Recently, a friend invited me to experience the Edge coaster in the Crown Regency Hotel. For those who do not know what edge coaster is,here is a photo just to give you an idea:
Basically, you seat and ride the edge coaster. Easy right? But you'll be doing it at the 38th floor of the hotel. Two words came out of my mouth after she invited me: “My God”. The thing is, I have Acrophobia or the fear of heights. Standing in the highest level of building just give me the chills. I prefer travelling by sea just not to ride a plane and see the view from above. The invitation led me thinking, “Why is there a need to feel fear?”. I mean, if there is no fear, we can do all the things we wanted to.
I know you may be thinking “Don’t blame how deep the sea is just because you can’t swim.”. I mean, my idea is just a “what if?”. I researched and found some key points why fear is essential for us to be alive.
Fear keeps us Alive
The concept of “Fight VS Flight” applies here. Let’s take into account an example: Imagine you’re alone in the jungle, no weapon, and suddenly you see a tiger from afar, what will you do? The best action is to stay away, also known as the Flight. If you choose Fight,you know what will happen. You’re probably dead by now.
See, Fear keeps us alive. Without fear, we may be able to do anything we want because we are not afraid of dying. I could cite more examples but I know you get the idea by now that fear is essential for us to thrive.
Fear keeps us from Living
I know this line is counterintuitive with my previous statements. Yes you may exist but are you really living? What a line. Fear keeps us from enjoying life. Let me cite an example: you sing really well but you have fear of singing in front of other people. Hence, on the day of your recital you just stayed at home fearing people might life at your performance. Fear makes us mediocre. We cannot live to our full potential because we are afraid, afraid of what might other people say and afraid of staying out of our comfort zone.
Final Thoughts
There are always pros and cons. I guess it depends. Fear is there for a reason but we should always keep in mind that fear should not be a hindrance for us being successful in life. Well, for me I think I will pursue on riding the Edge Coaster. Maybe it will be good for me to try new things and feel the thrill.
How about you? What do you think about fear? Share your thoughts below!Til’ next time!