Speaker Tackles the Barrier of Fear

What fears are holding you back?

Groton students were asked to ponder that question during a high-energy workshop with motivational speaker and self-described “fear researcher” Darryl Bellamy on February 21.

He asked students to write down their fears, then read a few out loud: fear of rejection, of disappointing self and family, of lacking resilience. Mr. Bellamy has read more than 50,000 fears that his audiences shared over the years, and he has come to realize, as he told Groton students: “You are never struggling with these things alone.”

Give yourself more credit, he urged. The goal is not to be fearless, he explained, but to have more fearless moments. Offering strategies, from breathing to self-reflection, he encouraged students to take charge and push through fear. “You’ve all made it through 100 percent of your bad days thus far,” he said. “If you were able to make it through those, you will make it through more.”

The presentation, sponsored by Groton Wellness and the Diversity & Inclusion Group, was part of wellness-focused programming that also has included several community gatherings, an all-school lecture by mental health educator Hakeem Rahim, and faculty meetings focusing on wellness and mental health.
Back