My biggest fear is that I won’t be accepted. I have a deep-rooted need for approval that can actually be quite destructive. It has been with me for as long as I can remember. The recurring nightmare I had as a child was of me trying to do something and failing, watched by those I cared about, who made their disappointment evident. They did this not by telling me and shouting and making a scene, but by the tone of their words, by the look in the eyes, and by the way their body language told me they had given up as they walked away and left me on my own. I pleaded with them to try again of course, but they would turn, shrug their shoulders, cast their eyes downwards and then walk away together, leaving me behind.
I have moved on from that dream, although adulthood has just made it a more sophisticated plot, with the same theme. I am on the outside, not quite fitting in and doing things which cause others to laugh and reject me. It is strange in that this does not really play a part in my waking life, but I think that has a lot to with the fact that I have learnt to guard against it. Chameleon-like, I will try to make sure that I blend well into my surroundings. I am fairly successful at this and so I avoid exposure, but in the same way, I am often not seen at all. That throws me back to childhood once again, when after two years of being in the class, the teacher asked me if I was new!
I am not sure where the original fear came from, but it has plagued my life in ways, holding me back and preventing me from letting go. In others, it has kept me safe, making sure that I was always holding the keys as it were. In some senses I have not let people get too close and have always kept my independence. I have been prepared for the rejection that could come, and anticipating it, have moved away from the threat at times. I have taken calculated risks, and have learnt to judge people well. I have developed a good understanding of my own behaviour, as well as watching closely the behaviour of others.
Those who read my blog will see my struggle written on the pages here, and my attempts over the last while to understand and address it. This has been the place where I feel most like my true self, but my expression here sits poorly with the person I am in other areas. This has caused conflict for me, as well as frustration and upset and more fear. If I allow my thoughts to run, I can feel the effects of my exposure so keenly that I become sick to my stomach with worry. All over something which has not happened. As a result I try to retrain my brain and derail those thoughts, I take measures to protect myself and throw myself again into being the person I would like to be.
Finding myself here, is no coincidence. It has come from the unconditional acceptance of one person and is a direct result of the relationship that I am in with him. He was the first person to really start to see the real me. He saw the mother, the teacher, the wife, the daughter, the friend, and the lover, but something about his perseverance with them, something about the way he saw deeper than that, allowed me to begin to let my guard down and reveal what might lie beneath. Of course, this led to the uncovering of the submissive and that has been a large part of revealing who I really am.
Not because who I really am is a submissive; that is just a noun that I attribute to my lifestyle choice, but because being submissive to him has allowed me to feel the acceptance that I needed to express myself, in a way that works. It has allowed me to be pushed past some of my fear, because I am safe to explore with him. I can share my failings and my vulnerabilities and can break down some of the defences I have thrown up to keep myself safe. I am able to tap into a calm confidence that he has helped me to find, and to harness and focus the fight and the passion that is there within me.
So entering into this relationship with HL has given me the freedom to be a person who may be judged, but is not afraid of that. It has let me put into perspective the thoughts and opinions of others and to break some of what held me so strongly to the approval of others. It has been enlightening and thrilling to become known on such an intimate level and it has allowed me to take risks with others, without feeling so keenly that fear about what they might think.
But my progress to date is still minimal. The behaviours and beliefs that have formed a highway to channel the thoughts through my brain, is still the route that is easiest and most familiar. It is still a route that I will return to when under pressure or when I perceive a threat. The path we are walking now requires conscious effort because it is new and has not yet become my default. I know how this works and I know that if I keep on trying and forcing my thinking down another road, it will become a thought process which becomes more easily taken, but for now in everyday life, I still hold back a lot.
Fear of exposure is interesting when I look at it within this context. There are some very real threats which would have a potentially devastating impact for me with regards to material things such as livelihood etc. It is easy, therefore, to focus on this and allow myself to hide from the fact that it is not just about that. Although it is a part which must be considered, take that away, and I would still fear the judgement and rejection of others. I don’t like that. I don’t want to be that person and I struggle to admit that I would allow others to have that control over me.
In the event, I would likely fight. I would likely deal with it. I would likely adapt and move, on but despite that, it is something that crushes me and pushes me back. It allows me to be weak in the way that fear does. It is my soft spot and I am drawn to others who have the confidence within themselves to be who they are. I continue to dip my toe in the water, sometimes more than a toe, knowing that I am unlikely to be washed out of my depth. And being part in, and part out, means that I feel a little dishonest. Not really here, but there.
I shape what I show and I shape what I tell for an audience in a way which makes me think less of myself. I feel ashamed that I hide who I am because even though it is what I need to do, I think that I would do it anyway. I don’t think I would front up to the their judgement, their disappointment, their reaction at the fact that I had deceived them all this time. It makes me uncomfortable to think of that so I choose not to, and that allows the fear to keep a hold on me. It gives it space to sit and breathe and lie in wait, choosing its moment to stretch out and remind me that it is there.
