Bored and Fear-Two of My Least Favorite Words

I don’t like being bored and I don’t like to be scared, therefore, I avoid both of these states of being like the plague! And yet, conversations about both boredom and fear interest me immeasurably!

Okay, nothing about living a life of recovery should ever bore me, in my opinion. Recovery has been a total transformation and an embracing of gratitude, so where inside of that would I find boredom? I don't recall in the last eight years ever even uttering the words, "I'm bored." Maybe part of this is how I was raised? I do remember hearing at a much younger age, "If you're bored, you're boring." So, therefore, I detest the state of boredom.

Fear. Ewe. Even the mere thought of that word gets me a little worked up emotionally because I know that I can easily create it at any time in my mind. For my addict mind, fear is like a deceptive drug of poison that enables all sorts of nonsense! Sometimes I even go into a whole inventory of what I'm currently fearing just by hearing the word!

I've educated myself about this word since I was in acting school. My mentors, coaches, professors, friends all around me would say, "Be fearless in your work and life!" Since then, two of my favorite books-The Bible and the big book Alcoholic's Anonymous have continued to educate me on why I am to choose courage and faith over fear. Below are some excerpts of fear that I LOVE!

... "Fear."   12&12 Step Twelve, p.123  

So false pride became the reverse side of that ruinous coin marked "Fear."

... fear.   BB How It Works, p.68  

At once, we commence to outgrow fear.

... fear.   BB Into Action, p.84    

Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear.

... fear.   BB To Wives, p.104    

We have had long rendezvous with hurt pride, frustration, self-pity, misunderstanding and fear.

... fear.   BB To Employers, p.145    

The greatest enemies of us alcoholics are resentment, jealousy, envy, frustration, and fear.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

... fear and direct our attention to what ...   BB How It Works, p.68    

We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be.

Deuteronomy 31:6

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

... fear and tension -- that makes for more ...   BB Into Action, p.73    

He is under constant fear and tension -- that makes for more drinking.

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.. fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions.   BB Into Action, p.88    

We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions.

Fear gripped him.   BB A Vision For You, p.154    

Fear gripped him.

1 Chronicles 28:20

David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.

... fear of creditors no matter how far ...   BB Into Action, p.78    

We must lose our fear of creditors no matter how far we have to go, for we are liable to drink if we are afraid to face them.

... fear of making a scene should I ...   BB Doctor Bob's Nightmare, p.173    

Many mornings I have gone to classes, and even though fully prepared, would turn and walk back to the fraternity house because of my jitters, not daring to enter the classroom for fear of making a scene should I be called on for recitation.

... fear of not sleeping, and the other ...   BB Doctor Bob's Nightmare, p.175    

One was the fear of not sleeping, and the other was the fear of running out of liquor.

Fear of people and of economic insecurity ...   BB Into Action, p.84    

Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.

... fear of the next debauch; the mother ...   BB To Wives, p.104    

But for every man who drinks others are involved -- the wife who trembles in fear of the next debauch; the mother and father who see their son wasting away.

... fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter.   BB How It Works, p.63    

As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter.

... fear ought to be classed with stealing.   BB How It Works, p.68    

Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing.

... fear problem, or any other.   BB How It Works, p.68    

Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other.

... fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step ...   BB How It Works, p.62    

Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate.

... fear; they only thought they had humbled ...   BB Into Action, p.73    

They only thought they had lost their egoism and fear; they only thought they had humbled themselves.

... fear, we were unhappy, we couldn't seem ...   BB We Agnostics, p.52    

We were having trouble with personal relationships, we couldn't control our emotional natures, we were a prey to misery and depression, we couldn't make a living, we had a feeling of uselessness, we were full of fear, we were unhappy, we couldn't seem to be of real help to other people -- was not a basic solution of these bedevilments more important than whether we should see newsreels of lunar flight?

... fear, worry and hurt feelings is a ...   BB To Wives, p.116    

When we do that, we find it solves our problems too; the ensuing lack of fear, worry and hurt feelings is a wonderful thing.

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.