I recently remembered a conversation that I had a while back and it sparked a thought which has been lingering in my mind ever since; the value, and ultimately the importance, of fear.

At its core, fear is an innate survival mechanism. Defined by the Oxford Dictionary as ‘an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm’, it is designed to prevent us from causing damage to ourself or from entering dangerous situations. This expression of fear is, of course, entirely necessary, valid and beneficial. Quite simply, this fear keeps us alive.

However, the issue with ‘fear’ arises when we experience it in superfluous amounts towards self-fabricated, hypothetical or undeserving situations (for example, the fear of failing / not being good enough / letting people down / embarrassing ourselves / getting older / being rejected etc), which then prevents us from living our lives to their full potential. This unwarranted fear stands in the way of us living our truth and pursuing our greatest passions and dreams. Additionally, the more that we succumb to this fear – by not doing the things we want to do, saying the words we want to say or going to the places we want to go – the more its hold on us amplifies.

In today’s world, filled with constant pressure and expectation, it’s all too easy for our minds to blur the lines between our rational and irrational fears. As a result, it becomes easier for us to just respond to, or approach, all situations with a mentality of fear and hesitation. In the long-term, our minds and bodies can end up being constantly under stress and in ‘survival mode’, which is not only detrimental to our health, but can also cause us to feel overwhelmed and live in a state of perpetual apprehension or uneasiness.

In essence, when you are experiencing this irrational kind of fear – which is fueled by your thoughts rather than by your genuine circumstances – you are existing on the boundary between your current reality and a place in which you will learn something new, discover a truth about yourself or achieve something that you never thought you could achieve. The crossing of this boundary occurs by embracing and defying this ‘fear’; it occurs by realising that it has no true substance and therefore, it cannot define you.

We should not despise fear, nor should we accept it as the confines of our capabilities, we must use it as an indication of where our potential for growth and development lies. If we can change our mindset about fear; from allowing it to dictate our lives, to using it as a tool for our growth, we will learn just how much we can achieve.

The beauty unfolds when you realise that to feel fear is to be gifted, as it means that you have the potential to feel accomplishment. It means that you have the opportunity to appreciate your own courage, power and inner strength.

You owe it to yourself to follow your heart and pursue your dreams, no matter how scary that may seem, and, as they say, what is the worst that could happen?

~ ‘Everything you have ever wanted is on the other side of fear’ – George Addair

~ ‘Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain’ – Mark Twain 

~ ‘In order for one to learn the important lessons of life, one must first overcome a fear each day’ – Ralph Waldo Emerson

All my love,

Lucy x