Because it's only when we can tolerate not being in control that we can make place for the miraculous to happen - Erica Jong in 'Any Woman's Blues.'
If I was a psychiatrist, I'd keep a 'fear' box for my clients. They would have to deposit their fears in the fear box and leave my sessions fearless. Of course, if they ever wanted their fears back, they'd only have to retrieve them from the box.
We are all plagued with a mixture of rational and irrational fears. Some say that stress is a form of fear and although anxiety stands apart from fear as an emotional response to something unavoidable, I believe it still is a kind of fear. I read somewhere that at some point in their life, every single adult on this planet suffers from some form of an anxiety attack. The fear of the unknown. Why do we fear? What do we fear? Is the 'what' a result of the 'why'? If we define our fear, is it then simple to conquer it? If conquering fear was all about jumping off a bridge with a rope tied to your ankles, or abseiling up a wall, diving in the ocean, approaching someone you're attracted to, crossing a busy Indian street - we would be fearless warriors if only we followed a simple series of steps to overcome our fear. As some would say, you have to start by 'psyching' out your fears. In these cases though, the fear might be a physiological response to ensure your safety. But when it comes to how you live your life, the boundaries you set up around you and your notions of what is achievable - how much of it is determined by the fear of failure?
Life is a constant test of fortitude. An ocean of possibilities with waves carrying distracting flotsam and jetsam, incessantly pushing you back to where you came from - the safety of the shore. Those who exhibit robust courage, perseverance and self-control are usually rewarded. The rewards are not always what you want them to be. Most likely, the reward is a life filled with rich experiences and deep friendships.
Life can only be understood backward.
But it must be lived forward.
Kierkegaard.
