F.E.A.R- False Evidence Appearing Real

On one level, fear is healthy. ‘Fear’ is an emotion brought on by a perceived threat. It is a natural emotion. It is God-given…a basic survival mechanism. It keeps us alive and protects us from danger.

On the other hand, there is also such a thing as unhealthy fear. We get unhealthy fear from the word phobia – It is disproportionate to the danger posed…

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real

Some of these include heights, snakes, spiders, small spaces etc…it can also include: health, finances, failure, death, loneliness, public speaking and so on.

With these, it is important that we rise above them as the fear usually leads us to believing something worse will happen than in reality.

I had a fear of snakes and never wanted to touch them until one day I had to…however, a few years ago, I was with my kids (and other parents/children at an event with the ‘animal man’). All the other parents were female. When the ‘animal man’ asked for a parent to hold some snakes and to take them around for the children to touch, one of the mum’s shouted from across the room – “Go on dad, you can do it”…I had never met this woman before but there I was faced with having to hold them. Now I was also keen that I didn’t pass on my unhealthy fears on to my kids so I stepped up (with fear and apprehension) and held the two snakes (one in each hand) around the room giving everyone the chance to touch them, including my kids. I am so pleased that stranger volunteered me – although I wasn’t then.

The other day I read this quote… “The most inspiring person is the one overcoming the fear to do something, not the person who’s excellent at it.” Unknown.

SO maybe today, you can think about fear and your fear…what fears you have that are healthy vs unhealthy…See the unhealthy fears as an opportunity to overcome them, as they hold us back and keep us prisoner, and who of us wants to be kept as a prisoner!?

Matt Foster
Matt FosterFounding Director

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