Does fear of failure, rejection, people or social situations keep you from living life to the fullest. Learning to face your fears isn't easy but it can be done.
Have you ever been so consumed by fear that you feel paralyzed? I'm not necessarily referring to physical paralysis, although fear can have that effect as well. Fear can literally destroy one's life whether we realize it or not. Fear can prevent us from living life to the fullest if we allow it to consume us. Many times hopes and dreams die, victims of the disease called fear. It enters the human psyche and takes up residence, spreading like cancer in an attempt to destroy its host.

Most of us try to avoid frightening situations. We tend to deny fear and hide it somewhere deep in the closet of our minds, but we know it's there. We can deny it outwardly, but on the inside we know. Fear is a natural part of life. It is part of being human. We may delude ourselves by making attempts to deny our fears, thinking that, if we don't acknowledge them, they will simply go away, which is rarely the case. The only way we can destroy fear is to face it. But who wants to face fear? It is much easier and more pleasant to simply avoid and deny it.

We've all heard of the fight or flight response, a physiological reaction that takes place in our bodies when we are faced with a frightening situation. Our bodies immediately prepare for fight or flight. We can stand there and face our fear or we can run and attempt to avoid it. Although we most often associate fear with physical harm, it can take many forms. Fears can be as numerous and unique as the individuals that populate our planet.

Some are afraid to speak in public, others are afraid of heights. Some fear the dark, others are afraid to be alone. The list of fears could go on and on. Although facing one's fears is the fastest way to eliminate them, it is not always easy. I have found myself dealing with many of my own fears in recent months. I have delayed performing certain tasks because I've feared what the outcome would

Even though we may be able to delay confronting our fears, we know that we must eventually meet them face to face. Fear can incapacitate us if we allow it to. Fear causes us to worry needlessly because we tend to sit around and think up every worst-case scenario our imaginations can conjure. When we do summon the courage to face our fears, we usually find that they were not nearly as bad or severe as we had imagined.

I suffer from many fears and, some of them have been rather debilitating. My fear of social situations has made me a bit of a recluse, but I really don't mind because I enjoy being alone. My preference for solitude allows me to turn within and explore the inner world where most others are busily exploring the outer world. I must admit that my fear of socialization has no doubt limited my opportunities. For years I have always wanted to pursue a career as a writer, but I let my fear of rejection stand in the way of that dream. It has only been in the last couple of years that I have been able to start working toward that goal.

No one ever said that overcoming your fears would be easy, but if you don't want to live in its shadow all of your life, you'll have to take steps toward acknowledging those fears in order to vanquish them. Don't let fear keep you from living life to the fullest. Face your fears. You might find that what you were afraid of isn't so scary after all.

About the Author

Darlene Zagata is a freelance writer and poet. Her work has appeared in several electronic and print publications. Darlene is the Editor of the Health department at RITRO.com and she co-authors a column with her son at RaisingASon.com. She is also a Review Editor for MyShelf.com and an Editorial Reviewer for The Writer's Room Magazine. Her book of poetry "Aftertaste" is now available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Her first book of fiction, "The Choosing" is currently in the process of publication.