I went for a walk around Hoboken with Doug and Katie yesterday to get some “fresh air” and sunshine. Although the humidity made it steamy, it was a fun walk with lots of vibrant conversation about everything. We were almost home when one of us said, “You have nothing to fear,” about something we were talking about, and I am guessing all of us completed that thought in our own heads with, “but fear itself.” I know I did.
I would have guessed this quote came from Winston Churchill, but it actually came from FDR in his 1933 inaugural speech. It was Katie who articulated what I was actually thinking when she said, “We hear these famous quotes all the time, and rarely give them a second thought. But when you do, WOW, they really are powerful and true.” So today we are going to look at this one. What if we had nothing to fear but fear itself?
What are you currently fearing? Pick one, I know you (and I) have more than just one. Look at this fear and ask yourself two questions. First, how do we react when we believe this thought? Second, who would we be without this thought? Fear doesn’t make the situation any better—if often paralyzes the thinker, causing them to perseverate in the circular thought of, “What if…?” Fear doest help, that’s why FDR said, “You have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Without fear, you’re free to live in the present moment and to take action. So see if you can let go of fear today for just one thing! Let one fear leave you—heck, it’s not helping anyway!
Let’s GO! WE GOT THIS!
Beth Fitzgerald
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