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Overcoming Fear
5 years ago
It's ironic that soldiers who develop PTSD, did so from facing fear but are now afraid to have any kind of public contact. They are experts in that field, but can't bring themselves to overcome it just one more time. I served in the US Army and as a result, I have PTSD, some of it from combat, some of it from...other things. Mine is particularly limiting. I panic really easily and often. While I'm not to the point where I can do large gatherings or even go shopping by myself, I have learned a lot about facing fear.
1. It's ok to be afraid. I know when I was under fire while I was in the Army, I wasn't the only one afraid. I'd be surprised if anyone wasn't. Sajani's father had it right when he said, "Courage isn't something that can be rated or scored. What might be terrifying to one might be normal to another. The courage needed to face the former is much greater than the courage needed to face the latter, though the event be the same." Don't try to tell yourself that you shouldn't be afraid, instead face the fear for what it is: a part of you.
2. Everyone needs to believe in something. Believe in others. Believe in yourself. Fear has a vaccine and it might surprise you to know what it is (it might not, but it might). The vaccine for fear is confidence. There are certain types of fear that simply cannot exist when confidence is present. Just like the flu vaccine, however, there are types of fear that still get through. Having confidence lessens the impact dramatically.
It's a difficult time and fear is a natural emotion for some to be feeling right now. My publisher and his family are awaiting testing for COVID-19. He's been sick for 10 days straight now, but I got an email from him yesterday with editing changes for Fugitives' Trust. Apparently he's still going just fine. As Mark Twain put it, "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear." Keeping your nose to the news 24/7 sets you in place. Move forward. Or like they said in the Army, "Charlie Mike. Continue the Mission."
Stay well friends. Be strong. Be brave.
1. It's ok to be afraid. I know when I was under fire while I was in the Army, I wasn't the only one afraid. I'd be surprised if anyone wasn't. Sajani's father had it right when he said, "Courage isn't something that can be rated or scored. What might be terrifying to one might be normal to another. The courage needed to face the former is much greater than the courage needed to face the latter, though the event be the same." Don't try to tell yourself that you shouldn't be afraid, instead face the fear for what it is: a part of you.
2. Everyone needs to believe in something. Believe in others. Believe in yourself. Fear has a vaccine and it might surprise you to know what it is (it might not, but it might). The vaccine for fear is confidence. There are certain types of fear that simply cannot exist when confidence is present. Just like the flu vaccine, however, there are types of fear that still get through. Having confidence lessens the impact dramatically.
It's a difficult time and fear is a natural emotion for some to be feeling right now. My publisher and his family are awaiting testing for COVID-19. He's been sick for 10 days straight now, but I got an email from him yesterday with editing changes for Fugitives' Trust. Apparently he's still going just fine. As Mark Twain put it, "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear." Keeping your nose to the news 24/7 sets you in place. Move forward. Or like they said in the Army, "Charlie Mike. Continue the Mission."
Stay well friends. Be strong. Be brave.
