Being Brave

We all have fear. Some fears stem from experience. Some fears are irrational. Some we get over. Some we grow out of. But fear is real and we don't have a lot of control over what scares us.

I have a fear of free falling. This limits the number of rides I can enjoy at an amusement park. It also means I've never learned to dive into a pool. I can jump in, but I cannot dive. My knees buckle every time. And then there was the time in college, the Resident Advisors went on a team building camping trip which ended with me in tears because I could not fall backwards from the top of a picnic table and trust that my peers would catch me.

There are other fears I've had. Some fears I've gotten over. Our fears will change as we age I suppose. For example, I was afraid of thunderstorms. Always hated them. Couldn't sleep, wondering if there would be a tornado. Then I got a dog. I loved my retired greyhound so much. Peanut lived with a lot of fear and anxiety every day. And it was because of Peanut that I learned to calm the fear I had about thunderstorms. Peanut was already afraid of the storm. She could feel my fear and then she would get worse. So I taught myself to stay calm during the storm. One day I realized I was no longer afraid of the storm. If only Peanut needed to dive into a pool!

We also tend to overcome our fears for our children. We want the best for our kids and we don't want them to be limited by our fears. I think for me a big fear I've had to work through, repeatedly over the last few years is trying something new. This is a broad fear and I imagine most people have some degree of fear about trying something new. New things are uncomfortable. There are so many unknowns. We have the choice to stay in the current situation or to step out and try something new. Starting a new job is scary. Making new friends is nerve-wracking. But I want my kiddos to know that facing their fear can bring about some amazing things.

Some fears are so deep rooted we may not be able to overcome them on our own. That is a part of life. For the other fears, I find it interesting that it is sometimes easier to overcome our fears for the sake of someone else, especially those we love.

Have you had an experience where you overcame fear for the sake of someone else?

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  1. I live daily with anxiety. Every single day I fear of having a panic attack. There are times it is hard even to just go grocery shopping. I have had multiple panic feelings in the middle of the grocery store. Not sure why, but it is frustrating. It would be nice to wake up and know that today I will not have a panic attack, which many days I do not. But that fear is always there. It has prevented me doing things, going places, and trying new things. The fear is real.

  2. Thank you for sharing. What you are describing is not average fear that we can "just get over". I too have lived with anxiety and panic attacks. You can tell yourself what you fear isn't rational and the panic attacks can't hurt you, but the suffering is real. Be patient with yourself. I started talking out loud to myself a lot, haha. I would literally say out loud, "just breathe" and take a step. Today, I struggle much less with anxiety and panic but it sneaks up on me from time to time. Keep fighting for your freedom, fear is uncomfortable but overcoming fear is so empowering.


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