Learn about your fear from rabbits
Ears Up Feet Out by fauxto_digit
I love this photo, but I totally wanted to use this image. It’s copyrighted. 
Rabbits know everything there is to know about fear
Rabbits are prey animals, they are afraid of everything, including thin air. No really, we have two and they regularly spook out just for the practice of running madly around the room and slamming into furniture, I swear. Yet they can learn not to be afraid, through a gentle process.
You can’t force a rabbit to be calm or enjoy being picked up by repeating it over and over again – all that does is cause the rabbit to bite you if you come near it. If you want the rabbit to enjoy your presence, to interact with you and to be your friend then you need to use the softly, softly approach. [Namely lie perfectly still on the floor for an hour or two until they think you are dead or a possible food source. Repeat several times. They now have assumed that you are too stupid to be harmful. They can and will change their minds at the slightest provocation though.]
A rabbit in the wild is equally frightened of everything and anything in existence. Yet they still go out and forage and run about and hop, skip and jump around all over the place. If a rabbit can be afraid and still act, they must be wise little hoppity creatures indeed.
So what can we learn about fear from the rabbits?
- Something you fear is best approached slowly, if at all.
- Fear is a useful tool that helps us survive.
- If we let fear stop us from acting, we will die.
Embrace your inner bunny and get out there, even though you’re absolutely freakin’ terrified.
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EDIT: I totally forgot to say that this post is dedicated to my new friend Emma (of Cheekyboots , Tao of Prosperity and Joy Ninja) who’s wonderful posts and emails have inspired me on several thoughts – this one included.
Sorry for not putting this in sooner, Emma. After I totally said I would as well – oh, the shame!
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