Don't Let Your Fears Consume You
By Kaitlin Costarene
Fear. The word sounds scary when you say it and looks scary when you read it. But when you confront fear, you might find that it’s not as bad as you made it out to be. Many of us struggle to look fear in the eyes and go after it. We are all afraid of something, even if it’s a secret. However, the problem occurs when we allow our fears to control our lives. Fears can be large or small, but the good news is that fear can be overcome.
Fear can be overcome, but it’s an active process. It requires bravery and sincere effort. The first step in overcoming a fear is to confront it. Some people need help confronting their fears, and that is a good place to start. Support from loved ones during our most difficult times is often what gets us through, so consider leaning on someone you care about to help you face your fear. It may take days or weeks or months or even years to face a fear, but it is never too late.
The other day, I walked into my bathroom to find an uncomfortably large daddy longlegs spider in my bathtub. For the past twenty years, I have almost always relied on the people around me to kill pesky insects that make their way into my room. While in my dorm room last semester, I called a friend on the phone and pleaded for him to come kill a bug on my window. But on this day in my bathroom, no one was home to do that for me. If I wanted that spider out of my bathtub, I was going to have to do it on my own. I had to give myself a pep talk for several minutes, but I eventually captured the spider and got it out of my bathroom. As small as this accomplishment may seem, it held significance for me. I proved to myself that I am capable of confronting a fear. Although I am still extremely uncomfortable around spiders and would not enjoy that event happening again, I nevertheless faced my fear. I may not have completely conquered it, but that will be the next step!
It’s easy to rely on others to do things that we think are too scary. It’s also easy to pretend that something isn’t happening (I could have easily walked away from the spider, hoping it would disappear on its own). But when we do either of those things too frequently, we allow our fears to consume us, control us, and limit us. No matter what you are afraid of, take the responsibility to confront it, accept it, and grow from it. Fear should be seen as an opportunity for growth, not just a mountain to overcome. Confronting your fear builds character and ultimately makes you stronger individuals. You’ll feel confident, and you’ll prove to yourself that you are capable.
Next time I face a scary spider in my bathroom, I’ll try to handle it myself before calling on someone else to help. No matter what causes fear in your life, I suggest that you do the same when you’re confronted with the things that make you uncomfortable and afraid, too.
