I turned 34 last week. My mom called me to say happy birthday, and then immediately followed up with the classic “So when are you going to start a family?” Normally, I would have rolled my eyes and avoided the subject.
But this time I answered honestly, “I don’t know mom, I’m scared to bring a child into the world right now.” It was 3 days after the Uvalde school shooting, and the horrors and grief of that event were top of mind for me. I shared my fears with my mom and confided in her.
My mom listened, and then shared a Chinese proverb: 一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳, which literally translates to, once bitten by a snake, ten years in fear of a well rope. It is an enlarged version of the American idiom — once bitten, twice shy.
We’re living in “unprecedented” times, full of chaos, violence, uncertainty and fear. During these moments, it’s easy to default to being avoidant, and brush our fears under the rug.
The problem is when we avoid our fears, our fears multiply. They last twice, or ten times, as long and make us more shy, and more insecure. On the flipside, when we name our fears and directly address our challenges with a person we trust, we’re able to reconnect with ourself and our power and no longer be haunted by fear.
This month I invite you to name your fears and share your most pressing personal or professional challenge with a group during three upcoming Clarity Councils, including two special themed Clarity Councils.
Belonging - Clarity Council with Misa Fujimura-Fanselow
Join us to discuss the many questions and challenges that everyone is facing related to belonging - in a family, friendship, partnership, a community, workplace, or even living in a new city.
Parenthood - Clarity Council with Daily Lambert
Join us to discuss the many questions and challenges that everyone is facing related to being a parent - new or expecting parents, balancing the identities of a parent and professional, challenges raising children, and more.
Clarity Council with Joséphine Kant
Join us for one of The Grand’s signature coaching experiences. Feel free to bring any topic that is on your mind.
All events are free and open to the community. I hope you can join us.
As the illustrious Marie Curie once said, “Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
💌
Rei
Sign me up 🙏