If You Fear It, Fall Into It
Here’s how some of us at the office did it…
When it comes to fear, we can all relate. I’m not saying we are all cowards or deadly scared of something. No. I’m trying to say that it’s okay to have fears, and I’m certain there are specific ways to overcome them. After all, it’s all in the mind.
Fear is only as deep as the mind allows. — Japanese Proverb
I have claustrophobia, the fear of being in a closed area for too long, and I’ve totally found a way to overcome it. I loosen up my body and I concentrate on relaxing, that way I get distracted from the fact that I am trapped somewhere and I focus on only myself. It works!
Here are some of the fears that we, at the office, have. Pretty interesting to get to know your colleagues this way.
Stephanie: “I have stage fright. I hate being the center of attention or speaking in front of a crowd. I get super anxious and self-conscious. I got a bit better as I did my MBA, as most courses required presentations in front of the class. The good and funny thing is that people have no idea that I’m shy. I haven’t tried public speaking in front of an audience I’m not that close to achieving that. The idea still scares me a little. I think that at some point, taking theater lessons would really help.”
Sara: “I have a fear of heights, and usually I just try my best to stay away from those edges because I get dizzy quickly! I don’t like having this fear so I try my best to overcome it by going abseiling or rock-climbing. It’s still there, I haven’t found a way to fully be rid of it, but I won’t stop trying.”
Rony: “I freeze when I see big spiders. Also, I used to be afraid of dogs, because I got bitten by one, and I overcame it by trying to understand their behavior and petting them. Heights too, I have a fear of that. I thought about sky diving, maybe I’ll do that someday; but spiders…still need to find a way.”
John: “I had a bad case of arachnophobia. Couldn’t get anywhere near spiders, especially the big ones. Until one faithful spring morning, I opened my eyes and a big black hairy tarantula was on my face. My heart sank but I stayed still and let it crawl down until it was off me and on the sheets. Jumped up like a bat out of hell and washed my face for about an hour and a half. I honestly hate having fears, any fear, so I decided it’s about time I try to overcome this one. So instead of killing the spider, I went back to my room and caught it. The more I looked at it and studied it the less afraid I became afraid of it. That tarantula became my pet, and I can honestly say it helped me finally overcome my fear. Now, I admire spiders!”
Nicholas: “I do not have any minor fears, my type of fear is beyond my control, or anyone’s for that matter. I fear the loss of a loved one. I feel like it’s bound to happen, and I really don’t want it to.”
Dany: “Mainly, it’s the fear of confrontation. I don’t really know how to argue well, so I’d rather not be in that situation. To overcome it, I actually throw myself into that situation, that way I have no choice but to handle things and confront them.”
When it comes to fear, the best way to get rid of it or at least dial it down step by step, is to bask into it. There is nothing in this life that we cannot solve or overcome, and that’s a mindset we should have and help others attain.
