Do You Know How Fear Disguises Itself?
It is not always easy to determine when we are afraid. Sometimes it feels like a shiver going through our body and is a sign of weakness. But nothing is less true. To make the distinction, you need to know how fear disguises itself.
Being afraid is one of the most natural features of being human. It is also the most useful feature in terms of survival. If we didn’t experience this unpleasant but useful emotion, we probably wouldn’t be here today. Because it is exactly that emotion that challenges us to be brave. In addition, it prevents us from acting recklessly.
Few people feel empathy for people who are afraid. But actually we are all afraid of something. We just prefer to hide it. Because we don’t want to be judged in a negative way. Nor do we want to appear weak or less valuable. So we disguise our fear and repress it. We often do this by refusing to confront what we find frightening.
As a result, the fear disguises itself and only grows stronger. It then becomes much more difficult for us to overcome situations that we don’t want to deal with. Want to know how fear disguises itself? Then be sure to read on.
How fear disguises itself: laziness… ‘I don’t feel like it’
When we are afraid of something, we sometimes choose laziness. It is an attitude that frees us from the effort required to deal with our fears. Laziness provides us with a way to hide our fear. It is an excuse to avoid the situation that is causing the fear. “I don’t feel like it” or “I’ll do it tomorrow” is just part of the disguise of fear. In fact, it allows us to avoid the possible negative consequences that can occur when we deal with our fears.
How fear disguises itself: boredom… ‘I was bored’
Boredom is one of the disguises of fear that is very common. Sometimes we have a problem that we consider very dangerous, whether it actually is or not. Then it is much easier and more comfortable to say that the problem bored us than to take the risk of fighting it.
For example, I am afraid to give a lecture on a topic I am familiar with. The reason is that deep down I’m afraid of criticism. Then it’s much easier for me to say I find the subject boring (even though I’m actually passionate about it).
That way I have an excuse not to give the lecture and not show my fear. In other words, I will not be judged negatively. Moreover , I will not be under as much pressure as if I had said that speaking in public gives me anxiety. Unfortunately, we admit the former more easily than the latter.
How Fear Disguises Itself: ‘Well, No One Will Notice’
The purpose of this lie is to end the consequences of making a mistake. Because that way we can pretend – we believe it too – it will be more easily accepted. We don’t use this lie very often. Yet it is an escape route that actually reinforces your fear.
Hiding that one thing frightens us. Lying about it or making excuses will help us in the short term. Because it prevents our fear from coming to light. It makes us feel more relaxed. But the problem, as in the previous cases, reappears in the long run. Because we don’t overcome the situations that we actually need to overcome.
If you sometimes disguise your fear, you may realize that you are making it harder to confront your fears and move forward in life. The wisest but also the most difficult thing to do is to accept that we all experience fear at times. Acknowledge your right to experience this. Stop hiding it with laziness, boredom or lies. Do you have the guts to unravel your fear?
