Fear has evolved to serve as a device to help protect our survival. The fight or flight theory is to protect us. In adults, this mode of protection can become hypersensitive and turn into inhibitory and counterproductive actions. Most people don’t have to run from the tiger hanging outside their front door. But sometimes they need to move to a different work environment and are afraid to take that first step because of the question. And yes?
What do you fear?
I have found for myself that fear is often the absence of knowledge. The moment you learn information, usually that fear dissipates. There was never anything hidden under your bed when the lights were on.
I have been exploring what I fear in life: past, present and future. Create a list of fears and then go back and explore each one to discover where those fears originated. As a child I was taught to be afraid of things that were not like me, things that were different. Not that they were necessarily bad, just that I needed to mind my own business. I grew up in Indiana, so there’s not a lot of diversity, and there was a fear of all the things that were different from us.
When I moved to Chicago I was haunted by this fear. I was afraid of the city. It was big, busy, and filled with many different types of people.
But something changed and the fear began to intrigue me and I wanted to learn more and experience as much as I could.
I have learned that the kind of fear that I was taught as a child no longer serves me. I no longer have to live my life in fear of the unknown. I don’t want to be surrounded by individuals who limit their greatness by their own insecurities. Those who subscribe to the philosophy that there’s a big scary world out there… and you should be scared.
I understand that there are many levels of fear. But why go through life in fear of the unknown.
My art has challenged me a lot because creating can be scary. To create you have to be able and willing to give up control. Walking with your head held high and boldly towards what you fear most. This is how you find that little core that will allow your art to have a creative soul.
What do you fear?
Why?
I know that since I have placed a huge mirror in your hands, the time has come for you to want to point the reflection at me. You may be wondering what I’m most afraid of… Personally, I have so many things I want to do with my life. The list seems to go on and on. My biggest fear is that I won’t have enough time to achieve everything I want to achieve.