THE IMPORTANCE OF FEAR

I just came across this manifesto of sorts called “The Importance Of Fear” that I wrote a few years ago but never put online. I thought now, at the beginning of this new year, would be the best time to share it in order to remind myself and others to leave your comfort zones behind, try new things and embrace the things that scare you in the year ahead.

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The Importance Of Fear

Being scared is one of the most fundamental feelings a human can experience. From the time we’re babies we’re taught to fear and find ways to avoid fear. We therefore grow up being cautious, which of course can be a good thing when it comes to protecting our physical well-being. However, that sense of cautiousness often infiltrates the non life-or-death decisions we make on a daily basis. That sense of cautiousness, or fear aversion, takes over and we begin making “safe” decisions that make us feel comfortable, and thus, we rarely, if ever, experience the benefits that come from being scared.

When we’re presented with a decision, our minds might go through a thought process similar to this:

Choice 1: Stick with what you know.

Resulting Feeling: All warm and fuzzy inside.

Choice 2: Step outside of what you know.

Resulting Feeling: Emotionally tested and perhaps sick to your stomach.

I love Choice 1, and with a Resulting Feeling like that who wouldn’t? However, I’ve become a junkie for the Resulting Feeling of Choice 2. Maybe it’s like becoming addicted to skydiving — you almost wet yourself out of fear before you step out of the plane and then once you reach the ground you discover that you’ve never felt more alive.

I had my first “skydiving” experience shortly after I turned 18 when I chose Choice 2 and decided to postpone college and volunteer internationally.

I wanted to be challenged, to be tested and to experience something new — but nothing could prepare me for arriving in New Delhi, India (on my way to Nepal) alone and at night having never traveled completely alone. Was it scary? Hell yes. But it broadened my horizons and made me realize that I was capable and unrestricted.

Nothing could have prepared me to arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal during political unrest, to live in a brick hut with spiders the size of my hand and to work in an orphanage with 45 children as their primary care giver. Was it scary? You bet. But it broadened my horizons and made me realize that I was strong and flexible.

Those are just a few personal examples. For the sake of your time, I’ll leave out the 2+ months that followed volunteering in Kibera, Kenya (Africa’s largest slum located in Nairobi) and rural Tanzania — as well as the countless fear inducing moments I’ve found myself in in the years since.

Now allow me to clarify. I’m not suggesting that Choice 2 should always be chosen and that everyone should blindly throw themselves into the wind — just consider it. It’s also important to note that decisions don’t have to be big, they don’t have to be life changing and they don’t have to involve going to the other side of the world. The key is to make decisions that will scare you and expose your weaknesses, and as a result, allow your strength to emerge.

So remember: Make decisions that will allow you to learn about yourself, that’ll help you discover all that you’re capable of and that’ll show you that the only chains holding you back are the ones that you’ve placed there yourself.

Photo Location: Krabi, Thailand.

Keep Exploring! Check Out These Other Posts On Trevor Morrow Travel:

A Few Of My Personal Favorite Travel Photographs

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Trevor Morrow

Trevor is a traveler, writer and video maker on a mission to help you craft the best travel experiences possible. From adventurous trips with friends, to romantic trips with someone special, to splurge-worthy trips of a lifetime, he's got you covered.