Fear, it may just be a four letter word but don’t you be conned into thinking that it’s harmless. It really causes conflicts and aches for all.
Sometimes it’s the fear of letting go of what we know while at times it’s the fear of the unknown. Sometimes it’s the fear of surprising others while at times it’s the fear of actually doing what we know we are capable of. We all have our share of fears, we all do.
Height, fire, water, speed. You name it and I’ve a phobia for all. But I’m not talking about these fears. You know those apprehensions we have, those that we keep pondering on when nobody is looking? Or, those fears of actually saying something, which we have been feeling for so long, aloud but haven’t quite gotten around to expressing. And those hidden inhibitions and apprehensions that we dare not talk about. I feel those are the biggest fears perhaps hurdles and of the worst kind. And I think we all can do much more, break so many shackles if we just shed those fears. But it’s easier said than done right?
Wouldn’t life be a lot easier if we stop being afraid even if for a day?
Of-course there are so many things that scare me, things that sometimes make me stop suddenly. But for today let’s just talk about one of my fears. Disappointing people I love is what terrifies me. I’m afraid of causing discomfort to those I care about and falling short of their expectations. Yes, that’s probably one of my greatest fears. In one way or the other the fear of not being able to do what is right by them drives my actions.Maybe one day I’ll not be afraid of letting down people anymore. I put so much pressure on myself doing that most of the time. I don’t think it’s healthy. And let’s just say it doesn’t really work out for the best then.
Everything I do is driven by emotions which is not the best thing to do you know, at-least not always. Sometimes the fear of not being able to live up to the expectations of someone I care about is so huge that it clouds my vision. All the mistakes I commit day after day can perhaps be avoided if I just stop trying to do everything. So my day without fear would be one where I just let go of all my need for control, my need to make sure everything is fine with everyone around me and my need to ensure that they have no discomfort in their lives.
But enough about me tell me what would you do if you weren’t afraid even if for a day?
You're not alone in those fears, Naba. We all share them. I hate how my fears inhibit me from taking risks for fear of failing. That's a biggie. And yes, I fear letting people down, too. Appreciate your honesty.
Agree with Cathy above.
These fears are common to all of us.
May we live up to our dreams & never disappoint anyone…
Best wishes, Naba 🙂
When I was a child, I got the idea that nothing I did was ever good enough. Have gotten to the point that if I know I'm not doing my best, I try harder. If I am doing my best and someone tries to put me down, well, I just don't care about that. I do still hate to disappoint my family.
But like I told my kids, sometimes I may get angry at something they have done…but I ALWAYS love them.
And being willing to talk about your fears is a very cool and courageous thing to do, Naba. Here's to you!
My main fear is only about hurting someone who trusts me – mostly inadvertently, as it happens, and it happens mainly because a sense of humor can lead to jokes that the other person may interpret as hurtful. The problem for me, though, is not about overcoming the fear but about not giving in to it 🙂 If I could hold my tongue/pen/typewriter with sensitive people it would be much better 🙂 Unfortunately, the realization is ALWAYS belated.
I totally understand, and share that fear myself. I wish I could get past it!
fear is a constant companion–from birth till death!
I think I will kind of agree with you, the day when I can truly say I am fearless is the day when I stop caring about what others would think – I constantly find myself trying to live up to other peoples expectation and sometimes that lands me into situations I would rather not be in.
Disappointing people we love is terrifying but they understand us so well, we need to believe in us too. I am afraid of hurting my family and friends with my unkind words because with strangers we use very polite, correct language 🙂
Fear is the feeling we all have in our minds
very honest words, and shared by so many of us.
Being a disappointment to my loved ones, would be top-of-the-list for most. But what if you had no loved ones to disappoint? That would be even worse, na?
Fears are a part of our life. There are so many awkward fears I have that you may want to laugh over it. They are an interesting as well as menacing sometimes. But there is no way you can get rid of all of them. They are always there 😀
So true fears inhibit us so much.We don't do so many things out of fear…Thanks Cathy for visiting…
I agree…Wish you the same Anita:)
You know LuAnn when I was in college certain people broke down my confidence so much that even I thought that I wasn't good enough..It took me two years to get over that..Now I don't care about others but yes I do care and get influenced by people I love..Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts..
Ahh that is a genuine fear Suresh… Sometimes we don't realize when we hurt people close to us and without even knowing..But I'm sure those close to you are well aware of ur sense of humor and that you mean no hurt…
Me too Laurel !
So true!
so true Pooja…. If only we could let go of the fear no?
So true Sulekkha…I guess we take those around us for granted and end up doing it…
True Farah!
So true Sweety…That would be scary and I would take the first one any day over having no one to disappoint!
Oh yes Anmol…Fears don't really leave us, do they? 😀
My biggest fears are related to the well being of my loved ones. I realize that fear leaves me exhausted and it's best to avoid such thoughts. Easier said than done.
I echo Alka. My biggest fears are also related to my loved ones. Somehow the worries no matter how foolish just keep creeping up.
Fear for people I love, fear of other people's opinions,fear of falling flat on my face – they are all a part of me. Fear is the driver most of the times underneath the subterfuge. A day without fear would be exhilarating to say the least.
True Alka it is definitely easier said than done…I too feel exhausted with the kind of pressure I put on myself due to this fear of mine…
So true Rachna… I end up burying myself under a mountain of stress due to this habit of mine…
So true…I guess we all share the same fears and that's why a day without any of the fears would be worth it..
many times it is our fear which helps us to overcome a problem or a situation. We all requires some fear to motivate ourselves.
Letter Of Apology
That is surely another aspect of fear, the good one 🙂
I set very high expectations for myself, forget what others set for me and I also disappoint myself very quickly. When that happens, it's like a big push backwards and it takes a big big effort for me to move forward. I'm trying to toss those stupid standards out the window and maybe one day, I'll be able to do it permanently.
Great post!