Today I saw numerous examples of fear:
-An acquaintance was trying to get me on his side, so he talked only about the other person, never taking any responsibility for his part in the issue. He didn't know I knew the whole story. I think he is afraid to see himself as he really is, so he tells the story in such a way that he thinks will make me look better upon him and he never has to face his own stuff either.
-I saw an abcess opened up on one of my pets and drained. There was blood and pus and smell and generalized yuck. What I noticed was how uneasy I became … The animal actually wasn't actually hurting – uncomfortable maybe, yet not acutely so; yet I was afraid he would become so and I got quite unsettled, because I wasn't sure I could manage his pain if it happened and I knew he couldn't understand we were hurting him for his good. I think I have issues with misunderstandings … I got upset enough that I cancelled something later in the day just because I didn't feel up to it.
-I saw someone afraid to be assertive, and so she got roped into a decision that she didn't want at all, mostly becasue she was unwilling to make the other person upset.
-I saw a young person (my son) terrified of his mom, because he got a pretty poor grade in math. And yet, he wasn't afraid enough to prevent it. Only so sad that it happend. And he will experience more fear as I take away his driving privileges!!
There is wise aprehension that helps us make decisions that keep us safe, and then their is avoidant fear that pushes us toward actions that make our lives smaller or more complicated. Really, in our day and age, mostly, we fall prey to the latter.
Push through it if you can, because something better is on the other side of that fear.
Confidence.