The Fear That Arrives Without Warning
Sometimes I’m fine.
And then, all of a sudden—I’m not.
No sound. No threat. Just this… tightening.
Like something’s wrong, but I can’t name it.
I’ll be brushing my teeth. Or opening an email.
And my chest starts to feel heavy.
My stomach turns cold.
It’s not panic. But it’s close.
It’s fear that doesn’t need a reason.
And that’s the part that scares me most.
2. When Fear Feels Like Failing at Normal
There’s a kind of fear that doesn’t show on your face.
You still laugh.
You still get things done.
But your mind’s running backup alarms all day long.
You overthink every text.
You rehearse every conversation in your head.
You lie awake thinking about things no one else would even notice.
You’re not being dramatic.
You’re just tired of pretending calm when your heart won’t stop racing.
3. The Little Things That Terrify Me
It’s not heights.
Or blood.
Or scary movies.
It’s clicking “Join Meeting.”
It’s someone asking, “Can we talk?”
It’s opening a message and seeing “Typing…”
I know how small those things sound.
But that’s what fear is, sometimes.
It shrinks you in places no one can see.
4. Fear That Wears a Mask
I smile a lot when I’m scared.
I make jokes.
I stay busy.
It looks like I’m fine.
But I’m not.
I’ve learned how to blend in with calm people.
I’ve learned how to talk over the shaking.
But at night, when it’s quiet…
the fear catches up.
And I realize:
I haven’t felt truly safe in days.
5. If You Know This Kind of Fear…
Then you know it’s not about logic.
You know how exhausting it is to always be “on.”
You know what it’s like to fear things no one else even thinks about.
I don’t have advice.
I just have this:
You’re not weird.
You’re not weak.
And no—you’re not alone.
