Fear itself is not inherently bad. In fact, fear is a natural and necessary emotion that has evolved over time to help us survive and stay safe. It serves as a built-in alarm system, alerting us to potential dangers and threats in our environment. When we feel fear, our bodies prepare to respond by either confronting the threat (fight) or escaping from it (flight).
Fear can be beneficial in several ways:
- Survival: Fear helps us react quickly to potentially life-threatening situations, such as avoiding a dangerous animal or responding to a sudden emergency.
- Learning: It can motivate us to learn from our mistakes and avoid repeating them, as we associate fear with negative outcomes. If we constantly get scored on when we perform low section sweeps, then perhaps that is not the move for us.
- Caution: Fear can encourage us to take precautions, like looking both ways before crossing the street or wearing safety gear (like a mouth guard) when necessary.
- Adaptation: It can drive us to adapt and make changes in our lives, such as seeking medical attention when we experience unusual symptoms, or stepping to the side when someone does a sidekick.