Faith over Fear: It is time to stop living in fear!
So many of us are living in fear today. Fear has become a way of life, bringing in its wake anxiety, stress, sadness, loneliness, depression and what have you.
Being fearful about everything and anything is literally making us sick!
The news and media do not help as they contribute to this epidemic rather than help in alleviating it. We are constantly bombarded with news of scandals, misfortunes, economic downfalls, and a deluge of negativity, which brings us down and creates more fear.
How many of us are happy to forward and share the scandalistic and the bad news? What do you do?
We have forgotten to live as we gasp for survival. Fear can and does have a profound and deeply negative impact on us, affecting various aspects of our lives.
Fear is a disease, a malaise!
It is said that a child is born without fear, except for having two instinctive fear-based responses; to loud noises and to being afraid of being dropped. The rest is learned as the child grows, through various experiences and what we were told, when well-meaning adults, who were our points of reference scared us by naming monsters or threatening us with something fearful to make us obey them.
‘Don’t talk to strangers.’
‘If you don’t sleep the big bad wolf will come and carry you off’ or versions of this.
‘There are big shadowy monsters under your bed and if you don’t obey me, they will come out.’
I don’t know if you can resonate with any of the above. Unfortunately, many of these childhood fears remain with us long after our childhood is over, in one version or another. ‘Don’t talk to strangers,’ for example can keep us fearful and timid in creating new relationships with wonderful people, simply because they are strangers to us. The unseen and undefined big shadowy monsters overshadow our lives as fears of the unknown, keeping us small.
Are you constantly living in fear or do you have strategies to break through?
Fear is not simply something physical that we are afraid of, we can have the fear of the unknown, the fear of judgement the fear of rejection or the fear of facing a certain situation at work or in our homes.
Living in Fear is literally making us sick.
‘Faith over Fear’ is a powerful way to live.
Becoming aware of how fear influences us negatively can perhaps help us in making the decision to steer clear of fear.
Here is what fear does to us:
Physical responses of unease — When we experience fear, our bodies often go into a “freeze, fight or flight” response. This can lead to increased heart rate, shallow breathing, muscle tension, and even sweating. Our blood releases clotting agents to clot faster in the eventuality of being wounded. These physical reactions are designed to prepare us to respond to a perceived threat.
We experience strong emotional distress with strong negative emotions such as anxiety, panic, stress and feelings of insecurity. It can cloud our judgment and decision-making abilities. Fear often leads to avoidance behaviour, as a protective mechanism, where we begin to steer clear of situations or challenges that trigger our fears.
Chronic fear and stress have deeply detrimental effects on physical health. Living so weakens the immune system, increases the risk of cardiovascular problems, and contributes to other serious health issues. It is mentally exhausting and leads to a constant state of unease or worry.
Prolonged exposure to living in fear creates limiting beliefs about ourselves and our capabilities. We start to doubt our skills, worthiness, or potential for success and lose self-esteem and confidence. Fear can evoke a state of paralysis in decision-making and causes us to avoid taking risks or trying new things, even when they could be beneficial for personal growth or achieving goals. This avoidance hinders personal and professional development.
Fear affects our relationships by making us overly defensive or causing us to withdraw from social interactions. It bocks open communication and thus leads to misunderstandings and conflicts with others.
Fear of failure or inadequacy also leads to procrastination, preventing us from taking action on important tasks or goals. This discomfort of tolerating a little bit of unpleasantness in the short run leads to a state of beating ourselves up and wasting our energy on worry, anxiety, apathy and indifference and eventually, we end up giving up on ourselves. This is sadly becoming rampant in our younger generations, the majority of whom are either turning to addictive substances to cope or actually giving up.
Fear generates negative thought patterns and self-talk which undermines our person, reinforcing our anxieties and making it difficult to break free from them.
Perhaps most significantly, fear can prevent us from seizing opportunities for personal and professional growth by keeping us in our comfort zones and hindering progress toward our goals.
Can you imagine what abuse your body is being subjected to constantly by living in a state of fear?
It is a common challenge for individuals in our society to overcome fear and live more fearlessly. Understanding how fear affects us is the first step toward addressing it.
“Faith over Fear” is a powerful mindset that can help us overcome challenges and live a more positive and fulfilling life.
In my next article, I write about ways of strengthening our Faith, so that we can face and walk through the illusions of our fears.
As a mindfulness practitioner and life-design coach, I help clients focus on well-being and personal growth and make life choices that prioritize their mental and emotional health. This leads to personal freedom and independence allowing the person to blossom and manifest the life they deserve. If you’re looking to expand your horizons and/or overcome issues, connect with me.