Don't Let Fear Hold You Back | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Don't Let Fear Hold You Back

Discussing my journey with fear and what I have learned along the way.

79
Don't Let Fear Hold You Back
Christian Today

As a child, fear hardly ever surfaced from my vocabulary. Apart from when I was crawling into bed with my parents after a nightmare, I was, for the most part, fearless.

Being the youngest of three sisters, I had a competitive nature, always wanting to be as strong, fast, and tough as my older sisters. I would take whatever risks necessary to impress them, whether that meant jumping into my pond off a dare in the blistering Michigan November air, or trying a new ice cream flavor at every shop we visited.

When it came to my hobbies, I was even more driven. Yes, I was one of those crazy little kid skiers you see zipping in and out of the trees and hitting the jumps without even thinking twice beforehand. And yes, I was one of those pipsqueaks in gym class that refused to accept anyone could be stronger or faster than me, even if that meant extreme shoulder pain after a game of Red Rover.

Even in social situations I acted fearless, something that I find hard to believe now as my social anxiety seems to only increase each day. When I was 9, my sisters and I formed a band, performing at various fairs and events in our surrounding cities. One of my sisters played the piano and violin, the other played the bass guitar, I played lead guitar, and we all sang. Writing this, at just the thought of standing on a stage, in front of an anticipating crowd, my stomach starts to churn. How did I handle it so calmly as a child?

Now that I have entered into the adult world and have learned to live independently, I cannot say that fear is absent from my life. I live in fear every day, some of it being sadly rational, such as my fear of walking to school on the streets of the big city, while some of it is completely irrational, such as my fear that people will judge the tone of my voice if I partake in conversation with them.

I also show more fear in my personal endeavors, such as snowboarding. I grew up a skier, and made the switch to snowboarding a few years ago. Although I consider myself a good snowboarder, when I am approaching a jump or a rail I always have the thought, what if I break something? I wouldn’t be able to perform my daily jobs or schoolwork. I can’t do this. Or even, I don’t want to do this with all these people around. What if I fall and they make fun of me?

I often find myself wishing, about snowboarding and other recently found hobbies of mine, that I had started when I was younger. I reflect back upon my past fearless state and wonder, if I had only begun this back then, I would have easily conquered the initial fear and be an expert by now. That may not necessarily be the case, but it’s easy to think that it is, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

So why is it that our adult lives are so full of fear when our childhood lives were absent of it? Although part of the answer may come down to our genuine concern of taking care of ourselves so we can perform our daily tasks and responsibilities, a large part of the answer lies within our pride, and our fear of failure.

When we were children, our peers were other children. It was easy not to care what mistakes we made because no one else did, and we didn’t judge others for their mistakes. When you are a functioning member of the adult world, however, the case is sadly not the same. We get reprimanded more seriously when we mess up and take the opinions of our peers more personally.

Since we cannot always ignore the negative opinions of others, we must turn to a simple alternative: letting go. Most of the fear we experience in social situations is irrational and unnecessary. We fear criticism, despite knowing that we cannot impress everyone, and we fear judgement from strangers with whom we have never spoken.

In these times, it is important to keep things in perspective, and ask yourself, “so what?” Is the risk of their negative judgement really worth keeping you from expressing yourself? Do you really care what these people think of you? Learning to deal with social-induced fear begins with learning to let go of the concern of what others may think of you, and, ultimately, we can only do our best to keep our negativity to ourselves and hope that others do the same.

Most importantly, remember this: a life lived in fear is hardly a life lived at all. Fear will hold you back from many opportunities if you give in to it, keeping you from meeting new people, trying different things, and gaining memorable experiences. So, ask yourself this, “what kind of life do I want to look back on when I’m older? A life where I was safe but sheltered, or a life full of different adventures?”

Separate your required jobs and responsibilities in society from your passions and your heart’s goals. In the end, this is your life and it is up to you to write your own story. You have to ability to control the outcome, but only if you make the conscious decision to do so. This is your one shot, so take it, and jump. Fearlessly.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

182624
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

9377
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

453969
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

24181
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments