We’re really enjoying hosting these conversations and hope that you are getting as much out of them as we are! In particular, our coaching calls are proving to be bringing as many lighbulb moments to Lainie and I as hosts, as to our participants!
This weeks focus is FEAR. Not only is fear a big focus in the life of a worldschooler as we tackle questions of safety, alternative education, finding community away from home and earning money, it’s a strong theme in this strange new world in which we find ourselves as we encounter possible sickness, travel (or not – and that can induce fear in itself!) and even death.
Fear can paralyse us from taking action. It can hold us back and make it seem like moving forward in any way is impossible. It can also protect us from making huge mistakes, from getting hurt and from making ill considered decisions. But how can we tell whether, in the moment, the fear that hits us in the guts, often with the face of a well disguised emotional trigger, is of the good kind that keeps us safe, or the kind that stops us in our tracks.
As a parent, our own fears impact on our children’s lives and our relationship with them. Fear can drive us to try and protect them by stopping them from engaging in their passions or even to push them towards endeavours in which they have no interest. Fear may trick us into thinking we must punish our children for perceived misdemeanours even when it doesn’t feel right.
One thing is certain, whichever type of fear presents itself in those moments of perceived danger, it will push us out of our comfort zone; challenge us to think about the world differently and if we let it, it can liberate us.
Here are a few handpicked pieces of content on the We Are Worldschoolers website that address how to recognise fear and what to do about it.
We always like to share with you, a piece of content that is freely available to all – that way you can share it with your friends if you feel like they’d find some value here.
This first piece is a personal account of how I came to see fear as a tool to recognise that some of the stories I told myself were untrue and how to challenge them to find my own way.
https://weareworldschoolers.org/fear-and-how-to-use-it/
Jean Elizabeth Glass breaks down some of the common fears travellers experience and some strategies for breathing through them so as not to be held back.
https://weareworldschoolers.org/a-few-fears-and-facts/
Join Lainie Liberti as she talks about how worldschooling and travelling put her directly in the path of FEAR and how she chose to, instead of pushing that feeling away, lean right in to explore, question and finally, come out the other side having used fear as the wonderful tool to self discovery and liberation it can truly be.
https://weareworldschoolers.org/my-journey-into-fear-10-things-you-need-to-know-overcome-it/
Fear often points us towards trying things that seem, at first glance, to not make sense. On questioning our ingrained beliefs, we sometimes find that things that once seemed out of the question, fit us like a glove – and then there’s no going back. That’s much like cooking – like bacon and maple syrup or vegemite and cheese (too much?!). I dare you to try this recipe before summer is over! You just overcome your fear of preserving!
https://weareworldschoolers.org/pickled-watermelon-worldschool-style/
One of the greatest fears to impact worldschoolers is the concern over stepping out of the 9-5 and into something that seems almost impossible! This conversation with Adriana Monique Alvarez highlights where fear can hold us back but also how it can, when we challenge our ingrained beliefs, we can use it to drive us forward. If you’ve ever felt the pull towards entrepreneurship but have been too scared to jump in, this interview is for you!
https://weareworldschoolers.org/developing-a-successful-business-mindset/
Lainie and I will be hosting our Friday Coaching Call on FEAR this Friday and we’ll be not only sharing with you our own practices but will be creating a space for participants to workshop their own fears. We hope you can join us – I think it will be a good one!!
Happy Worldschooling
Sarah + the WAW Team