What is the difference between fear and excitement?
Posted on March 14, 2022 by Diana Todorut, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
There is no difference between fear and excitement on the biological and physiological levels. Still, we experience these two states differently. Why?
We all have our fears.
Fear of flying.
Fear of failure.
Fear of speaking in public.
Fear of being authentic and showing what an amazing person you really are.
But there is also excitement.
The excitement to take a new challenge, start a new endeavour, and break the walls that closed you in for such a long time.
The crazy thing is that your body makes no difference between those two emotions.
Your brain, your mind, your thoughts do.
Basically, both emotions are generated by releasing the same hormones and neurotransmitters in the body.
You are full of fear or excitement.
It doesn’t matter; your heart rate goes up, the blood flux in your muscles increases, your brain becomes more alert. You are sweating.
These changes in the body prepare you to be more efficient in action or reaction.
So, what makes the difference?
Why, in one case, you cease to take action, and in the other, you are eager to do it?
The difference is made in your head when your mind feels the bodily sensations through different lenses.
You see, fear is healthy when you are in a real dangerous situation. It can save your life. It is the natural response generated by our survival instincts. But the fear I am talking about is nothing of this. The fears mentioned above are imaginary and self-created.
And you have the power to transform fear into excitement by changing the lens you see a situation through.
And here is a little exercise for changing those lenses.
Imagine you are in a situation that freaks you out. Let’s say you have to speak in public. You are scared as f—- . But, in fact, there is nothing dangerous in there.
Fear is only an emotion. Yes?
So, what if instead of you imagining outcomes like you are not finding your words, you are a terrible speaker, your message will not be understood and appreciated, you will imagine precisely the contrary.
You imagine yourself being out there on the scene, and you simply enjoy it. You have the best speech you can ever deliver, and the outcomes are outstanding. Everyone is happy about it and is celebrating you.
Wouldn’t it make this the click? Oh, yes!
The fear will become excitement.
It will be such an outstanding achievement- to conquer and transform fear into excitement. Isn’t it?
Wouldn’t be this the better choice then fear?
Of course, you’ll need to exercise this strategy, but if you do it, you’ll see that there is nothing to fear in our mundane lives. Either you enjoy the things as they are, or you will transform them for your later enjoyment.
What do you think or feel about this?
What are your fears and how do you cope with them?
