Fear isn’t just about physical danger. Emotional fear can look a lot like anger. But relationships do not thrive in anger or fear.
People who behave with fear, generate fear in others. People who behave with love, generate love in others.
Think about your relationships. Is there someone (…you?) who is behaving with fear? What are the effects of that behavior?
Healthy relationships are built on emotional safety, honesty and trust. Does your shame and fear cause you to punish those in your life for expressing emotional honesty? Will they continue to be honest with you if they fear your response? Emotional intimacy will suffer as they pull away from you and your shame-based and fear-based tactics.
Parents: If you are yelling and shaming your children, you are generating fear in them. If your children yell, are oppositional and harm others, if is clear proof they are learning in an environment of fear not love.
If you function in a fearful mode, ask yourself: What are you afraid of? Rejection and abandonment? Exposing vulnerability and weakness? Failure and self-doubt? Shame and guilt?
What would happen if you loved yourself instead of got angry at yourself? What if you completely accepted yourself and others, rather than reacted with shame, fear and anger?
IF you had a parent who when she had had a couple ofdrinks then emotionally abused you, spoilt you with material things but not emotional things doe this then leave you unable to cope with aguements in later life?I have a dread of arguements because i know that i will “givein” rather than fight about it. I am NOT a good arguer and i get run over pretty easily. I also am not interested in the sex side of life..and i tend to crticise myself frequently.. where do i get help with this? I am 75 and still have issues.. or at least that is what i hear from my partner..I have some health issues which are body limiting…
It is very likely that your fear of conflict arose early in life. Submissive behaviors may be adaptive in childhood, but maladaptive in adulthood. This might have kept you physically or emotionally safe then, but now may lead to be taken advantage of or even abused. Self-compassion skills (see my resources page) are the key to improving self-worth so that you learn to value yourself and stand up for yourself. Never too late to start!