Time is frequently talked about as an idea that is slowly ruining society. All day we rush to meet deadlines, preserve our reputations and save our futures. It is us against time, and when time’s up?
No one wants to talk about it because there is no potential for conviction. The fear that lies within us works to shield us from the fact that at the end of the day, no one knows. Our choice in shield may vary, but our timely conventions are the same.
As individuals, if we choose to live in a state of inexperience, our deadlines can’t be defeated, our reputations cannot be outrun, and the idea of our future will haunt us until we can no longer be haunted. Yet, we continue to hold up our shields, silently denying the beautiful freedoms of life itself.
Hiding behind the truths of our shields, only leads us to a hiding place behind our futures as well. Not until we find the strength to put down our shields, can we find freedom from the daunting tasks of time.
Death is the main reason our instincts tell us to act the way we do. Yet, because the conventional belief of fear is the expectation that something bad is going to happen to us in the near future, we avoid the thought of death as a near future occurrence in our lives. Therefore, the fear of death plays out in several “smaller” fears. These fears consist of:
- Fear of Failure
It’s simple, we fear the failure to achieve what we want in our lifetime.
- Fear of Rejection
Why do we fear not behaving in accordance with the cultural norms?
Social Conventions have long defined certain standards of “right” and
“wrong.” With this, we believe that conforming to these norms will
allow for the acknowledgement and acceptance of others. To put it
simply, in doing this we believe that we can preserve our reputations,
and that we will be remembered as a “good” person.
- Fear of Physical Pain
We all know that physical pain is a part of life, but considering we know it’s bound to happen at one point or another,
why are we so afraid of it? In general, we associate the idea of
physical pain with illness and bad health. This common association
derives from an overall fear of losing freedom, and is often
subconsciously linked with the dying process. Because we cannot predict
our future pain, it becomes a natural survival instinct for us to avoid
it at all costs. Even if it holds us back.
- Fear of The Loss of Control
The future is unknown. We do not know what will happen tomorrow, next
week, or next year. Therefore, we perpetually strive for an unattainable
idea of stability. We force ourselves to live lives full of unnecessary stress, hoping that the outcomes we’ve been promised can actually be trusted.
- Fear of The Loss of Love
The desire to love and to be loved are natural human instincts. Yet, we often close our hearts to love in order to protect ourselves from the fear of heartbreak. What we don’t realize, is that true love is only felt when given. If we continue to allow fear to manipulate and control our hearts, we destroy the potential to experience true love. Love is not something that can be taken or lost, it comes and goes with our willingness to give it.
