So I came across an article that talked about this girl who was challenging herself 100 Days Without Fear. I totally relate with her. I'm one of those people who dread change, I panic as soon as I notice I'm getting out of my comfort zone. I think it's very brave of her to do this challenge. Some things she does may seem normal and nothing out of the extraordinary for others, but even if a fear is small, overcoming it is a big step.
Now, what is fear exactly? To begin with, fear is an emotion. To be more precise, an emotion is an affective response composed of physiological and cognitive factors, caused by situations that are of relevance to that person and it is expressed through the body and conduct. Among the primary emotions, we have: happiness, disgust, sadness, anger, fear and surprise. They're primary because they have helped human race survive and not go extinct. How is fear any helpful? It makes you alert, ready to run for your life and save yourself from a predator. Now, that scenario would've been common millions of years ago. But now, we live in civilizations, and the causes of our fears have changed dramatically. In ancient times it was large animals or enemy tribes. Now, it's more about trying out new things, leaving behind the routine, the opinion others may have about you or your smart phone running out of battery and staying disconnected for a while.
If you think about it, of course we humans, need to be able to feel fear. However, there are many situations in our everyday lives were it's unnecessary. In the end, the biggest barrier between you and your dreams, is you. It's important to remind ourselves that not every issue we encounter is a real threat (because our body responds as if it were real, which can lead to health problems in the long run).
This week I have overcome two fears. The first one was leaving my old blog behind and starting this one, just to express my thoughts. The second one was dying my hair ombre, I'm a brunette and my tips are now really blonde, it's the first time I ever change my hair color noticeably. So you might think my fears are lame. But even is they are a bit absurd, getting past is the best feeling ever and that motivates you to continue bringing down those barriers. Of course, when I talk about fear I don't refer to phobias, that's a whole different subject, but it's still not impossible either.
P.S. I'm a psychology major and this is the first time I ever make a post on a topic related to it. I can now check that off my bucket list.
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