You know who isn’t feeling fear?
<—- These guys. ^^^^^
Unfortunately no cats or seals could be reached for a Fear.less interview, but we did manage to snag a few humans who know how to exuberate. Benjamin Zander’s TED talk, linked to in a past blog post, is peppered with comedy. There’s a part of Guy Kawasaki’s Fear.less story that entertains in a sublime way I won’t spoil here. Two of the big banners on the front page of the site feature Mawi Asgedom and Immaculée Ilibagiza, who both A) have survived genocides and B) smile sometimes. Personally I was deeply moved when after intimating myself with Mawi’s tragic, powerful story, I took another look at that humongous, genuine smile.
If you’ve ever gotten blood drawn or learned a martial art, you are well aware of the virtues of relaxation. If you are crippled by fear and ardently interested in reading our book, you are well aware of the drawbacks of being strung-out. “If only there was some magical way to lighten my mood so I could enter a profound state of relaxation!” you lament.
Wait… did you say… magic?
I will personally vouch that that video can cure at least three hours of feeling crushed by fear. I found it in an article on Cracked titled 5 Glorious Failures in TV Talent Show Auditions.
Cracked is the resource I’d like to share with you today because humor can be so helpful in putting us in a state of mind that is prepared to combat fear. Their articles are irreverent, engaging and even educational. Here are some relevant starting points:
- 7 People Who Cheated Death (Then Kicked It in the Balls), a.k.a. Baby Fear.less
- The 6 Most Insane Moral Panics in American History, which follows the common Fear.less theme of realizing that fear can be ridiculous
- 5 Things You Think Will Make You Happy (But Won’t), which could change your perspective on your life’s insecurities
- Underdogs of War: 6 Tiny Nations That Kicked Ass, for getting PUMPED
- The 10 Most Terrifyingly Inspirational ’80s Songs, for getting PUMPEDER
They let anyone write for them and will pay you $50 if they publish your article so if achieving that might help your poor soul out, register on their forums and give it a try. Let us know how it goes.
If you are one of the handful of people in the world who hate reading enough to dismiss Cracked but not enough to have given up on this post, buy a season or two of a funny show on DVD and pop it in when your bankruptcy anxiety or whatever else is getting the better of you. The Office, Scrubs, Arrested Development, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Seinfeld, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Two and a Half Men – say what you will about any one of these shows but I have seen people delivered to equilibrium and productivity by all of them before. And there are so many more. There are huge quantities of media designed exclusively to make you feel good and you should take advantage of them.
If you don’t understand that life can be joyful and worth appreciating, you will have a rough time with your fear. Platon, Bernard Lown, and Srikumar Rao are just a few examples of Fear.less contributors who ruminate on the rich possibility life holds for happiness. This works. Like I alluded to before, only a few hours ago I felt smothered under various anxieties that seemed merciless and unyielding, but a mere 10-second video set me on a path that resulted in a great mood and this blog post.
Today’s entry in the Fear.less editing soundtrack is The Cure – Doing the Unstuck, which is more optimistic than uh, um… a really optimistic thing.
Be a hyena. Be Fear.less.