FEAR THESAURUS

REGRET



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HELPFUL TIP:

A deeply embedded fear often stems from trauma, so it can be helpful to explore emotional wounds that may be a factor. Your character might also become risk-averse, which can create problems in their relationships and limit their fulfillment. And for a character to achieve their story goal, they must overcome any fear-based thinking that's holding them back. The Character Builder is a great resource for pulling all these factors together.
NOTES:
A character who fears regret typically has experienced this deeply unsettling emotion and doesn't want to feel it again. This means they likely have felt regret over some past decision, words, action, or inaction. As a result, they will strive to always do the right thing and make the choices that will keep regret at bay as they move forward.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:
Being highly neurotic
Risk-aversion
Indecisiveness
Needing a lot of time to consider options before making a decision
Using flowcharts, lists, and other tools to help in decision-making
Over-researching
Seeking the advice of others to counter the character's doubts and assuage their fears about an important decision
Only moving forward when the character is absolutely certain it's the right thing to do
Reversing decisions that have been made—even the thoroughly thought-out ones
Worrying over even the most trivial of decisions: Should I dress up or down? or Should I run errands today or tomorrow?
Self-correcting to avoid regretful situations from the past (always locking the door to the house, being more cautious before beginning new relationships, etc.)
Over-correcting for past regrets (obsessively checking the door locks, avoiding people the character doesn't already know, etc.)
Sticking with the status quo, even in a bad situation
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COMMON INTERNAL STRUGGLES:
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FLAWS THAT MAY EMERGE:
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HINDRANCES AND DISRUPTIONS TO THE CHARACTER'S LIFE:
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EMOTIONAL WOUNDS IT COULD STEM FROM:
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SCENARIOS THAT MIGHT AWAKEN THIS FEAR :
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HUMAN NEEDS THAT COULD BE IMPACTED:
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GOALS MADE DIFFICULT BY THIS FEAR:
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CONFLICT SCENARIOS THAT OFFER GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES:
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