We All Have Fear, but We Also Have Hope and Courage

Life can be scary. It’s not hard to think of the many things to worry about. Fear can be paralyzing. It can get in the way of anything you do.It can be that nagging feeling that tells you that you’re going to fail. It prevents you from starting. It holds you back from trying. Fear is something that threatens all of us. 

Right now, with the pandemic, there is a lot to worry about. Even though I’m vaccinated, I have kids who aren’t old enough to be vaccinated yet. I know too many people who have died from Covid-19. I know a lot of people who have lost their jobs and have had to dramatically change their life situation. Even through all the turmoil, I’ve been trying to keep it together. It’s been tough. This past year and a half has been a rollercoaster socially, economically, politically, and personally. I don’t think I’ve personally struggled more in my entire life. 

Even in the face of fear, we have hope. We have it at various levels at various times. Even if you feel hopeless, you always have the capacity to have hope. The idea that no matter how bad things are (or how bad things could be), it can always get better, is a powerful one.

Whenever I feel like I can’t do anything, there is a little nagging voice inside of me that is telling me to have hope. It may be cliché, but it’s true for me. It doesn’t mean that I instantly become hopeful and the whole world is bright with sunshine, but when that inner voice says to have hope, it combats that negative spiral that’s swirling inside me. It may take time to take effect, but slowly and surely, I begin to become hopeful. 

Besides hope, we also have courage. This pushes us to overcome fear and all the obstacles it comes with. Courage is how we push through the everyday challenges that might thwart other people. We are all capable of harnessing and encompassing the power of courage.

For me, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with everything I have to deal with in life. All the responsibilities take a physical, mental, and emotional toll on me. I’m constantly tempted to give up or just live life on autopilot, but I can’t. I can’t allow myself to do that. For the sake of my family, my friends, and my community, every day I hold on to courage and hope. 

Roderick Conwi writes about personal and professional development at Nourishment Notes. He is also the author of The Procrastinator's Quick Guide To Getting It Done. To get powerful insights to enhance your day, join his FREE newsletter.