That Old Friend Fear

That old friend fear.

In our attempts to avoid fear, run from fear, and hide from fear we might actually be doing ourselves a disservice. Author Elizabeth Gilbert has a different take on fear. In fact she states, "I have no desire to become a fearless person." 

She believes that fear plays an important role in our survival, and yet she has learned to thank fear for its concern, and send it on its way if it is not needed. She also states that when it comes to creativity, fear seems especially interested. "Creativity will always provoke fear because it asks you to enter into a realm with an uncertain outcome, and fear hates that."

Gilbert cautions us to not let fear have control because it will "shut down one idea after another-nope too risky." Because fear is an uncomfortable emotion we often times do our best to avoid it or push through it. I think we shouldn't be afraid of fear. Rather than pushing it aside or allowing it to paralyze us we should as Gilbert says just acknowledge it, and decide if it is warranted or not?

Gilbert also points out that if you don't befriend your fear, "Your life will be so much smaller than you want it to be."