Fear

Have you heard the saying, “Fear is a liar?” I’ve seen it on t-shirts, on social media, and there’s even a praise song by the same name.

I fully bought into that line. For YEARS I tried to stuff, avoid, and numb my fear. As an Enneagram 6, I am especially prone to it. Fear leads to anxiety. The more I tried to run or hide from it, the more anxious I became. It’s a cycle I’m still breaking. Over the past couple of years, through a new therapeutic approach, I am slowly undoing the damage that notion has caused. I’m learning that fear is a companion with something important to teach me and when I try to silence it, I miss the important information it has. Fear is a part of me that wants to be acknowledged. Fear is not my enemy, it’s an appropriate response to the threats that surround all of us. It can’t be replaced with faith. When I stop long enough to sit with my fear and pay attention to it, I learn what it wants me to know. I’m still learning how to be in relationship with my fear and what I need to do to feel safe. It’s hard and good work.

Have you been told fear is a liar? What would happen if you listened to what your fear was trying to say to you?