self-preservation and growth

fear is an instinct of self-preservation, and fear can stunt our personal growth. it's our natural inclination to protect ourselves from what we perceive as danger, it's what kept us alive for hundreds and thousands of years. but fear can hold us back from exploring and making discoveries, it hinders us from getting familiar with the uncomfortable. without moderation, it almost acts like an addiction. when we overindulge in our anxious thoughts we begin to see it as our reality, we become so wrapped up in it that we forget about the true nature of the real world. pain is inevitable, you can never truly exempt yourself from feeling it. 

although, i don't like to believe that pain is absolutely necessary in all aspects of life. pain doesn't have to exist in the presence of love, but it can in the absence of it. self-development involves cleaning out the skeletons in your closet, it involves vulnerability to pinpoint what your patterns are- it doesn't have to include tearing yourself apart or hating the person you once were. you don't have to ruin yourself in your pursuit of change.