What fears have you overcome and how?

What is fear?

Fear is seen as a natural emotional response to a perceived threat or danger. It is a fundamental survival mechanism, hardwired within the subconscious, that triggers individuals to respond to situations that might pose harm or risk. Fear triggers physiological, psychological, and behavioral changes that prepare the body to deal with challenges, whether through confrontation, evasion, or freezing.

Fear is an experience, woven into the fabric of human existence. It warns us of danger, protects us from harm, and can even save our lives in critical moments. But what if much of the fear we feel isn’t real at all? What if fear, in its essence, is an illusion?

Is fear really an illusion?

This subject matter is a very complicated one, because it will only lead us to explain the question on what is real and what is not. But i will be leaving that for you to figure out, though i have multiple articles that explains that. However, for the purpose of this subject matter, i will begin by first explaining the concept of time from the viewpoint of “the past, the present, and the future”.

The past is nothing but memories, moments in time we will never be able to get back, or go back to. The future is only imaginary, it’s a vision of what might be, but it hasn’t happened yet. The present on the other hand, is right now.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Fear is mostly drawn from “the past” experiences. Now this fear is directed towards “the future”, which is the imagination that the imagined future might come to reality. However, the only difference is that these fears are experienced in “the present”.

Whether fear is real or not depends on how one looks at it. If fear means scared for the future, doesn’t that also mean fear is imaginary? The threat and the danger may be real, but i can’t say the same for the fear. If one fall off a speed boat, one could drown (threat, danger). What are the odds that will actually happen? What if one doesn’t fall? What if one actually did fall off, but didn’t drown? So many “what if”, but they are all imaginations (fear).

Breaking the Illusion of Fear

Whether fear is an illusion or not, how does one break free from its grip? The answer lies in awareness and action:

• Understand that fear is often a byproduct of one’s mind overactive imagination. Labeling it as such diminishes its hold.
• Stay present; understand that fear is only a future projection, and the future is never written in stone, it can be changed.
• Question the validity of the fears. Are they based on evidence, or are they exaggerated by “what if” scenarios?
• Take action despite fear. Courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s acting in spite of it.
• View fear as a teacher. It often signals areas where growth is possible. By confronting one’s fears, one expands one comfort zone and discover hidden strengths.

In conclusion, fear is a natural response, born from our evolutionary past. In the wild, fear kept early humans alive by triggering fight or flight responses in the face of predators or threats. However, the threats of modern life are rarely life or death. Instead, they are often fear of failure, rejection, uncertainty, or inadequacy. The danger and the threat may be real, but fear on the other, is imaginary.

©️Victor E. Ojei, 2025.