Welcome to Week One: What is Fear? Video Two: What is Fear? The Origins of Fear How does Fear work with the brain and body: 1. FEAR is one of our most PRIMAL survival mechanisms. 2. The body s reaction to fear is the SAME whether it s a PHYSICAL or EMOTIONAL threat. 3. The hippocampus stores REAL or PERCEIVED threat signals in long-term memory. 4. The brain responds to potentially dangerous stimuli BEFORE it has all the facts. 5. The brain is programmed to detect dangers routinely experienced by our ANCESTORS and those learned about by each of us INDIVIDUALLY. 6. Our ability to ERASE the memories of fear is HIGHLY UNLIKELY. Fear has a quick trigger. It reacts based on our conditioning from the past. Any new action, or new thought, has an element of risk inherent in it. If we are taking a risk, there is no guarantee of success. Fear is ignited to ensure your safety. Fear thrives in the Unknown. Because your brain and body have been trained to protect you, the unknown is an arena filled with risk. When fear is ignited, here s what happens: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system in your brain releases hemical messengers, mainly dopamine and adrenaline. The HPA also triggers an outpouring of the hormone cortisol that in turn activates a small, almond-shaped area of the brain called the amygdala. Your blood sugar and blood pressure rise steeply to give you a burst of energy. Your digestive system shuts down so you can use that energy either to meet the threat head-on or run away from it. This is a well-known fight or flight described by William B Cannon, later on freeze was added. FIGHT, FLIGHT or FREEZE Responses. Your responses are unique to you. What may trigger your best friend, may not trigger you. You are triggered by different situations and you might
have different fight, flight or freeze responses to the same type of situations. EXAMPLE: You ve just been asked out on a date set up by your bestfriend but you ve never met this person before. It s a blind date. What s your first response? Do you want to fight, flight or freeze? Or are you comfortable in that scenario? EXAMPLE: You ve been asked to run a fundraiser for your company. Do you relish the opportunity? Or do you want to fight, flight or freeze? Fear feeds off our subconscious minds. Every negative experience, however fleeting, can be a lesson in fear that is well learned by your subconscious mind. Your ability to function at peak capacity and the simple ability to enjoy life is compromised. Our ability to be aware breaks the cycle of fear. As human beings, we have access to something called consciousness, which is our ability to be aware. When we become aware of how fear is running our lives and what our fears are, we then have the power to break free of our conditioning and make choices about what we do, feel, think and say. Definition of Fear: Fear is both the cause and the effect of the feelings, thoughts, or actions that prohibit you from accepting yourself and realizing your full potential. Fear stands between you and your ability to go anywhere you like, do anything you want and meet anyone you please. To help you stay safe, fear motivates you to hide your essential nature by thwarting your ability to express yourself truthfully. Abraham Maslow, described this in his class work, Psychology of Being, as This kind of fear is defensive, in the sense that it is a protection of our self-esteem... We also tend to avoid personal growth because this, too, can bring another kind of fear... This is the struggle against our own greatness... Fear Conforms, Constricts and Condemns. Conform to what you think you should be doing or be like.
Constrict yourself so no one would find you unacceptable. Condemn others who are out of the norm since they do not belong and may influence you in a way that frightens you. Fear has a job to do. Fear s number one job is to guard you against any negative feelings that confirm your worst fear you are not good enough. Fear s job is to keep you safe. Except that type of safety also keeps you stuck. Comfort Zone. Fear is the gatekeeper of your comfort zone; your comfort zone is whatever is familiar to you. Fear keeps us from feeling alive (to be your true self) when there s a danger of not being accepted, approved, or understood. Your personalized version of fear, what I call your Wheel of Fear, was created by your family heritage, your belief systems and your life experiences. Everyone has a unique and personalized Wheel of Fear and it was created choice by choice, moment by moment, unconsciously, silently. Now, you have to choose to shed the fear and be true to yourself. Are you ready? Congratulations! You have just completed What is Fear? I will meet you at the next video: Being Willing Makes You Able
INTEGRATION QUESTIONS Write down the reasons you are taking the Fearless Living Training Program. Is there a problem you are trying to solve? If yes, what is it? What are some actions you have taken or thoughts you have had when you have wanted to fight? Have you ever picked a fight with your mate? Started complaining about anything or anything? List some of the ways your fight response has shown up when you ve been triggered:
What are some actions you have taken or thoughts you have had when you have wanted flight? Have you said no to an event before you knew anything about it? Left a party early with a made up excuse? List some of the ways your flight response has shown up when you ve been triggered: What are some actions you have taken or thoughts you have had when you have felt frozen? Have you ever said I don t know to a question because you felt pressured or stupid? Have you ever been confused and not sure how to answer, or what to do? List some of the ways your freeze response has shown up when you ve been triggered: Write down one insight, awareness, ah-ha moment you have had while watching, listening or reading What is Fear? Video. How could this insight, awareness, ah-ha moment change your life?