Handle fear — so it won’t handle you

December 8, 2012

We’re taught that fear is an emotion that means “stop!”
Actually, fear just means we haven’t done this before.
It’s unfamiliar.  New to us.
Instead of stopping in the face of fear, get closer to it.
Take two steps toward it.
Face it.
Explore it.
See what it’s about.
Then, take two more.
The best way to get over fear is to get closer to it.
Consider it an exploratory emotion.
Thank you, Jamie Butler, for this.

5 comments on “Handle fear — so it won’t handle you
  1. Anonymous says:

    Not always good advice.

  2. compostmoi says:

    Yes. Turn and face the barking dog, said the Buddha. or someone else who was wise. Even if it takes medication to do so, said me.

  3. Grace Hodgin says:

    I agree as why people express intolerance because they are afraid of their perceived dangers. I also think fear comes with associated feeling of dealing with the same type of situation however that did not work out well in the past.

  4. I agree with Grace. We do need to confront our fears but fears also protect us. (Fire for example)

  5. I like the idea of fear as an exploratory emotion. Most of us know when something is a clear danger–but so many fears aren’t like that. They’re neuroses, or just based on the “newness” of something. Getting closer to a fear to see what it’s about does no harm–it just helps you decide whether to go further toward it or not.

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