In writing this I also know that I take a risk. It may change what people think right here. I have exposed my weakness and allowed them to see that I am not what I want to be. They may think me less real, less authentic and they may see me as I do myself, as being worth less than them. I aspire to be different. To make inroads to conquer my fear and say, what the hell, like others do. I want to say, here I am. Take me or leave me, but somehow I seem to taper that with, I hope you like me and if not I can try to change. In finding a safe place in a safe relationship, I have been able to make a start, even if very small. I hope to continue this and I guess being able to write this is progress, even if it is just a very small step.
Prompt #352: Fears :What is your biggest fear? This could be spiders or heights or it might be something completely different like getting sick or never doing something you have always wanted to do. What is it that you are so scared of that you maybe you even find it hard to talk about.
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It’s us against the world missy. I told you that a long time ago, although at times I have underestimated its strength and influence. We are still here though!
❤️
A fear of being accepted… yes… a familiar fear, but one that is not as strong anymore as it was in the past. I have no idea why this is, but think this community has a lot to do with it, because here I do feel accepted and loved.
Rebel xox
I know what you mean. I think I wrestle a lot with the two sides but it is great to hear that you feel easier about things now ?
I have a deep rooted fear of not being accepted that I bury and because as I have got older I want to be individual more than I care about being accepted – it is OK – but I do understand what you are saying.
My man says exactly what HL has put in his comment above x
It is interesting that you feel like that. I wouldn’t have guessed from the way you come across but it does make sense. Thank you ?
I can so relate to this. In fact, as I read it, I saw many similarities between it and my own response to this prompt, which I will finish and publish today. It is especially hard, I think, when you live with two faces, a public and a private. I can’t be an undivided version of myself out there, only here, so that is what I work on. Thanks for sharing your fears. It’s hard to do.
Thanks Brigit. That makes a lot of sense and I will check out your post for sure ?
Wow Missy. Thanks for being so transparent. I know many of those feelings. I too was in a class (church class to boot!) for six months and then one day the teacher met me in a different room…and introduced himself to me! Unseen for so long!
Anyway, I’m glad to hear that HL, your relationship with him, and submission to him have all helped lead the way to some freedom. Unfortunately as I learned personally, we can’t “think or talk ourselves” into inner healing. The freedom we all want to be ourselves only comes from affirmation outside of the world around us.
What I’ve learned? The people who seem so good with themselves that we want to be like…well they have their own fears and insecurities too!
I too would “lose it all” if our D/s were to become known. And yes, that creates both fear…and some degree of fake persona to certain people. So, for what it’s worth, Queen and I think you are awesome. We look forward to the day we can all meet and be our real, and very accepted, selves together!
Awww what a lovely thing to say. I really look forward to meeting both of you too. I think we will have a lot to talk about! ?
Thakn you for your vulnerabiity in this post. Even those of us who seem totally outgoing and able to connect sometimes struggle with this same thing. Thank you for sharing your battle and good vibes and loving throughts to help you overcome and deal!
Thank you. I know that we can all feel like this at times. I feel we are the lucky ones really in that we are closer to being able to be our true selves. Even if only part time ?
I think we all have feelings of not being accepted at various times . . . and in various circumstances in our lives. But I have found as time goes by, I worry less and less about these things. Much less than I used to.
And I don’t think anyone would feel you were less real, or less authentic, for expressing your concerns in such an open and well written post. In fact, I’m sure people would feel you much more real.
And I always feel that I wouldn’t want to change the way I want to be, just to fit in, or feel more accepted by other people. What YOU want, and being who YOU feel, should always be the most important thing!!!
Xxx – K
I agree with you but can lack the courage sometimes. I find being here and seeing people who are more settled is quite an inspiring thing though. It gives me hope for sure. Thank you ?
You write this so well. I’ve also had those “have you been before” and “which school did you move from” questions when I was not new. I too try very hard to fade into the back ground and yet feel equally afraid of being so insignificant that I disappear.
Thank you for sharing
Yes it is strange that so many people can have those worries hidden underneath. Thank you ❤️
Well written and bravely confronted Missy. And yes the fear of what others might think of us if they only knew, is a surprisingly common one, as is the sense of living two lives. The worst insult I can hurl at myself is that of cowardice, but I’m still working through so much of that and the fear that accompanies it, despite the bold front I share with others. I hope that one day CM may be shown my deepest fears and accept them, that he may support me as you are supported, but that day is still a long way off and may never happen. Thank you for showing me that it is possible.
Indie xx
Thank you Indie. I hope that you get the opportunity to share too. It is freeing to some degree ?
Thanks Missy xx