Prompt Of The Week: Write about overcoming a fear.

@SirenOfSerenity

Imagine living a life that is almost entirely ruled by fear. Where success isn't determined much by your efforts, but by how fast you run away and how well you hide.

That's kinda how it is for guinea pigs.. but it doesn't totally need to be.

It can take a lot of persistence to get one to open up to you, no matter how kind you are and how well you take care of it. It's a big deal to them since they're used to a life of vulnerability.

Nessa was first to have no issue coming to me. I don't remember what step or trust exercise we were on, but I could feel the change. It wasn't body language or anything, but there was a clear undefinable message. It was when she realized she liked me.

Soon after, I had both of them out. They were both facing away from me, and quietly wheeking to each other, and it was like Nessa was whispering to her sister. Sweets kept looking back, like "Really? Him? Are you sure about that?"

Sometimes alliances can come in unexpected forms. She couldn't expect to feel so close to such a giant. (I often apologize to them for being too tall.) I think it was just as unexpected to me to realize that Nessa, in particular, is the one currently living being that I can truly trust with anything. There's no chance of judgment. I don't think they understand what I really mean when I thank them though. They may not feel that they do much, but they've taught me a lot about calmness.

That, and I love what they've done with the spare bedroom. There's been different people living in that room, but it's always had very dark severe vibes. It feels so much kinder now, like all the evil that kinda got to us humans was no match for guinea pigs. Maybe they overcame something else in there... Probably something that my dad somehow invited in at one point... And they were able to do it, because they faced their fear with me, and they know that I'd help them face anything.

@SirenOfSerenity great prompt, thank you! And perfect timing!

My biggest fear? Facing myself. I haven't really gotten over that fear, but this helped, so I hope it's acceptable:

And warning, could be a trigger I'm guessing.

Overcoming the fear of being alone was her biggest challenge as she thought she would never be able to defeat it. She would watch people being comfortable with themselves and wished she had the same power, the same self-esteem, and the same enthusiasm.

Every time she tried it herself, her inner critics would make her feel like a loser. She would cry an ocean for being so helplessly paralyzed even with her both extremities and willpower intact.

She was like a beautiful princess captivated by fear of doing things alone and self-doubt in her castle. She was pampered by everyone and had the best of food, dress, family, friends, and education. Yet, that princess felt inadequate. Love and care were all she was overly surrounded by — something she got freely as a blessing for the person she was, something that people craved and worked hard for in her era. Can a blessing become a curse? Oh sure, it can! Love, care, and pampering became the ingredients responsible for her fear of being alone!

She learned that too much of anything is harmful and smothering. She was deeply in love with her comfort zone, the protective bubble of her parents, and the highest barricades of her castle, a free bird who loved her freedom yet wasn't taught how to leave her nest.

"Be your hero on your own!" she said to herself for the umpteenth time. Although she lost count of how many times she whispered that to herself, this time she acted upon it. She fell in love with her solitude and the idea of being alone. It wasn't easy to leave that nest that nurtured her and gave them unconditional love. However, she drank the potion of detachment with grace and became her hero herself!

Today, she has achieved great lengths she never thought she would and is residing in her gorgeous castle made up of diamonds radiating self-love and self-care..... And that's me! ♥️

Much love,

-Angel

Thank you for this interesting prompt, dear Siren! (^_^) And it's a kind appeal to @Glen and the tech-savvy team of 7Cups to consider adding a word counter within. 🤭 Hahahahaha 🙈

@SirenOfSerenity

@SirenOfSerenity

Great prompt, Siren! 🫶😊 let's write again...

I can be fearless for myself, but I am fearful for my loved ones. The anxiety monster is often woken by fear for their safety or future. I would turn myself into the bravest guard and the sturdiest fortress to keep them safe.

Until one day...

A loved one said, "I understand, but if you don't learn to control your fear, I may never experience fun things in life."

The fear of them missing the chance to experience the joy in life motivated me overcome my fear. After all, YOLO. 🐨

@SirenOfSerenity

Write about overcoming a fear.

This will be a complicated one.

In the Logical World and Sense, which is always true and tried, Right? I highly doubt it.
Additionally this is 100% Theory or it is Theoretically derived in my world \ Head Space for me. At which I am sharing with the outside world.
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Step One: What is Fear?

Is it an emotion or a feeling? As we have previously learned Feelings are conscious response(s). Like Hunger or Pain. Where Emotions are manifested in the unconscious mind. And you can spend a lifetime and still not full understand the depth and breadth of you emotions.
So Fear is an unpleasant emotion.

