After a successful hunt, Wally and his prehistoric family leisurely return to their cave when suddenly, Wally senses something amiss. Swiveling, he spots his wife, Wilma, swiftly guiding the children behind a bush as a sabertooth tiger emerges.
In this primal instant, fear surges, becoming their immediate survival instinct.
Fear is a Survival Mechanism.
Fear allows our species to survive and thrive, giving us a moment to make split-second decisions that may save our lives.
When fear strikes, a sudden biological response triggers a cascade of changes in your body. Your breathing accelerates, your heart rate quickens, and the blood vessels around your vital organs widen, filling them with oxygen and nutrients.
These resources are then swiftly delivered to your muscles, preparing you for action. Fear primes your body for a potential threat, just like it did for Wally and Wilma.
There is more than Life and Death to Fear.
Ken's nimble footwork brought a smile to the faces of those he passed as he practically danced down the sidewalk, his heart pounding with anticipation to surprise his girlfriend, Tina. The delicate scent of the daisies in his right hand wafted up to his nose, a pleasant distraction as he paused at the corner, waiting for the traffic to clear. His left hand nervously tapped a small black box on his thigh as his eyes scanned the bustling street. The bouquet of flowers slipped from his firm grip, forgotten, as his gaze locked onto Tina, sealed in a passionate embrace with another man.
Ken is experiencing his worst fear: Losing the love of his life. It's a suffocating sensation, like a vice tightening around his chest, making it hard to breathe. In this moment, fear has become Ken's companion, threatening to consume him and possibly doom every relationship for the rest of his life.
We Create Frightening Situations.
Millions of people put themselves in terrifying situations daily, whether reading a scary book, watching a horror movie, jumping out of a plane, or entering the yearly haunted house of horrors on Halloween. Creating dreadful, nerve-racking situations and all but frightening people within an inch of their lives has become a very profitable industry.
A good makeup artist can scare the shit out of the bravest trained soldier. They may get a broken nose when they take a fist to the face, but that hard ass can't ever deny they scared them. They'll wear that black eye as a badge of honor till it fades.
A controlled fear and/or suspenseful event allows the sensitive part of your brain to overcome its primal nature, if only for a moment, thus giving the person a rush of satisfaction.
In this day and age, a win, no matter how small, is still a win. It may not be defeating a towering tiger to save your family's lives, but it still feels good. It's a reminder that facing our fears, no matter how big or small, can lead to personal growth, a sense of accomplishment, and a universally rewarding feeling.
Fear Creates an Impact
With countless worries and stress worldwide, fear has become more than just a response to living or dying. Fear has taken on a new role. We fear loneliness, rejection, change, being judged, failure, and even the tiniest hint of conflict.
"Oh my," Megan whispered, shocked, "you can't say that. It's offensive."
What started as a survival mode is becoming an overwhelming weight on people's shoulders: the fear of saying the wrong thing, appearing in a bad light, or being misunderstood.
"What is your worst fear, Mia?" Nat asked her sister as they sipped their strawberry daiquiris.
"I fear," Mia puffed her joint and sighed, "the loss of confrontation. The kind of confrontation that evokes fear deep down in your gut. Fear that rises up to the surface, honing you in on that which is not right."
"Why?" Nat said, refilling their glasses.
"Fear needs to be confronted," Mia said. "Facing one's fears breeds a sense of accomplishment and empowerment. If we are too afraid to face the conflict in the world around us, how will we ever face the conflict in ourselves?"
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