Go outside - and fear not

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside ... Nature brings solace in all troubles." Anne Frank

Fear is one of the most basic and powerful human emotions — ancient, instinctive, and deeply tied to our survival.

At its core, fear is a biological response to a perceived threat. When your brain senses danger (real or imagined), it activates the amygdala, which then triggers a cascade of changes in your body: increased heart rate, rapid breathing, tensed muscles, and a flood of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.

This is known as the “fight, flight, or freeze” response — your body preparing to either confront danger, escape it, or go still in hopes of avoiding detection.

But fear isn’t just a physical reaction — it’s also deeply psychological, spiritual, and personal.

Types of Fear:

1. Rational Fear – Like fear of fire or falling off a cliff; it protects you.

2. Irrational Fear (Phobias) – Like fear of spiders, clowns, or sock puppets. These fears may not be dangerous but feel real.

3. Existential Fear – The fear of death, meaninglessness, or the unknown.

4. Social Fear – The fear of rejection, failure, embarrassment, or judgment.

   
   

What Does Fear Do to Us?

• Motivates Action – Fear can push you to study for a test, practice for a speech, or run from a bear.

• Paralyzes – But it can also trap you — in indecision, in silence, in the same job or relationship that isn’t working.

• Distorts Truth – Fear magnifies threats and minimizes faith. It makes problems look bigger and possibilities smaller.

• Reveals Values – You fear most what you most care about losing: a loved one, your reputation, your freedom, your life.

  
  

What Does the Bible Say About Fear?

The Bible frequently says “Do not be afraid” — not because fear isn’t real, but because God is. He doesn’t tell us to avoid fear; He tells us to bring it to Him.

“Perfect love casts out fear.” — 1 John 4:18

“Do not fear, for I am with you.” — Isaiah 41:10

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” — Psalm 23:4

When Is Fear a Gift?

Fear keeps you alive, keeps you humble, and keeps you alert. But it becomes a prison when it rules your decisions.

To live beyond fear doesn’t mean to never feel it — it means to trust something greater. Faith, love, calling, purpose — these can quiet fear. Not always instantly, but steadily.

Fear is the smoke alarm of the soul — sometimes annoying, sometimes lifesaving. And while you can’t silence it forever, you can learn when to listen… and when to press the reset button.

Nature has a quiet way of whispering to fear:

“You’re not in charge here.”

When fear grabs hold of our thoughts — racing, looping, shouting — nature invites a slower rhythm, a deeper breath, a broader perspective. It doesn’t reason with fear. It simply displaces it with something older, steadier, and more grounded.

Here’s how nature helps relax fear:

Slows the Nervous System

Being in nature, or even just looking at trees or water, activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the body’s “rest and digest” mode.

• Heart rate slows

• Muscles unclench

• Breathing deepens

  That physical shift tells your brain: You’re safe now.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” — Psalm 23:2-3

Restores a Sense of Scale

Fear often comes from feeling overwhelmed — like your problems are too big.

Step under a vast sky, beside a canyon, or at the edge of the ocean, and your fear doesn’t seem so towering anymore.

Not because it vanished — but because you’ve remembered you’re part of something infinitely larger.

Replaces Noise with Rhythm

Fear lives in chaos — in buzzing phones, blinking screens, and constant “what ifs.”

Nature offers rhythm:

• The tide comes in, the tide goes out.

• The sun rises, the sun sets.

• The wind blows through the trees in patterns older than memory.

That rhythm whispers: This has all happened before. You are not alone. This, too, shall pass.

Grounds You in the Present

Fear loves the future — catastrophizing what might happen.

But nature exists only in the now. The flower doesn’t worry if it’s blooming too early. The bird doesn’t regret last season.

Sitting with creation can gently pull you from anxious projection back to present peace.

Invites Awe

Awe is one of the few emotions that can stand toe-to-toe with fear and win.

A snowcapped mountain. A deer pausing in a meadow. A thunderstorm cracking open the sky.

When you feel awe, your sense of self expands, and your grip on fear loosens. You are no longer just “you with a problem.” You are “you, part of something sacred.”

Practical Ways to Let Nature Relax Your Fear:

• Sit barefoot on the ground — feel the earth hold you.

• Take a walk without your phone — no agenda but observing.

• Watch the clouds — let your thoughts drift with them.

• Listen to birdsong or running water — not as background noise, but as therapy.

• Look up at the stars — remember how small (and how deeply loved) you are.

  
  

Fear shrinks your world.

Nature reopens it.

And when you meet God in His creation, fear often bows to wonder.