For the first time in a long time today, I actually sat and had a conversation with one of my best friends. Both of us have been really really busy over the last few weeks; her with starting a new job, me with the wear and tear of grad school and the job that I have now. Without divulging too much of her business, one of the topics that came up in the midst of our conversation was fear. Now, I feel like fear is one of those things that comes up in a lot of different aspects of life…it’s not limited to relationships, although I think fear is a large factor in why some people don’t take full advantage (in the good way of course) of people that come in and out of their lives.
I digress.
Talking to her about fear, and seeing a question posed on Twitter that caused me to say that fear was the answer to it caused it to take the forefront in my mind for the day today. I sat and thought about what throughout my lifetime I haven’t done…not because I wasn’t capable of it, or not because I would have failed miserably, but simply because I was scared. How many educational opportunities, social opportunities, relational opportunities did I miss out on because of fear? To put it lightly, the answer is a lot. Looking back, especially over my collegiate career, there were a lot of things that I could have, and in some respects should have, done that I didn’t do because I was scared. How different could my life be if I had just faced my fears head on and taken some of the challenges presented to me?
High risk, high reward, right?
Granted, I’m sure I wouldn’t be in some of the positions I’m in now…I wouldn’t know some of the people I know, probably wouldn’t be in the academic program I’m in now…probably wouldn’t even be living in the same state right now, but…it boggles my mind to sit and think about how different some things in my life could be if I threw caution to the wind, stared my fears in the face, and just confronted them.
There are plenty of things I’m afraid of to this day…I’m sure over the course of this blog, some of the things I’m afraid of will become apparent. I’m also certain that there are some things that I don’t even know that I’m scared of that are waiting to reveal themselves at the most inopportune time possible. Hopefully, I can take some of the lessons I’ve learned thus far and not be so scared to do the things I want to do and to truly pursue the things that I know I am capable of and that I feel like I deserve to experience.
Shrug.
That being said about me, what are some of your fears? Do you think fear can ever be rational? Or do you feel like fear is something people hide behind to shortchange themselves in the long run (whether consciously or subconsciously)? Feel free to share your thoughts, I’m always eager to hear (read) how people feel.
Until next time…
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1 comments:
Everything you said is so true. Often fear controls us even when we can't recognize it.
That being said, I feel like fear is usually logical; that's precisely the problem. As humans we yearn to control our world, to predict our own futures and understand as much as possible. "Look before you leap!" Fear is often a product of our own attempts to protect ourselves from a seemingly logical progression.
"If this and this is this, then there's no possible way that (insert horrible scenario) can't happen."
Fear is often seemingly simple deduction. But the truth is no one really knows how any situation may turn out, sometimes we simply have to leap.
I think it can be connected to a host of other emotions, but a lot of the times I think the need for "control" is the basis.
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