The True Nature of Fear

When practicing methods to raise your vibrational frequency and achieving a state of heightened vibration (→ How to Raise Your Vibration), it's not uncommon to find yourself feeling a bit bored in a peaceful and stable state.

It's challenging to step out of this comfort zone. A voice in your mind might say, "Isn't it nice to just stay comfortable like this?" (laughs).

However, people inherently have a desire to grow and evolve. Deep down, there's an eagerness to embark on exciting, more significant challenges.

At such times - for instance, when you think about quitting your current job to pursue something you truly want to do - fear and anxiety inevitably arise.

I, too, am not the type who naturally thrives in the limelight, and when I face the unknown, fear and anxiety always hit me hard (laughs).

But these emotions are, in fact, very natural for humans. There's a term in English, "fight or flight," which refers to the physiological reaction that occurs when facing a potential danger or threat.

When the brain senses danger, it processes this information. This response is a natural and instinctive reaction from ancient times. Imagine the era of hunting. When facing a mammoth, one had to prepare to either fight or flee. Those who bravely fought often faced death, while the descendants of those who fled in fear are us, living today!

So, it's perfectly normal for us to feel fear and anxiety.

Let me explain a bit about the brain's mechanism in this context.

Information about fear, sent from sensory organs, reaches the amygdala in the hypothalamus. If perceived as a threat, the amygdala triggers an emotional response. This is the essence of fear and anxiety. When the hypothalamus is activated, the autonomic nervous system also gets stimulated, particularly the sympathetic nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system promotes the secretion of stress hormones such as adrenaline, consequently increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate.

This puts the body into a heightened state of arousal, preparing it to either fight or flee. It's a bit complex, but this is the mechanism of stress.

Our bodies have inherited this entire brain mechanism for dealing with threats, which were necessary during life-or-death battles in ancient times.

Even though we rarely encounter life-or-death situations now, the same physiological reactions occur when we feel stressed. If these reactions continue without being properly managed, they can manifest in various physical diseases.

Therefore, when you feel "fear" or "anxiety," accept them as natural human responses. Realizing that it's not a life-or-death battle can give you the courage to embrace new challenges and pursue excitement, making life more enjoyable, don't you think?