Cherophobia - is this a thing?
Cherophobia - an irrational fear of joy; where people with traumatic histories expect disaster just around the corner.
As I was reading a book this weekend, this unknown word caught my attention. I became curious. Once I absorbed the definition, I decided that there has to be various levels of cherophobia. On the far right, some people may become so enveloped in their fears that they are unable to move forward, on the other end, others may become hyperactive, focused on stealing as much joy as possible out of each day for fear of wasting a moment before that next event.
So it’s clear that I do not have a fear of joy. I try to find joy in everything.. from a new bouquet of flowers to the silliness of one of Sydney’s bad jokes or a new recipe. My goal is to be happy, and seeking joy is a part of that quest. However, I do tend to lean to the side where I am hyper-focused on ensuring that my days are filled with joy. And it’s not that I think that disaster is just around the corner .. but that my recent journey has made me acutely aware that “disaster” (the definition’s word .. not mine) could be around the corner.
This realization in itself is not an issue. The issue is how you choose to live with this awareness. You could be dismal or you could choose other ways to manage. My faith (the level where I currently reside .. because there are absolutely levels of faith!) limits the fear and helps me to keep the worrying at bay .. sometimes, I’m not perfect!
Positive perspective - the ability to see the bright side in every circumstance .. now this is how I manage!
Here’s a few examples of how this plays out in real life for me.
I could be a mother who is constantly worrying about leaving her children motherless or I could be a mother who is acutely aware of how precious our time together is. Instead of worrying about tomorrow, I choose to focus on creating memories today.
I could worry that a year away from work may have made me slower than I was BC or I could look forward to using my “ journey inspired fearlessness” to take risks that I may not have been willing to take BC.
I could be anxious about a cancer reoccurrence or I could say “the hell with the statistics”! I am grateful for the gift of life that I was given and instead focus on today.
After my breast cancer diagnosis, my gifts of “positive perspective” and discernment were reinforced. I can clearly see where I should be spending my energy, though sometimes I still need a quick pep-talk to move myself along.
While no one is promised tomorrow, I have received a swift reminder that my time on Earth (like everyone else’s time) is limited. Every day, I cope with knowing that my future (like everyone else’s) is uncertain. And that’s ok. I choose to manage this worry with a positive perspective .
Join me!
♥️ T
“Everything can be taken from a person but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”