Step Two: Source?
Fear isn’t something we are born with and since Fear is a manifestation in the unconscious mind ~ Where did it come from? Trauma, Experience, Cause and Effect?
So Basically it is something we are Taught? Maybe, but doubt it is fully from learned from a Mother or a school book. If I have a fear of Spiders, I didn’t get it from reading of it from a book. BUT then could it be from learning that some spiders can harm you if they bite you? No, it would be from a cause and effect not because I learned of the spider.
Genetics, Absolutely not. Ludicrous theory, there are genetic traits from lobes in the ears or red hair, there isn’t a Fear Gene. It is more based on a Zero or One yes you do or no you don’t in the physical trait. But to have a phobia or what it is impossible to have a genetic fear gene.
So that concludes that fears are Learned Traits. We learn to be afraid. Absolutely. Seriously bad experiment “Little Albert Experiment” pre 1920’s at which concluded the classic conditioning of the human. The process at which they achieved the information is topic for another place.

Step Three: Unlearn?
Since Fear is a Learned Trait and/or Classic Conditional of a human, then as someone had mentioned somewhere and at some time, you can unlearn what you have learned such as phobia.

The Rant:

I think the most complicated portion will be to forget what you have learned from abuse or to have forgotten the experiences of bad relationship(s).
I know I am in my head way too much. It might be that I am afraid to be in my heart? Afraid to feel? Or maybe I am too damaged to understand what it is to have a heart and to understand what it is to feel?
Are men permitted to be human and have feelings?
Is it ok for me to have needs and wants? To feel loved and share it without being ashamed because I am a man?
Men are devalued as soon as he displays any form of feelings or emotions other than anger. Less than he be labeled: Gay, Weak, Inferior, and/or Useless.

@SirenOfSerenity

Lurking in the shadows casted by pain's cruel hand, a heart once shattered - must withstand.

The abused - haunted by memory's sting, fears becoming the abuser, a terrifying thing.

Invisible chains and scars unseen, the wounds that bled - both real and dreams.

Yet within this darkness, a flicker ignites - a yearning to reclaim her rights.

Blood once spilled in anguish and despair, now becomes ink - a testament to repair.

Words wielded with courage - to tell the tale, inked with resilience, refusing to fail.

So, she tells herself:

"Breathe, dear soul, let the spirit arise from ashes of torment, let our strength materialise. For the past shall not define our fate, we hold the power to recreate."

Inheritance of pain - it is a burden that's heavy, But it need not be passed on, or kept as levy.

Break the cycle! shatter the chain! Choose compassion over vengeance's reign.

By managing the echoes of past, reclaiming your power, leaving shadows recast.

Embrace the journey - both dark and bright, transmuting pain into wisdoms light.

And as the colours merge - a newfound link, the abused becomes the healer, beginning to think - that in this transformation, a lesson is told - to turn the pain into strength, as the story unfolds.

(:

The sun goes down and takes my sense of safety with it

My own mind against me!

An unhinged terror

Caution in every step I take

Timing my breathing so I can scream if I must

Carefully peering around each corner

Sitting on the floor afraid to move

Rocking back and forth until I KNOW it's okay

I can finally get to my bed and yet I can't turn my back to the darkness

But by some miracle I fall asleep

And my frenzied brain rests too

The monster under the bed snoring softly

gently dreaming with us-

And by morning, all is well.

I made it again.

-L. Cheese

I often get very scared at night and I would even say paranoid some nights. I know that monsters are not real and the chances a stranger is in my home are very low, but nothing can calm these thoughts and I have to wait it out- but I'm always grateful to be alive in the morning, with a newfound energy for life.

Ah, Bees!

For years I lived in fear

Of my busy buzzy friends

I've never been stung because I would always run

Screaming, "Ah, Bees!"

But recently I look a little closer

And I suit up with netting and gloves

I grab my hive tool and I breathe in the scents of beekeeping

The smoke, the smell of comb and flowers

I approach the hive with friends and hear their wings buzzing

And now instead of running

I smile to myself, saying

"Ah, Bees!"

-L. Cheese

Okok I know I already wrote one for this prompt but I thought this would be fun to add! I used to be scared of anything that could fly and sting and if anything buzzed by my ear I would flinch. In all honesty I still do, but this summer I began to be very intruiged by bees. I watched every video and absorbed every drop of information I could. I actually pet a bumblebee! Then I found a beekeeping group where my grandma works, and I've been going about once a month now. I've certainly learned to love bees. I'm mostly sure I'm autistic and this just so happens to be a special intrest of mine now, which is pretty funny to me. I am so happy. Recently we had a honey extraction and got 150 lbs from only two hives! I'm so lucky that I get to love bugs with this passion, and that I don't hav to be scared anymore.