Fear.
What images does that word bring to you?
A previous post discussed the fear of death. This post has a little different angle, though.
What is it that a person fears? Specifically? What is it about it that they fear?
When Franklin Roosevelt declared, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself", what was the fear itself about?
If you could answer this question then you would know what to address to help reduce your fear.
This is, of course, assuming you have fear. For this post, let's assume your fear something like homelessness or a significant illness, like cancer.
In other words, what is it about them that you really fear?
This post discusses how identifying what you are afraid of is the first step to overcoming what it is.Here are some possibilities:
1. Physical pain/discomfort
If you are afraid of the dark, it might be because you think someone could hurt you. Or how about something like needles?
Sickness could probably even fall into this category.
Or, the idea of being shot might not sound inviting because it is painful.
Or, like the example of homelessness above, maybe your fear is discomfort of cold or hot weather out of normal bounds.
In Franklin Roosevelt's time there was a fear of being shot, or physical pain.
It is normal for humans to fear physical pain.
2. Being alone/social approval
People might fear, for example, a spouse's death because it would leave them by themself. No one to tell your problems to, or relate to or share anything with.
People naturally want to share emotions with others. This is true if the emotion is bad or good.
If it is bad you don't want to think you are the only one feeling it.
If it is good you want to tell someone and share it.
For instance, this might be part of the fear of the death of a loved one.
The lack of social approval could also fall into this category. These posts have asserted before that many social ills could likely be traced back to a lack of appreciation of some sort.
People actually fear this.
One other, minor fear might be added to the list, if you can call it a fear. That is, many people fear, deep down, not being appreciated. This post has discussed the idea that many societal ills could ultimately be traced back to a lack of appreciation, if the people were honest.
One could have an overall good life, filled with goals that were achieved. But if they did not feel like they were appreciated, it would lead to other problems, one way or another.
It is a basic, fundamental concept in psychology, and in life. But one must first realize that. Some consider it in the context of a fear.
In Franklin Roosevelt's time there was a fear of being ruled by a madman like Adolf Hitler, taking away personal liberties.
3. Nothingness
Some people fear death because they think nothing awaits them. Emptiness.
Or, as they say, " An idle mind is the devil's workshop."
Having nothing can drive a person crazy.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 says you should work with your hands.
This is the picture of death to some people. The ancient Hebrew concept of Sheol was largely shadowy and mysterious, with the fear that death was nothingness.
And, to expand this concept of fear to death, what is it about death that people fear? Either pain (like the heat of hell), the lack of socialness (separated from God) or nothingness.
In Franklin Roosevelt's time people feared the nothingness of death in concentration camps.
If you could find a way to overcome these 3 kinds of things you would have less fear overall.
It could also be said it could bring meaning to your life to overcome these types of things.
So, whether it is homelessness or significant illness or Adolf Hitler, overcoming fear beings with identifying the fear.
Then you can proceed with methods to overcome them.
What do you really fear?
Side note: The fear of the Lord in Christianity is not the same kind of fear.
