Lessons On Fear
By: Michael Patanella
Tags: Self Improvement, Mental Health, Fear, Life Lessons, Self

Fear is something that can be defined as so many different things, for so many different types of people. It’s often an equivalent to be frightened, being scared, or some type of surprise. For many in related research, fear is a branch of anxiety, and in many ways, represents it, or connects to its development.

Every single human being has had some experience with fear. Either through dangerous, abrupt settings or situations, or in a long term type of fear, like growing old, or dying, even when many years away.

Reasons that may fuel somebody’s fear is something that is different in each person. There are many types of general reasons or scenarios that may put fear into most anybody. But there are also many other causes of fear that change from one person to the next. What may scare me, may not scare you. But just why are we being scared? What in generating the fears that we all have?

The element of surprise can garner all the uncertainties that for sure can be scary. In a world where nothing’s carved in stone, and events in life never a guarantee, of course fear is going to find its place.So much in life is unpredictable, no matter how much we plan, how much we educate ourselves, and how much we prepare.

Things like death, a total guarantee for every living being, yet the final dates never known until it arrives. Mostly anybody has the potential for fear, when there’s things in their lives, that they maintain no control over. What we can’t control, can always spread intimidation.

I’ve come up with a philosophy on fear, which put things into perspective quite easily as to how much complication can be created out of fear.

Fear can make us feel alone. While loneliness can itself cause fear. We hide fear inside us. But it’s strength that fear can gain, when kept buried deep within us.

When it comes to having the idea of writing a piece about fear, it seemed to have such open ended options when it came to its reasons. I came up with the idea that in order to put together a piece like this, the best way to start was to look at myself. And ask myself these questions. I figured I could try to look at myself, and try to answer the questions, as if I’m asking myself.

What does fear mean to me specifically? What are the things in life that I fear?

Well, first and foremost, a lot of the above mentioned can relate to my own theory on personal fears. That would be, the fear of the unknown. The fear of mystery, and the fear of things that I have no control over. Not even the valid things either.

I have lived in fear of assumptions and projections of the unknown. Things that I think I will have no control over, yet they never even come to pass.

I think I used to have other fears, ones of which I have since worked through. But I have no shame of those. Nor should anyone else. That fear is one of things like failure. Fear of how I’ll look to the outside world. Thankfully, I am able to say that those specifics are fears that I once had. I’ve left those behind after going through heavy duty soul searching.

I have fears of lose. I think it’s natural for everybody to have that type of fear. I have learned that it wouldn’t be realistic to say to myself, that I must totally evaporate that fear. It’s just not possible. Instead of working to cure something completely, a better route to take for something like this is through acceptance.

Fears can remain present, but still be considered “healthy” fears. It’s often about specific factor. Like how much something consumes our life, in negative ways. Things that we put too much negative emotion and passion into.

Learning to work through our personal fears is a process that closely resembles a process where we are continuously learning about ourselves.

A process that can offer us many valuable lessons. Even breaking free alone, is enough to re-mold our courage and confidence, in ways in which we can be ready, the next time fear attempts to take over.

Michael Patanella

is a Trenton, New Jersey Author, Publisher, Columnist, Editor, Advocate, and recovering addict, covering topics of mental health, addiction, sobriety, mindfulness, self-help, faith, spirituality, Smart Recovery, social advocacy, and countless other nonfiction topics. His articles, publications, memoirs, and stories are geared towards being a voice for the voiceless. Hoping to reach others out there still struggling.