Fear is one of the greatest influencers in the world. It can be good or bad for us, depending on the situation. Fear may keep us from driving across a bridge during flood season, when the surface is covered with flowing water. We don't know if we can make it across. Is the current too strong? Is the bridge still intact under the dirty water? In a case like that, fear is good and makes us think. It prevents us from taking unnecessary risks. Unnecessary is the key word. We may be able to find a safer crossing somewhere else.
Fear can also be negative. Maybe we don't do something because we are scared we'll do it wrong or make a mistake and look foolish. Or it won't be 'perfect'. It took me a long time before I got up enough nerve to build a 12 x 12 garden shed a few years ago. I'd never made anything that big before. At some point, I decided to go ahead and enjoyed the experience and the feeling of accomplishment. I imagine that's how a carpenter would feel after he finished building his first house. Sure, I made a few mistakes and had to correct a few things but I faced my fears and, in the end, I got the job done.
Fear can also stop us from making decisions about our relationships with others. Maybe, we're shy and have a hard time mixing with a group of strangers. Maybe, we want to make a career change but worry it's not the right time or the right change. Maybe, we like someone a lot but are afraid to make our feelings known to him or her because we might be rejected or ignored. There are all sorts of fears we must face about relationships during our lives. What surprises most of us is that just taking the first step makes the rest of the effort relatively easy. Sometimes, facing our fears is worthwhile, will get us over that fence, and our lives will be better for it.
Someone once said the greatest fear is fear itself! Like children who are afaid of the dark- the easiest thing is to turn on a light to see clearer or keep the light on at night to alleviate the fear. Sometimes we can be afraid to look "stupid". So no action is taken. Getting over the fence of fear can be made easier when we find "the gate". Fear is a huge motivator as well as a good defense to heigthen our need to protect ourselves! It sure does have positive and negative features.
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