by Coach Chuck Barnard
My resolution for the coming year is to become a warrior against fear. Fear is a powerful enemy. Like all emotions fear does have a purpose. Fear triggers the fight, flee, or freeze response. It is a valuable ally when it is real and not irrational. What is real fear?
When I was a boy my younger sister and I were walking from my grandmother’s brother’s farm to her house when a neighbors dog attacked. I was struck with fear. The fight response kicked in as I punched, kicked, screamed, cried until the dog left which was in reality probably only about 30 terrifying seconds. That was real fear. It did not become the irrational fear of being afraid of all dogs.
Irrational fear manifests itself in many ways. Phobias are irrational fear. Fear of failure, success, rejection, abandonment, and the list can go on and on are examples of irrational fear. Irrational fear will still trigger the fight, flee, or freeze response. We are afraid of failing so we freeze or don’t act. We are afraid of some “ism” or other so we fight an imaginary enemy. We are afraid of commitment or rejection so we flee relationships. Irrational fear is a powerful enemy that needs to be fought.
Fear mongers need to be fought. People who spread irrational fear are tyrants and dangerous. Every tyrant in history has used fear to subjugate and control people. Fear mongers live in fear and perpetuate fear. They use fear to get people to flee. They use fear to get people to freeze and take no action. They use fear to get people to fight a fictional enemy. How do you fight fear and fear mongers?
You fight fear by feeding courage. Courage’s primary food is love. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love protects. Love rejoices in the truth. Love trusts. Love hopes. Love perseveres. Perfect love casts out fear. I am resolving to feed the courage wolf. I will work on being kinder – not just not unkind. I will work on being more patient. I will work on protecting the truth, justice, individual liberty as well as my good name and honor. I will work on discovering and knowing the truth. I will work on being more trusting. I will become a hope peddler. I will persevere.
I will work to become more courageous. I will try to ask the hard questions even if it may mean I don’t like the answers. I will seek the truth even if the truth confronts my own worldview. When I see someone captured by fear, I will do my best to defeat fear by loving the person – being kind, being patient, not dishonoring them, and by peddling truth and hope.
I have been a teacher and coach for more than half my life. I am transitioning into the next stage of my teaching and coaching career – coaching and training mindsets. Training mindsets, training champions.
You can feed the courage wolf by building powerful morning and evening rituals, by sharing successes and even defeats in the battle. We are to learn from both victories and defeats. If you struggle against fear, share your struggles, enlist allies, work to find hope and with hope perseverance.
Have you had great victories over fear? Have you overcome grave illnesses? Family tragedies? Have you conquered your own fear demons? Share your story and strategies and help others. You can all do that here by scrolling to the bottom of this linked page and writing your story: https://www.growthmimindsettrainingacademy.com/caring-for-the-human-spirit.html.
Are you ready to join me in the fight and becoming a warrior against fear (WAF)? If so just like and share this post. Check out this page on my website (https://www.growthmimindsettrainingacademy.com/spirit-wolf.html) and consider joining my private Facebook group Mastering Your Growth Mindset.
