How do you answer the question, “What are you afraid of?” Most of can quickly list a few acceptable things, such as … spiders, heights, snakes, public speaking, death, mice, little people (you know who you are), dogs, the dark, noises in the dark, spiders, snakes and mice making noises in the dark… you get the idea. But what about some of those fears that we don’t talk about over the dinner table? Some of those fears that we have trouble even admitting to ourselves? What about those fears?

I have been thinking of, and processing, the idea of fears often recently. Part of the reason is some of the things I have been studying and a larger part of it is attempting to face some of my own fears.

If you were completely vulnerable with me, what would you confess are your greatest fears right now? What are some of the fears that you are well aware of but just avoid? What are some of the fears that you are not sure what others would still like you if you told them? Maybe it is a fear of what others think of you.

How do you face your fears? I must confess that the fears I have been wrestling with recently are ones that I have avoided facing for a while. Part of my goal-setting for this year had to do with facing some of these fears. One way of facing fears is to ignore them. How is that working for you? It has not been working well for me at all. Another method of dealing with fears is to declare that you have already overcome them. The old “fake it till you make it” method. That works until you are actually face to face with the fear. Or you could just give up and let the fear win. That is tempting at times.

I have tried all of the above methods and I am not satisfied with the results. How about you? Have any of the above methods of dealing with your fears worked for you?
What other methods have you tried?

I am planning to share some more about my fears and what I am attempting to do about them in some upcoming posts. That is, if I don’t chicken out.

Until next time, here’s hoping you are finding some great ways to face your fears and to encourage someone else as they deal with their fears as well.

Dennis