The Mother of Emotions

“Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” – Kris Kristofferson

Fear is the source of most, if not all, painful emotions.

Hatred, rage, apathy, social anxiety, phobias, envy, jealousy, excessive worry, suspicion, greed, and certain forms of depression.

Perhaps the most common of all fears is the fear of loss. 

Who has not worried about losing something or someone precious? Such as …

your loved one

your financial security

your reputation

your good health

your life

a great opportunity

your physical safety, comforts and pleasures

your freedom

your country

your connection to your friends, family or group

the love of a parent, spouse or child

To be clear, exceptions do exist. In some extreme situations, fear is not the predominant or underlying emotion. Some people feel so beaten down by repeated tragedy, pain and loss, that they’re totally exhausted. They have lost the mental and physical strength to move forward. Apathy, pessimism and emotional numbness may have taken over. The ability to imagine a bright future seems to have disappeared forever.

Now, just a word or two about apathy. In the case of a young person who has developed an “I don’t care” attitude, the apathy may be a defense against being controlled and being hurt. In such cases, apathy is definitely a product of anxiety, which is a form of fear.

As we face tough times, one of the most useful questions we can ask is, ‘What am I afraid of?’

What is the fear based on? What’s the evidence that the fear is well-founded? What is the wise response to the fear? What knowledge am I missing? What resources do I need? Money? Moral support? Education / training? Knowledge? Spiritual uplift?

You’ll notice that the activities listed above direct you to think clearly about what you’re experiencing, rather than staying stuck in the emotion.

If you’re in a tough spot and would like to explore this issue, please feel free to call me at 219-309-3928, for a brief, no-cost consultation.

Thanks for reading!