Hi Friend,
My best friend Naomi recently told me about a Dr. Seuss book called What Was I So Afraid Of?
The story follows a little creature/person as he tries to run away from a strangely terrifying empty pair of green trousers.
Yes, you read that correctly … our hero is being chased by a creepy pair of pants.
After being hounded and stalked and chased by the pants, he finally gets tired of being on the run.
He says to himself:
“I do not fear those pants
With nobody inside them.”
I said and said and said those words.
I said them, but I lied them.
I won’t spoil it for you, but the little creature/person fakes his courage until he makes the courage real, confronting the pants in a showdown that would make Brene Brown proud.
I tell you this story because the most pressing business of our lives—the business of pursuing our dreams, challenging unjust systems, being willing to change and adapt to new circumstances—these things require confronting fear.
And in order to confront fear, we need a strategy.
Our hero’s strategy was to fake it until he made it by using a mantra: I do not fear those pants.
And he repeated that mantra, even though he “lied” it.
He confronted his fear, and found (as we so often do) that there was nothing to be afraid of.
In fact, he found the world to be kinder and friendlier than his fear would have him believe.
Your thought experiment this week is to ask yourself:
What fear confrontation am I avoiding?
Then, choose a mantra that helps you face the fear, and wear it like armor.
Repeat it, even if you “lie” it.
And see how the world opens up to you.
Happy Halloween, and shine on,
B
