Fear:

I think too often we associate fear as a negative response that which carries with it a feeling of isolation and sometimes even shame. I think ideally as individuals we should strive to accept fear as simply, a survival instinct that has evolved into something much more, a consciousness of self worth. Fear plays a major role in how we respond to the environment of any given situation. Whether it be social anxiety, fear of failure, or even fear of death in dire situations, fear is a driving force in which individuals learn to adapt to survive. That being said, it doesn't make it any easier to cope with the fact that fear can lead to inward struggles of doubt and sadness as well. This is because fear can take on many forms of negativity given the mindset of the individual. Too often, especially for artists, a constant stream of failures or denial of self worth can lead to a very negative, often insurmountable feelings of the loss of self worth. This why so often you see artists turn to substance abuse or quit the business altogether, because they cannot deal with the negative repercussions to their self esteem/ ego. This is where the fear of not being good enough, or the fear of no longer being relevant can play a major part in artist's lives, because without these affirmations the artist can no longer find any self worth. This is a scary, but true realization that all artistically minded individuals must struggle with at some point; Am I good enough, I'm afraid I've become creatively stagnant with my art, what do I do now? This is what happens when fear becomes an overwhelmingly negative force that will beat you to the ground if you let it. Now, I by no means claim to have figured out the key to manipulating my fears and turning them into positive energy. I do however believe that there is a positive way to approach thoughts of negativity in relation to fears that may crop up in our lives. Social anxieties, stage fright, the fear of illness and death, yeah this stuff happens, we think about these things because we are human. It is in our nature to want to preserve our lives in the most positive way possible. The issue is that fear has evolved along with mankind, fear is no longer associated with, run from big animals trying to kill you. It has taken on a more internal form given the fact that we no longer have just a few basic human needs to satiate, we now have an expansive list of needs that we as a society have created for ourselves in order to live comfortably. So as with anything we can't fully comprehend, we begin to fear that sense of the unknown and given the very nature of human existence this fear of not knowing can be maddening to say the least. I have experienced this form of fear on several occasions and more often than not, even though I may not have wanted to confront it, I have persevered and moved forward through the darkness despite the lack of light to guide my way. Throughout my life I've made choices that have brought me to where I am, sometimes good, sometimes not so good. However, it was instilled in me through my upbringing that you should always 'look before you leap'. I always have a plan for the next big step, yet there is always a fear of failure, or regret that perhaps I will be making the wrong decision or that I'll regret leaving behind what feels comfortable or safe. The reality is, that those moments we choose to change are the real moments that define us. The basic human nature of not remaining content is what drives the fear away when it seems to be holding us back. Having the will to persevere and not look back is sometimes all it takes to turn fear into fuel to ignite the spark of life you need, right when you need it.