Semi-Together

Ep. 58: Dealing with What Scares You


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Buckle up: it’s Halloween season, and we’re talking about fear! Fear is a primitive emotion that evolved to protect us from real threats, but it can also hold us back from taking risks that would likely benefit us.

We discuss:

  • How fear affects our brains and bodies – keeping us safe from short-term threats but causing harm in an ongoing state
  • What scared us as kids and what scares us now – both the tangible and the existential
  • Why the content we consumed as kids in the ‘80s was legit terrifying
  • Strategies for dealing with intangible fears that aren’t actually life-threatening
  • How do you deal with things that scare you? What advice about fear would you like to share?

    * Content warning: In this episode, we talk about our fears as kids and adults, including scary media at about a PG-13 level. We also touch on some deeper existential fears. If these things may be triggering for you, feel free to skip this episode or parts of it. Toward the end, we talk about how to deal with fear, which we all need to do in some way, and we hope those takeaways are helpful. 


    Find us on the web for show notes and extras: https://www.semitogether.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/semitogether

    Facebook: https://facebook.com/semitogether

    Subscribe to our e-newsletter for episode roundups, tips to steal + extras: https://www.subscribepage.com/semitogether

    Become a patron of the podcast and access bonuses and extras: https://www.patreon.com/semitogether

    Book a free Discovery Call with Melia, who is coaching self-critics and perfectionists, including adults with ADHD: www.risingspiralcoaching.com 

    Referenced in this episode:

    • Your Fear is Boring (Elizabeth Gilbert)
    • “Face Your Fears” music video (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend)
    • Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky
    • Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
    • Untamed by Glennon Doyle
    • Find research and writing about fear linked from the episode page on our website.

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      Semi-TogetherBy Gillian Burgess & Melia Dicker

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