| I recently received an email that prompted me to | | | | perceptions, and our perceptions are based on our |
| answer a poll about what I feared most. I didn't reply | | | | individual stories or histories and our imaginations. |
| to the email because my biggest fear at that | | | | How else can we explain the fact that each of us |
| moment was the fear of receiving more unsolicited | | | | has different fears and fears to different degrees? |
| email. However, I did start thinking about the subject | | | | For instance, there are many people who love dogs. |
| of fear. What are we afraid of? What is fear? What | | | | However, there are also people who fear dogs. |
| can we do about it? We all have fears at one time | | | | Some love snakes and have them as pets. Yet, |
| or another and to one degree or another. I did a little | | | | many others are extremely afraid of snakes and |
| research of my own and found that next to | | | | become traumatized at the mere sight of them. |
| terrorist, fear of public speaking and fear of success | | | | Most of the time, we are not even aware of the |
| ranked high on the list of things people fear most. | | | | stories that our fears are based on. Some of us have |
| Fear of Public Speaking | | | | anxiety attacks and are fearful over a comment that |
| According to one survey I read, many people fear | | | | another child made to us when we were small. In |
| public speaking more than death. Although most | | | | other words, we let a child from our past control our |
| people are not aware of why they have a fear of | | | | life and health today. |
| public speaking on a conscious level, psychological | | | | Release the Fear |
| studies have determined that nearly everyone who | | | | In order to release the fear, we must change our |
| has a fear of public speaking experienced some | | | | perceptions about a person, event or object. Choose |
| major or minor trauma when they were younger | | | | to see it for what it is - a person, an event or an |
| that causes them to be fearful of public speaking as | | | | object. Many of us fear things that have not |
| teenagers or adults. | | | | happened and may never happen. We cannot enjoy |
| Fear of Success | | | | our lives today because we are fearful of what the |
| Another high ranking and common fear is fear of | | | | future may hold. We can choose to release ourselves |
| success. Success means achieving or accomplishing a | | | | from the hold that our past stories and our |
| goal. Success can mean the attainment of wealth, | | | | imaginations have on us. |
| fame, power or whatever you truly desire for | | | | If you are totally immobilized by fear of something, |
| yourself. Success is a good thing. Why, then, are so | | | | you can always seek assistance from techniques |
| many of us afraid of success either consciously or | | | | such as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Neuro |
| unconsciously? It is all about how we perceive | | | | Linguistic Programming (NLP), or hypnotherapy. I |
| success. | | | | encourage you to explore the options each of these |
| Instead of focusing on how good it will feel to finally | | | | techniques provide. Each of them, using their own |
| accomplish our goals, we are focused on the | | | | methods, de-traumatizes past traumas and identify |
| negative aspects. Perhaps we have a memory of a | | | | and integrate conflicting belief systems that keep us |
| successful person who was ridiculed for having "too | | | | from doing things we want to do. |
| much money". Perhaps we remember hearing that it | | | | In my experience, these types of procedures can |
| is easier for a poor man to get into the kingdom of | | | | bring about relief from fears quickly. Instead of |
| heaven or that successful people feel they are | | | | treating the symptoms, as medications do, these |
| better than others. Therefore, we become fearful of | | | | techniques and other similar procedures address the |
| what others may say and think about us if we | | | | cause of the fear. |
| become successful. We often sabotage our own | | | | A Signal for Change |
| success. | | | | The positive aspect of fear is that it is a signal for |
| We are not afraid of success itself. We are afraid of | | | | change. If someone were to point a gun at us, in the |
| what we imagine success might bring with it. We | | | | mist of fear, we would hope that something would |
| think we might or should feel guilty for having "the | | | | change for the better. Hopefully, we would think of |
| good life". We fear making our friends jealous and | | | | some way to change the situation without being |
| think they will no longer like us. We fear we are going | | | | harmed. When faced with the fear of the possibility |
| to have to work harder to maintain our new status. | | | | of a child being harmed, parents have found physical |
| We fear that we'll have to pay huge taxes. We fear | | | | strength and mental courage that they did not know |
| that people will try to steal from us. We wonder | | | | was possible. |
| what would happen if we were to lose our fortune. | | | | And so it is with our everyday fears. Let fear be a |
| A Powerful Emotion | | | | signal to change or move in a new direction. Move |
| Fear is an emotion and the symptoms of this | | | | beyond your comfort zone. Perhaps we need more |
| emotion manifest in each of us in various ways. | | | | knowledge about the person, place, or thing that is |
| Some of the symptoms of fear are shallow | | | | causing us to feel fearful. Most importantly, move |
| breathing, sweaty palms, upset stomach, | | | | toward love. Love yourself. Love everyone and |
| nervousness, headache, inability to speak, inability to | | | | everything. Love is the most powerful emotion. |
| think clearly, depression, uncontrollable shaking, | | | | Where there is real love, fear will perish. |
| inability to moved, and anger. People literally lose their | | | | We Are More Powerful than Fear |
| lives and have been known to take someone else's | | | | In my opinion, failure to remember who we are in |
| life out of fear. All of the "isms" are the children of | | | | relation to God and this great Universe is the number |
| fear - racism, chauvinism, classism, sexism. Wars and | | | | one cause of fear. Where there is no faith, there is |
| crime thrive on fear. | | | | fear. The absence of belief in ourselves and what we |
| Fear takes away our creativity, imagination, freedom | | | | are capable of creates doubt and fear. |
| and peace. Fear stops us from pursuing our dreams. | | | | Yes, there will be tragedies. No, things will not always |
| Fear destroys relationships and can make us | | | | go as you planned. Yes, there will be people who |
| physically ill. These four letters, F E A R, represent | | | | want to say negative things about you. These people |
| the most powerful negative emotion that exists. | | | | would rather comment on what appear to be your |
| And just think, we have all this unhappiness and | | | | flaws rather than deal with their own. Do not give |
| suffering over something that does not even exist | | | | them your power. |
| except for the meaning or perception that we give | | | | None of us are ordinary human beings. All of us are |
| to a person, place, thing or event. Our fears only live | | | | extraordinary divine beings. Everyone has the power |
| because each of us gives our own fears life. The | | | | that will not fail, should it be acknowledged and |
| fears we have exist because we nurture them, feed | | | | embraced. Sometimes, I have to remind myself of |
| them, and acknowledge them. | | | | this. I say, "Fear, be gone. You have no power here." |
| Our Past Stories and Imaginations | | | | Just by saying these words, it is as if I turn on a light |
| In other words, our fears are based on our individual | | | | and I see fear for what it really is - nothing. |