this is because they cannot think, they have not yet understood that a knife can cut your finger off. They do not know anything else or any better than to stick their hand in a drawer full of knives. But the older you get, the more you learn, also the more fears you will find in yourself.
When you find a fear, make sure to overcome it. Breath. Take control.