Fear will give your body a heightened sense of awareness. Your heart will be beat faster, you might be a little shaky and a nap will be the furthest thing from your mind. Going to new places or meeting new people might be a problem and the thought of having contact with the person you’re looking to forgive could be downright impossible. Avoidance and escape are the name of the game. Fear motivates the ‘flight’ part of the ‘fight or flight’ response and if you feel the need to get the hell out of here there’s a good chance Fear is your dominant emotion.
When I’m fearful I feel threatened. Whether the danger is real or imagined doesn’t matter. I’m afraid someone or something is out to get me.
This fear can range from a mild worry to a full-blown panic. There is an underlying feeling of weakness, insecurity and doubt because I feel powerless to stop this thing from getting me. This sense of powerlessness may show itself as frustration, overwhelment or outright paralysis.
If my attempts to escape and avoid are thwarted the resultant anxiety and stress will likely manifest as physical and/or emotional ailments. As a defense mechanism I might fall into skepticism or become cynical.
Fear was designed as a temporary emotional response meant to get us out of a dangerous situation. We were never meant to stew in our fears. Unfortunately many of us do just that, especially in situations where we’ve been unable to let go of someone or something that scares us. Pessimism, depression and despair are common results of prolonged fear.
Does any of this feel familiar? How’s your heart beating? Is your mouth a little dry? Did you shrug your shoulders just now?