Fear of the Unknown

It is fair to say that as of now, our world has been changed forever. The year 2020 will be a memorable one, and we are only halfway through. Many people are fearing what the future may hold while others have fears about their situations in the present. Life as we know it will be different.

There are many different types of fears. One that sticks out right now is Xenophobia, fear of the unknown. It can be hard to describe because all the feelings and thoughts about this fear are in people’s heads. The phobia is when people have irrational beliefs and thoughts about people and situations that they perceive to be foreign or strange. Essentially it is the fear of anything that is beyond their comfort zone.

Some people who are Xenophobic tend to have a fear or hatred towards foreigners, people from different cultures or strangers. They also dislike people who are different from them and their behavior can become extremely violent. There are recent examples in the media today with the COVID 19 pandemic. People have taken strong violent actions and racism towards Asians and people of Asian dissent. It’s also being shown with all of the violence following George Floyd’s death.

Decisions made based from this fear will not be one that moves people forward in life. The fear of the unknown is based on the perception of what might happen in the future. An underlying cause is people’s fear of failure. This is especially true when they are about to embark on a new journey that will take them out of their comfort zone.

In order to conquer the fear of the unknown, one has to commit to making changes within themselves and that is where it gets tough. Just like any fear, it’s not something that can just be ignored and go away. Ways to do so may be shifting consciousness, letting go of negativity, learn to accept failure and finding clarity. Also, although it may hold people back from being who they could be, hope can give a person comfort and courage for the future.

Jenni

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Nelson Mandela