Legitimate fears
Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
- Nelson Mandela
Ok so these first few posts are a bit about getting to know me because honestly that is the aim of my blog! I basically just want to share my experiences with you all. I’m not perfect and I am not trying to be. I am human! On that note I found this was a popular question online that many bloggers were asked. I guess fears make us all human and real and it’s interesting to see what is it that we fear. My best friend has a fear of fruit, she hates the smell, the texture and she used to not even be able to touch it. Honestly it sounds funny but there is nothing to be ashamed of! She is a highly successful human, it is just fascinating to see the power of the human mind.
To be honest with you, I do not really have multiple fears as in deep seeded fears. I dislike spiders, creepy crawlies, living in Australia makes you a bit worried about sharks and snakes but I don’t really have a fear of heights (I went sky diving for my 21st birthday at Byron Bay 2 years ago) or anything like that. Really there is only one thing that I have a paralysing fear of and it is going to sound crazy because of my job, usually I only experience it at night when it’s quiet and there is nothing to focus on but my own thoughts.
This is going to sound intense but basically I have an intense fear of death but pretty much only my own. The idea of everything being over, of nothingness, it completely freaks me out when I am lying in bed at night. It doesn’t get to me when I am working on the ward as a cancer care nurse or even when my patient is passing away. But there have been frequent occasions, not every night, where I have layed in bed next to my boyfriend sleeping and I have felt completely overwhelmed by the anxiety that surrounds the thought of dying, to the point of crying. Often it’s so intense that he has to hold me and reassure me until I fall asleep. The part of it that freaks me out is the concept of not being here anymore. Not pain or suffering or anything like that. I personally do not really have any religious views so I hope I do not offend anyone reading this who may, but I don’t think I believe in anything after death, which makes it such a concrete and final concept and obviously overwhelming. I think this is the closest thing I have to an intense fear.
As I get older, I’ve noticed that adults seem to fear more and worry more about various things. It’s not a fear but I do feel more worried when I fly, I am more apprehensive about riding roller coasters or swimming in the ocean. I think it’s because we have a more broad understanding of exactly what can and does go wrong and we weigh up odds on a daily basis and make big decisions that require thought and less of a child-like carefree attitude. At the end of the day our minds are powerful things and it is incredible to ponder how they complicate things for us, that goes with anything. I firmly believe the strength of the mind can overcome anything but it can also reek havoc. If we are aware of this we can learn to control our thoughts and slowly manage our anxiety. And sometimes we need a bit of help to do that- that is perfectly OK! If you need to be reassure, if you need things put into perspective or you need a hug please please do that and do not let it fester in your mind because everything big or small becomes more blown out of proportion if you let it.
You are only human and you are doing a damn fine job! Never give up and always endeavour to fulfil a journey of self respect, self love and self appreciation no matter what challenges face you.
Some days, 24 hours is too much to stay put in, so I take the day hour by hour, moment by moment. I break the task, the challenge, the fear into small, bite-size pieces. I can handle a piece of fear, depression, anger, pain, sadness, loneliness, illness. I actually put my hands up to my face, one next to each eye, like blinders on a horse.
- Regina Brett
FitNurseAv x
