Feeding on fear…

He who fears something gives it power over him. ~Moorish Proverb

So, we all are scared of something. That's human nature. Maybe we acknowledge it. Maybe we don't. The thing is fear exists and sometimes it's not a bad thing. How? Well I believe fear keeps us safe. Sometimes the odd shiver of fear up your spine in a situation will give you warning that all is not as it should be. So it can be a safety mechanism. Or when you are watching a really scary movie and you are hugging someone close it’s an adrenalin rush that maybe can turn into something more interesting - and I'm not talking about making hot chocolate

But what about the fears that are thrust upon us by others? What about people who get panicked by other people either consciously or not? They listen to the fear mongers and then start to feel the gloom descent on them . Think of the classic War of the Worlds (the original not Mr Cruise’s version) about a town that gets panicked into believing aliens have landed after they hear a radio broadcast. No, I know you and I are too smart to do that but have you noticed others that do? I've seen it. It brings people down, they start to wonder about themselves and then before too long they start to wonder what the point of doing whatever it is – and all because one other person sent a ripple of their own fear through them. Sure it's okay to be scared but I believe it’s wrong to project your fears onto someone else - unless you know they are in danger. Let's face it we all have more than enough to deal with without someone else’s baggage or hysteria.

I had a case recently where someone in some authority tried to make me insecure about my worth. They wanted to see me scared and worried. Of course it didn’t work but I have to wonder how successful her ploy is on others – controlling them so they do as she wants. That’s using fear for advantage. Think of the McCarthy era in the 50’s and the cry of reds under the beds - where anyone with the slightest hint of communist or socialist leanings could be ruined by their thinking outside the square. It was a way of keeping everyone the same so that no one was allowed to break from the norm. Look at today, not all believers in Islam are terrorists and to be feared.

So what the hell am I rabbiting on about? There are always going to be negative people who espouse doom and gloom or trade on fear to try and make you feel less than you are. Don’t listen to them. Listen to your heart and your mind and be guided by your beliefs. Just because they tell you the sky is falling doesn’t mean it is.

A cat bitten once by a snake dreads even rope. ~Arab Proverb

Okay – enough pontificating….Talented Aussie author Barbra Novac interviewed me for her blog. Check it and Barbra out here.

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Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?