What Are You Afraid Of?
In a recent writing class I was asked to make a list: what are you afraid of? Turns out, a lot. I thought of traditional things like spiders and snakes but I'm always taking Daddy Long Legs out of my shower and dumping them outside. Many years ago, I had a friend's pet snake rest on my chest and it was strangely soothing. No, I've discovered my fears are much more bizarre than that.
Here are some of my biggest fears
Taxes: I used to sit on the floor in my apartment in Miami surrounded by receipts and credit bills, heart palpitating. Now I have Quickbooks.
Quickbooks.
Avocados & pineapples: Scared of peeling them (I didn't say this list was logical).
Scary movies: I'm not touching those, I'd rather sleep, thank you.
Not finding my partner in love and life.
Voice over work ending.
I look at this partial list of fears and I feel like Munch's silent scream. My initial tendency is to laugh it off and stuff the feelings back down. But when I leave an issue unresolved, it continues to fester.
I've discovered there's an easier fix my fear: gratitude.
I pay taxes because I earn a living. I have Quickbooks to help me sort out the business I didn't have 10 years ago. Avocados and pineapples are delicious and healthy food choices available to me. I can buy one at a time. Scary movies are fun entertainment for someone else and that's okay. Loving myself and everything I do imperfectly is a blessing. What I've learned to do in difficult situations is not to fight but embrace them.
Today, I'm just grateful I have a roof over my head and food in the refrigerator. And friends like you who read 'til the end 😊
"Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it... that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear." - Dale Carnegie
To read about ways to fight your fears:
