On the other hand if you are scared and you do it any way...you did something. It is easy to be afraid and react to your life and all the things you have to face. Easy.
Our brain is hard wired to be on the alert. So anything that might be a threat or do us harm can send us into fight or flight. This is old primal behavior that still serves us today, but maybe not so necessary all the time. It can sneek up on you as you do your best to be intelligent about decisions everyday. Even on a very simple level. Maybe you need to sit down and go over your books, do your taxes, meet with your kids teacher or any number of simple daily events and duties. Yet you find excuses to not do that. You make all kinds of excuses as to why you don't do it. Using your intellect to justify your fear or insecurities. Maybe you are afraid of the teacher because she has a degree and you don't. Maybe you are afraid of confronting your neighbor because he is big, loud, and obnoxious. The president FDR comment he made in a famous speech; "the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself" is a real truth. Being afraid is being afraid. And when you face your fear and do what you need to do anyway...you really do something. You also may discover that the fear was bigger than the actual act.
In my work with convicts there were many times fear would be part of the conversation. Convicts live with, know and work with fear everyday. If you're not scared and you do something, that is just life. You do what is in front of you. But, if you have to do something scary and you are genuinely afraid, and do it anyway...you did something.
It is a true adage that courage is defined by "being scared and doing it anyway". Facing your own fears takes a lifetime of work. We are taught to be afraid of everything from God to government, to police, to life and death. If you're straight you should fear gays, if you're old you should fear young, black and white, rich and poor, Christian, Muslim, Jew, on and on. Fear is a good sales point, it brings people to your way of thinking...sort of. Especially if you want to control someone or the masses.
You don't have to do things because you are afraid. If everything you do is motivated by fear you will always have a result that will create more fear. Your internal language has a lot to do with how you funciton everyday. If the words you say to yourself are; I'm afraid I can't, I'm afraid this is going wrong, I have to do this for fear of punishment or consequences. Then you are functioning in fear, reinforcing fear and not giving yourself the respect your intellilect desrves. Use words and language that support you. Do things becuase you love to see a positivie outcome, a win win for everyone involved.
A couple of great anagrams are; FEAR, Face-Everything-And-Recover. FEAR, Forget-Everything-And-Run. I offer these for you to use as is best in your life. But I encourage real courage in the face of fear.
So today, pay attention to what scares you. Be clear of what you are seeing as real authentic scary-ness, and what are lazy old habits, even on a very low internal level. See the fear in front of you whatever it might be. Go through it anyway. Make a decision and be brave, develop your courage. Sometimes it is terrifying...
You could be anywhere doing anything, and you are here doing this. That is good medicine for your life.
Copyright (c) 2013 Robert Owens-Greygrass
Our brain is hard wired to be on the alert. So anything that might be a threat or do us harm can send us into fight or flight. This is old primal behavior that still serves us today, but maybe not so necessary all the time. It can sneek up on you as you do your best to be intelligent about decisions everyday. Even on a very simple level. Maybe you need to sit down and go over your books, do your taxes, meet with your kids teacher or any number of simple daily events and duties. Yet you find excuses to not do that. You make all kinds of excuses as to why you don't do it. Using your intellect to justify your fear or insecurities. Maybe you are afraid of the teacher because she has a degree and you don't. Maybe you are afraid of confronting your neighbor because he is big, loud, and obnoxious. The president FDR comment he made in a famous speech; "the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself" is a real truth. Being afraid is being afraid. And when you face your fear and do what you need to do anyway...you really do something. You also may discover that the fear was bigger than the actual act.
In my work with convicts there were many times fear would be part of the conversation. Convicts live with, know and work with fear everyday. If you're not scared and you do something, that is just life. You do what is in front of you. But, if you have to do something scary and you are genuinely afraid, and do it anyway...you did something.
It is a true adage that courage is defined by "being scared and doing it anyway". Facing your own fears takes a lifetime of work. We are taught to be afraid of everything from God to government, to police, to life and death. If you're straight you should fear gays, if you're old you should fear young, black and white, rich and poor, Christian, Muslim, Jew, on and on. Fear is a good sales point, it brings people to your way of thinking...sort of. Especially if you want to control someone or the masses.
You don't have to do things because you are afraid. If everything you do is motivated by fear you will always have a result that will create more fear. Your internal language has a lot to do with how you funciton everyday. If the words you say to yourself are; I'm afraid I can't, I'm afraid this is going wrong, I have to do this for fear of punishment or consequences. Then you are functioning in fear, reinforcing fear and not giving yourself the respect your intellilect desrves. Use words and language that support you. Do things becuase you love to see a positivie outcome, a win win for everyone involved.
A couple of great anagrams are; FEAR, Face-Everything-And-Recover. FEAR, Forget-Everything-And-Run. I offer these for you to use as is best in your life. But I encourage real courage in the face of fear.
So today, pay attention to what scares you. Be clear of what you are seeing as real authentic scary-ness, and what are lazy old habits, even on a very low internal level. See the fear in front of you whatever it might be. Go through it anyway. Make a decision and be brave, develop your courage. Sometimes it is terrifying...
You could be anywhere doing anything, and you are here doing this. That is good medicine for your life.
Copyright (c) 2013 Robert Owens-Greygrass
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