Happiness And Fear – Are They Mutually Exclusive?
Happiness and fear can live in the same state. However, the lack of fear is the presence of peace. If you stop to think about it, most of our daily fear is imaginary, and it doesn’t help us much. If we let fear paralyze us, it is like shackling, limiting, and forcing ourselves into a small self-defense bubble.
Eduard Punset reflected on many realities of the modern world. For example, the prevailing type of “happiness” that many people seek. If you haven’t noticed yet, this is a very popular word in modern times. However, it is also really difficult to define. This is perhaps the first difficulty we face in trying to achieve it: we don’t know what true happiness is.
Some people strive for happiness in pursuit of success or power, while others seek it through love and affection. Others no longer look for it because they are tired of feeling disappointed. When Eduard Punset says happiness is the absence of fear, it gives us a much more realistic and deeper perspective. Let us now explain why this is the case.
Happiness and fear
We have all certainly encountered a man who is content with himself and who he is and what he has, even if he has suffered great losses. It is also very likely that you have encountered a person who is the complete opposite: a very “successful” person with power, luxury, and love. However, he is not happy.
While most of the literature claims that “happiness is found within us,” we tend to forget it too often. So we do the opposite. We are constantly looking for external stimuli as a basis for our happiness, as we assume that once we receive it, we will live happily ever after.
This external stimulus can be someone you love, a goal, or a certain life situation. In this way, we often target ourselves to factors beyond our control. And we’ve also found that when we’re happy, it’s not quite as perfect as what we imagined it to be.
When Punset said happiness was the absence of fear, he also pointed out two things:
- Happiness is found within each of us.
- It’s not about owning or getting something, but rather about stripping ourselves of the feelings that are stifling us.
Can happiness and fear be present at the same time?
Punset tells of a lack of fear in a relative sense. Fear is not only normal but also healthy. It is a feeling that warns us of the risks and dangers and gives us the opportunity to prepare for them. Sometimes, however, we go too far in such preparation.
This is what happens when we detect something that is not really too risky or dangerous a threat. Why is this happening? It is generally due to an upbringing that has led us to believe so, although it may also be the result of some kind of psychological conflict that we need to resolve.
In any case, we often carry an imaginary fear that stifles us and does not allow us to be happy. It is even possible that we end up fearing happiness and fleeing it when we see a glimpse of it. This is because we fear and thus limit ourselves unnecessarily. We reject all positive experiences because we fear the pain it might bring.
Eliminating fear
Punset was right to say that happiness is the absence of fear. When we free ourselves from imaginary fear, we are given the freedom to experience life holistically. It also allows us to express our essence as well as to overcome the strict boundaries to which we voluntarily limit ourselves for fear of crossing them.
Eduard Punset says that if a person wants to be happy, he must first consider his fears. What are you really afraid of? Why are you afraid of it? These are simple questions you can answer if you are completely honest with yourself. They may even make you realize that they are fears you are not interested in facing.
Lack of fear brings inner peace. You need not to make decisions based on imaginary dangers and replace foolish fears with confidence. You will also experience a sense of peace that will help you function smoothly in all situations. How can you leave behind all the daily fears that don’t allow you to fly? That is the subject of another article.
