I would wager that procrastination plays a key role in us facing our fears. We all have anxieties we need to overcome but, such is the discomfort of said anxiety, it’s easy to put off experiencing it until another time. That feeling of sheer relief when, for example, a social event you have been dreading gets cancelled, is such a high, right?
As we know, though, the more we put off facing our fears, and the more excuses we make for leaving them for another day, the greater that anxiety will become. So, what if Ronan Keating was correct all along? What it tomorrow does indeed not come?
I myself have been putting off facing a fear for a little while now but, as each day passes, the need to do it becomes greater - for a number of reasons. We are in June, and the weather has most certainly changed for the better. From the gloom and drizzle of what has felt like the most arduous winter ever, the sight of a mysterious, large yellow ball in the sky is undoubtedly a welcome one. It’s warming up, with temperatures consistently around 20C at the moment.
So what is my obsession? Well, given the heat, I would like to put some shorts on. I’ve been wedded to my comfy joggers for so long, but the time is nigh to once again expose my legs to the world. I ordered two pairs of shorts in a size that has proved comfortable in the past. And yet… I am too scared to try them on.
What if they don’t fit? What if I have gained an inch or two around my waist since last summer? The answer, obviously, would be to return them and exchange for a larger size. However, the (hypothetical) event of an XL-sized pair of shorts being too small could be enough to ruin my entire day. It would supercharge my body insecurities, despite the fact that I have started exercising again and lost three pounds.
Bottom line? I have been sweating it out in my trusty trousers, feeling the associated discomfort. Trying on new clothes sounds like the easiest thing imaginable, but that’s anxiety for you; it can turn anything into an obsession, an entirely neutral, normal part of life into an affair fraught with fear.
I know I will have to bite the bullet and face my fear at some point, and preferably soon, given the onset of summer. The scenarios we create in our heads rarely come to pass - and even if they do, we can invariably cope with them. With this in mind, I’ll let you know how I get on. But maybe not today.
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