'Fear cuts deeper than swords'
Posted on 16th February 2022 at 15:06
Have you ever felt that deep sense of fear?
A constant flow of fear is always accessible to us, it's all too easy to get consumed and in turn hard to detach. If we allow it fear becomes present, rises inside of us and takes over. I have been guilty of letting this happen too many a time.
It's likely if you’re reading this you have felt fear on some level? Fear of an upcoming test or exam, a job interview. Fear of the unknown, of what’s to come. Fear following trauma. The constant fear in the media isn't helpful on top of our own daily pressures and natural anxieties. Sometimes the cup overflows, and fear takes over. But it doesn’t always have to feel this way.
A persistent feeling of fear is an overwhelming place to be, it does indeed feel deeper than swords. That feeling of fear like no other, feeling frightened all the time, it consumes you and stops you being.
The important thing to remember is that we feel fear, we are not fear.
Fear is an emotional response to a definite threat; when you suffer with anxiety you feel under threat much of the time, creating the fear of whatever your anxious about. This may be health anxiety, social anxiety, specific phobias. In turn fear can cause anxiety, and anxiety can cause fear. Fear can seem ever lasting if it’s not managed.
The good news is, you can overcome this immense fear. With practice we can manage our feelings and thoughts. Mindfulness and meditation has enabled me to work through this and sit with these feelings, in time being able to observe the thoughts rather than them consume me. I now know I am not those feelings of fear and they don’t need to stay long term.
We know that what we pay attention to grows. When feeling fearful, you focus on this emotion, the panic, thus in turn manifesting more fear and anxiety. Then more anxiety and fear - you see the pattern. When overwhelmed you can’t differentiate between the feeling and the thought. By slowing down, meditating, it helps you watch these thoughts instead - it's quite amazing. Our minds are so powerful, we can choose what we focus on.
If you can face your fears - challenge them a little - it really does give them less power. Question your worst fear, what’s the worst that can happen? Has it? Do you feel as afraid?
By removing the fear you can enjoy the moment. This one! Allow yourself that pocket of freedom amongst it all, you owe it to yourself.
’Fear lasts longer than pain, and can have devastating effects long after any battle has ended.’
‘The man who fears losing has already lost. Fear cuts deeper than swords.’
- George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones
Tagged as: fear
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