FEAR
IS GOING TO BE A PLAYER
IN YOUR LIFE
BUT YOU
GET TO DECIDE HOW MUCH.
– Jim Carrey
This quote makes so much sense to me. It’s a matter of choice, as is everything else. Decisions, decisions, decisions!Â
When have you felt crippled by fear and how did you [decide to] overcome it?
Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂
Polilla Writes 
It sounds a good quote Lynn but I think Jim Carrey is wrong.It isn’t always a matter of choice how much fear plays a part in your life. Take Syria for instance, can you choose how much fear you should have about when the next bomb will fall. Especially when you’re a child?
Depression is a bit of a bomb too and someone who suffers often feels fear about when the next bomb will fall. It isn’t through choice either or weakness since depression is an illness and can hit anyone at any time.
I think if you’re lucky and lead a life free of conflict and depressive illness then maybe you can get to choose how much fear you let in, but fear is often irrational and you can’t always choose what it is you fear.
Some people are afraid of dying after losing someone close yet we all die so why fear it? Maybe it’s the not knowing how, and that’s the bit it’s hard to control.Some people just fear a lack of control over every day things so they think by taking control and creating a timetable that fear is averted. Yet let one thing slip a little and the fear reasserts itself.For some people it’s forever lurking on the fringes and that causes a fear in itself.
So, some people are lucky enough to face fear and know how to handle it which makes Jim Carrey right about them, but the quote is far too general to cover everyone and those outside his words are a not insignificant number.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
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David, I see you are passionate about this topic. And I see your point.
I agree fear can be thrust upon us. Children often have yet to learn how to handle fear, as any emotion. It still is a matter of choice, whether we are equipped to make that decision or not … the decision is often unconscious. If we act out of fear, that is a choice we make in the moment.
It is said depression is fear or worry of what lies behind .. is already done and past; anxiety is fear or worry of what lies ahead, not even a reality yet. I believe depression is also anger turned inward, so that fits with ‘what lies behind’ … depression being anger over what has already happened, or failed to, in the past. (What we did or what we didn’t do, or what didn’t work out the way we wanted it to.)
Thank you for sharing your view on this, David. It’s good to hear from you. ((Hugs))
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FEAR: Fantasizing Events Appearing Real Only 10% of fear is relevant, the rest is in our mind and it is good to realize that. If we dwell on fear it stops us from doing anything. Can´t remember who wrote it but there is a book called Face the Fear and Do it anyway. This is a good quote.
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You got me curious, Darlene, so I looked it up. The book you speak of was written by Susan Jeffers and is actually called Feel the Fear … and Do it Anyway.
Having lived with fear the better part of my life I have learned how easy it is to allow (choose) fear to take over. It is still a battle for me in some things, and sometimes when I don’t expect it. Jim Carrey’s quote is one to ponder.
Thanks for adding to the conversation, Darlene.
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I think so many of us battle fear at different times in our lives. It’s crippling and I love the idea that we have a choice in allowing it to take over our lives. My husband is a pilot and twice we had very serious and life-threatening situations in our plane. The first time, we were in a spin going straight down. I reacted badly, screaming and not helping my husband at all. After, I was very disgusted with myself (especially once we were save on the ground again!). The next time our engine more or less fell apart midair. I said a simple prayer and proceeded to help my husband with the radio equipment and finding a landing place. I chose to give my fear to God. That made a huge difference!
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Gracious, Sue! Screaming would seem the automatic thing in such an event. You’re amazing to pull it together another time, and to even let there be the possibility of another time! I, too, have learned that giving one’s fear to God makes a huge difference. The trick is to remember to do that until it becomes more automatic than one’s natural reactions.
Thanks for sharing!
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So true… And Jim Carry, he’s one of my favourites
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He’s a crazy, very talented guy — and from Canada. 🙂
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