The Book of Ichigo Ichie: The Art of Making the Most of Every Moment, the Japanese Way

by Héctor García

3. Fear. Just like anger, this emotion is closely connected to our survival instinct and serves to warn us of threats or potential harm. When human beings lived in the jungle, fear was essential for detecting imminent danger and preparing our body to fight or flee. As with anger, fear activates the secretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline, which cause our pulse and blood pressure to skyrocket, also making us hyperventilate. Other physical symptoms of fear include sweating, shaking, and muscle tension, which can sometimes make us feel paralyzed. Just like with anger, the problem is that our fear alarm often goes off when no predator or real threat is present. We are afraid of things that might happen but that are not an immediate threat. We’re afraid of losing our job, our partner, our friends’ attention or affection, our health. . . . When experienced on a sustained basis, this anticipatory fear, based on our predictions of what might happen, can lead to an anxiety disorder and even to panic attacks. Our fear is so great that we may even become paralyzed by fear of fear. Fear is an emotion that projects us into the future. When we live in fear, it’s impossible to enjoy what we do and what we have.