Everything is within your control. Not everything, of
course, but a lot more than you think.
Might as well start acting like it.
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Sunday, April 9, 2017
How We Face Fear
It really came together for me while reading a book to my son, called Franklin is Scared of the Dark (or something along those lines), about a turtle who is scared of small, dark places. For a turtle, this is clearly problematic, as inside his shell is a small, dark place. The rest of the book follows Franklin as he approaches other animals, asking if they could possibly help him. Each of the animals has their own fear which (predictably) is tied to their particular characteristics (a duck afraid of deep water, a lion afraid of loud noises, etc.). Each of these animals has developed a method of insulating themselves from their fears, such as the duck wearing water wings, the lion wearing ear muffs, and so on. While none of this directly helps Franklin, he does realize he can turn on a nightlight while inside his shell in order to get past his fear of the dark.
It illustrates perfectly the problems most of us - present company included - encounter when dealing with fear. Rather than acknowledging our vulnerability, and facing the fear, we seek ways to insulate ourselves from it. We excuse it away, often justifying its legitimacy, we develop reasons why we can't address it, we cloak fear as boredom, or it presents itself as doubt. No matter how it shows itself, fear keeps us from accomplishing what we set out to do. Or at least it does for me.
In reality, rather than shielding ourselves from these fears, the best course of action is, in my opinion at least, to own up to it, to face it, and to continue on in the face of it. Some of these fears are completely legitimate. But that doesn't mean we have to let it stop us. As the saying goes, "courage is not the absence of fear. It is having fear, but doing it anyway."
GI Joe always said "knowing is half the battle." But I disagree, at least in this instance. Recognizing the fear, and how it is cloaking itself, is a great start. But it is not half the battle. Being ready to own up and forge ahead in the face of the fear is half the battle. Then it is merely a matter of continuing to take a step every time fear beats you backward. As with almost any fear, the more you face it, the less it remains. So take that first step, keep moving forward, and someday, it will likely abate.
It illustrates perfectly the problems most of us - present company included - encounter when dealing with fear. Rather than acknowledging our vulnerability, and facing the fear, we seek ways to insulate ourselves from it. We excuse it away, often justifying its legitimacy, we develop reasons why we can't address it, we cloak fear as boredom, or it presents itself as doubt. No matter how it shows itself, fear keeps us from accomplishing what we set out to do. Or at least it does for me.
In reality, rather than shielding ourselves from these fears, the best course of action is, in my opinion at least, to own up to it, to face it, and to continue on in the face of it. Some of these fears are completely legitimate. But that doesn't mean we have to let it stop us. As the saying goes, "courage is not the absence of fear. It is having fear, but doing it anyway."
GI Joe always said "knowing is half the battle." But I disagree, at least in this instance. Recognizing the fear, and how it is cloaking itself, is a great start. But it is not half the battle. Being ready to own up and forge ahead in the face of the fear is half the battle. Then it is merely a matter of continuing to take a step every time fear beats you backward. As with almost any fear, the more you face it, the less it remains. So take that first step, keep moving forward, and someday, it will likely abate.
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