A Letter to my Fellow Fear Experimenters

Before we go onstage tonight, I would like to tell you all this:

You are inspiringly courageous.

You are softly strong.

You are gorgeously empathetic.

You are imperfectly beautiful.

You are simply lovely.

And you are going to rock it tonight. This is how I know:

Being a gigantic nerd, not only did I join Fear Experiment to learn about fear first hand, I also bought three books on Amazon and researched the shit about fear, why we feel it, and how we deal with it. I know I’m that girl.

The thing that kept coming up over and over again was how essential fear is to life. If you are alive, you feel fear. One of my favorite books—literally called The Dance of Fear—says this:

“If you are never fearful, you may also have trouble feeling compassion, deep curiosity, or joy. Fear may not be fun, but it signals that we are fully alive.”

This is how I know you are going to rock it. Because you choose to take this journey, you did something scary to feel alive, you showed up. And that is effin’ awesome.

The entire first month I lived abroad in Argentina, I cried. I was lonely, confused, and afraid I had made the wrong choice. My mom sent me this quote/prayer:

“May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.”

This quote has turned up randomly in my life when I most needed it. Once on the mirror at a yoga studio. Once in a book about love. Once at a church service. This week I have been reminding myself of this quote every morning and the one line that sticks out most for me is “May you not forget the INFINITE possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.”

If there is an opposite of fear, it may not be bravery or even courage—it may be faith. Faith that our fellow Fear Experimenters will catch us, that they will say “yes and.” Faith that the audience will accept our mistakes and awkward pauses along with our sweet moves and funny one-liners. Faith that whatever that stage brings us, we will make it shine.

Go own it, beautiful people! I have mountains of faith in you all!

Niki