Growing up, my Nonno taught me to fear the basement by saying “Lupo” lived downstairs. The thought of a wolf lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce on a small child didn’t deter me from exploring the basement, but it did teach me to proceed with caution (especially in the cantina).
As an adult, I can shake my head to my amusement of this potential therapy-required childhood moment, but I do see how a touch of fear can be a formidable force.
Fear in itself is not a bad thing. It is an essential response to physical and emotional danger. It serves as a tool for self-preservation, protecting us from legitimate threats. However, consider how often we let fear cripple us in situations that are not sincere threats and we hold back for no good reason.
Last week, I let fear overtake me and a wave of anxiety ran through me. All day I felt the pulsing through my veins. It was not until I opened up, talking to someone about it that I realized how insignificant or out of my hands these anxieties were. I think about the times I have let fear rule my life, keeping me from experiencing joy and living a full life. Often it’s the fear of failure that keeps me sidelined, even when I hold the pole position.
Fear can also be a motivating factor. It can propel us into adventure; leaving behind our inhibitions to just let go. The first time I rappelled, I remember thinking that it was the urge to overcome fear that delivered the stimulus to take my first step off the tower. The reward: a huge rush of adrenaline and accomplishment.
I guess there’s an art to balancing fear. Just like anything else in life (work and play) there’s a need to find equilibrium in fear that protects vs. fear that motivates, and leave behind the fear that cripples.
New Roads 