Ain't Afraid?

Why are we afraid? What purpose does it serve? Can we conquer our fears?

And what about fear while traveling? How can we manage it? Is the true traveler a brave adventurer, fearless and without reproach?

The topic of fear was briefly discussed in the article >, but let's delve a little deeper into your most buried fears...

Fear is one of the basic emotions (along with joy, sadness, and anger) and plays an essential role in our survival, according to evolutionary theory.

In the face of a threatening event, fear compels us to choose between one of two paths: fight or flight (fight or fly).

Being afraid and avoiding what causes that feeling is therefore nothing unusual and is sometimes preferable. For example, when facing a car speeding towards us, the option to flee makes perfect sense. However, in other situations, overcoming our fears can broaden our horizons and expand our comfort zone.

Fear, one of the oldest responses in the animal world, is manifested through various physical expressions (trembling, wide eyes, increased heart rate...), caused by the secretion of the primary fear hormone: adrenaline.

Once you've tasted it, there is a real risk of becoming dependent on it and seeking thrills to relive that rush of adrenaline and excitement that accompanies it. The risk of this quest for adrenaline is, of course, reckless and thoughtless behavior. But it can be channeled. For example, one of my dreams is to go skydiving. Of course, I will be afraid, and this anticipated fear increases the excitement and my desire to seek that adrenaline. But I will not jump without supervision. And although I dream of wingsuit flying, I won't attempt that adventure right away: one step at a time.

But what happens behind that contorted face and those astonished eyes?

The part of the brain primarily involved in fear is located in the limbic system. This area of our brain manages our behavior in general, and our emotions in particular, such as aggression, pleasure... and also memory formation.

And within this limbic system, it is more precisely at the level of the amygdala that things happen when we feel fear or become aggressive. It is interesting to note that fear and aggression are linked in our physiological functioning... Even more interesting when we consider that the amygdala also plays a role in the emotion of pleasure. Funny creatures we are!

We fear what could historically threaten our survival. Fear then comes as a reflex, conditioned or not:

Innate or acquired, our fears influence, more or less consciously, our choices and our ways of living.

Acknowledging our fears is admitting that we are not perfect and weaving into the fabric of our character all those little things we prefer to leave in the shadows. Admitting them is recognizing our humanity: deeply imperfect, but also in constant evolution.

Humans can learn from their fears just as they do from their mistakes: more than a failure or imperfection, it is a rich point of improvement opportunities.

Never afraid of anything, travelers? Fearless adventurers, are these modern explorers above all these fears?

The traveler, rather than being above these fears, multiplies the experiences where fear is waiting around the corner. And it is with full awareness that the traveler moves forward, in search of oneself: exceeding oneself is their motto.

Personally, I'm not afraid of approaching others, but speaking a language that is not my own requires superhuman efforts, so great is my fear of making mistakes. Traveling allows me to confront this fear and see it shrink every time I dare to ask for directions or engage in a conversation... in Spanish or English. Once believing I was terrible at languages and reflecting a negative image of myself (>), I now enjoy watching foreign films in their original language. So much so that I am considering not stopping here and learning even more languages. Ultimately, I am rediscovering a childhood dream: to speak all the languages of the world, at a time when I had not yet curbed my dreams.

But this non-exhaustive enumeration of fears does not pertain only to the traveler: their circle shares these fears, conveys, and even creates or amplifies them.

Some are often exclusive to close ones, who then attempt to communicate them to the traveler in order to reason with them: are they not aware of the madness they are undertaking?

These individuals will be even more opposed as they have a profile > and never dare to explore the > - or do not feel the need to. Your impulse for discovery will appear to them as a peculiarity: >.

Keeping a cool head, both feet on the ground, and eyes on one's dreams is the best attitude a traveler can maintain to stay calm without giving up on their plans.

Courage is not the absence of fear.

Thus, the traveler learns to face their fears day by day; they are rarely born courageous - and I doubt the opposite can truly exist!

Falling ill, having an accident, becoming depressed... are risks present in the sedentary lifestyle just as much. But this truth is often overlooked, in favor of an idealized representation of the Western lifestyle and its comfortable cocoon. Imagining that one risks something daily is unimaginable because it's too unsettling, and it often takes an accident (a death in the family, a car wreck...) to shatter the ice of illusions and break into that cozy life. Many then reevaluate their lifestyle, their priorities... But this questioning often fades after a few days or months, with time mending the illusion.

The only certainty in life is that we are not eternal. Knowing this, let us strive to make the most of our time >: to realize ourselves and live the life we have chosen.

Fear is part of our daily lives, sometimes masked, sometimes sought after; this fear acts as a bright warning light on the dashboard of our brain: information, nothing more. It is up to us to interpret it, manage it, and respond to it in our own way, depending on the context: to flee or to fight! Each flight keeps us alive a bit longer, and each fight makes us stronger.

And you, what are your fears? And while traveling, what fears do you encounter on your path?

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