Trick or treat, Readers?
I vote treat.
I vote treat.
It's always a treat when you visit the Lamp Post.
Since it is Halloween, I thought I'd revisit the topic of fear this weekend.
If you know Eloise personally,
you'd know that I was a 'fraidy cat for much of my life.
As a child I was scared of everything
and many of my fears worsened as I moved into adulthood.
I've learned that fears are very limiting.
They hold YOU back while you try so hard to hold THEM back.
It's a very exhausting way to live.
I now believe that is one reason I so heavily relied on caffeine
through my heavy coffee drinking.
Worry and anxiety over fears,
either big or small, takes energy.
I exhausted myself from worry and routinely needed a couple pots of coffee
to get me through each day.
Fear fuels adrenaline.
Fight or flight?
Which path do you usually take when you've had a scare?
Eloise was definitely a flee-er.
Now that I've learned to face my fears,
my life is better.
My focus is clearer.
Gosh, do I love Eleanor Roosevelt.
I took some time this week to read up on fear.
It seems like everyone is afraid of something.
Click on the link below to see the 33 Most Common Fears.
(The 33 caught my attention).
Even better, check this one out!
This one is fun.
I placed a feedback post on facebook this week,
curious to know what my friends fear.
Some of their fears fall into the Common category,
and others, Irrational.
Let's have a look:
Rodents are list toppers.
STACEY: Mice!
KRIS: Mice! Eeeewwww
Mice (or rats) are #20 on the IRRATIONAL FEAR list, Friends, so you are not alone.
20. The possibility of a friend from the sewer ending up in your toilet.
Spiders and snakes are none too popular.
LESLIE: Hmmm, spiders I guess, but only when they are inside. I don't mind them in the wild.
How about this one, Leslie?
AUNT JOBY: Spiders, snakes and Niagara Falls.
SANDIE: Snakes. Even little garden snakes scare the heck out of me.
BETH: Snakes,
BECKY: Oh and large spiders!!!
MELISSA: Things that slither
JEN: Everyone knows my fear. (SNAKES)
BRENDA: Spiders
BRI: Snakes....I can't even see them on TV or talk about them without feeling squirmish.
Spiders are #14 on the IRRATIONAL FEAR LIST
14. Finding a spider in your shoe.
and #9 on the COMMON FEARS.
Heights are a biggie (pun intended).
RENEE: Heights!
JENN: Heights. I cannot go past the 3rd rung on a ladder!!!
Here is one that kind of fits with my niece Rose's fears:
ROSE: highrise apartments, sharks, Somalia, deep waters
10. Swimming in dark water.
Here is another one for you, Rose!
S
Birds and other winged things seem to pose a problem for people.
ANNE: Bats!
SHERYL: Uncaged birds
Oddly, fire--either house fires or things needing to be lit on fire, did not make either list.
Still, I had a few friends who have added smoke detectors and fire extinguishers to their Christmas Wish Lists.
Still, I had a few friends who have added smoke detectors and fire extinguishers to their Christmas Wish Lists.
KAREN S: The house catching on fire.
BRENDA: fear of a house fire.
SHELLY: A house fire
LISA: Oh....and lighting anything that uses gas or propane!
Grandma doesn't like storms.
(Maybe I should write a book about that....)
HELEN: Storms!
Note to Grandma: If you wear your Halloween costume and stand in the front yard and do a rain dance during the next thunderstorm, the Universe will deem you as brave and your fear will go away.
I can only hope there is an event at 6 Mile Cellars when it happens.
A few interesting responses from my male Readers:
TOM: Women
DAN: Herpes
Some fears are hard to categorize:
AUNT JOBY: Oh, I forgot to mention that since I was a child I've been afraid of contracting leprosy.
SUSAN: Sometimes this freaky thing happens inside my head when I'm lying in bed. I get scared some freaky devil spirit is going to reach up from under my bed and grab my arm or leg.
CASEY: throw up and toads...not sure which is worse
Some fears, a little more real:
- SUSAN: ISIS had me a little edgy these days as well. Yeah, people that think nothing of beheading children, stoning women so on so forth
- HEATHER: Pitbulls...or any scary dog(s) chasing me on a run. Just the jangle of tags will send me into full panic mode. And cancer. Cancer scares the hell out of me.
Some people just out and out lie.
- You are not alone.
- BECKY and KRISTEN aren't Bozo fans either.
I'm glad the three of you didn't do our Spooky Fun Run last weekend.
There was a clown loose in the park!
He was looking for you, so I gave him your address.
We outran him and a few ghosts, too.
The fun of the costumes and the camaraderie balanced out any fears we may have been secretly harboring.
One couple came as me and Louie!
I'm brave now.
Brave enough to patrol the perimeter for zombies to keep my friends safe.
Thank you again for the photo Karen B and Heather.
I said I'm brave, but in truth,
I'm actually bravER.
Still some things get to me if I let them.
Dogs that chase runners--I'm with you Heather!
the Amish
JENN: did you ever read Crimson Stain about Ed Gingrich? If not I have it - you can borrow it- it does bring a sense of fear to me now that you say this!
Read it, Jenn.
Certainly didn't do anything to help my fear.
Still, I can keep dogs and Amish in perspective.
And then, I happened to watch this episode of The Black List this week.
Creepy weird guy that howls and hunts humans......
Good Lord, that gave me the willies!
I know, I know.
Practice what you preach, Eloise!
What are you afraid of---
buying a used car and unexpected repairs?
There is always a tow truck to call.
How about all of your appliances, cupboards, and drawers breaking all in the same week?
They can be fixed or replaced.
How about the winter?
Do you fear another one like we had last year?
Come out and face it head on.
Layer up.
With friends by your side, it's not so bad at all.
Fear that eating healthy tastes bad?
If you can get past the texture,
the taste of healthy is actually pretty great.
Let my final words be these tonight.
Read them now.
Repeat them often.
This is my Halloween hope for all of you.
Enjoy the photos from the week set to the perfect song for tonight--Thriller by Michael Jackson.
Until next time,
ELOISE
