Ampersand Answers: How to Stay With Fear

The experience of overcoming fear
is extraordinarily delightful.

Betrand Russell 

The Question: 

How can I stay the course with my fear?  

&mpersand Answers: 

There is a saying in AA that the word fear is an acronym. It stands for F alse E vidence A ppearing R eal. I find this interpretation a misnomer. I prefer to replace the word Evidence with Education. 

We are taught to fear fear. (I know. Awkward sentence; read it aloud.) Very few people have ever died of fear. So the first thing to do is realize that you don’t have to be afraid of fear. Fear is. It’s a warning. Pay attention. 

Second, overcoming it is easy. Sit down with fear. Make friends. Ask it what its genesis was. Ask it what it needs now. If you’re too afraid, get someone to sit with you whilst you do this. Fear exists to protect you. That’s a good thing, not a bad one. 

And, as Mr. Russell says, overcoming fear—sitting with it, befriending it, giving it what it needs—is indeed a delightful experience. When you do overcome it, you can just bring your fear along with you. 

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