Embrace Your Fears and Nurture Your Self-Worth

Welcome to MindfulMornings! In today’s email, we're drawing inspiration from a book we mention frequently, one of our favorites - The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse* by Charlie Mackesy.

Today you’ll learn about:

• Speaking Kindly to Your Fear: How to Transform Anxiety into Courage

• A Reminder That Your Worth Isn’t Measured in Productivity or Achievement

Here are 2 quotes, 2 tips, and 1 question to help you build healthy habits this week…

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2 Quotes

1. “What do we do when our hearts hurt?" asked the boy.
   "We wrap them with friendship, shared tears and time, till they wake hopeful and happy again.” - Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

    

2. “What do you think is the biggest waste of time?"
   "Comparing yourself to others," said the mole.” - Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
   

2 Tips

1) Speak Kindly to Your Fear: How to Transform Anxiety into Courage

Why:

Fear often gets a bad reputation. We tend to see it as something we should overcome, ignore, or push away. But fear actually shows that we care deeply - about something, someone, or ourselves.

When we treat fear with kindness, it changes from an enemy into a helpful messenger. Instead of leaving you frozen or stressed, a compassionate approach helps fear highlight what matters most to you. This can lead to clearer thinking and braver actions. Being kind to your fear is also being kind to yourself, building a habit of calm courage rather than anxious reactions.


How:

The next time you notice fear showing up in your day, try these simple steps to speak gently to yourself:

1. Pause and Acknowledge

   Notice when fear appears - maybe as worried thoughts, a racing heartbeat, or tight shoulders. Stop what you're doing and take a few slow, deep breaths.

    

2. Label It Clearly

   Say to yourself: "This is fear." Naming the emotion takes away some of its power over you.

    

3. Offer Kind Words 

   Speak to yourself like you would to a good friend: "I know you're here because you care and want to protect me. Thank you. But right now, I'm safe."

    

4. Remember Your Strength

   Remind yourself: "I'm stronger than this feeling. It's okay to be scared, but fear doesn't make my decisions - I do."

    

5. Watch the Change

   Notice how your relationship with fear begins to shift from fighting it to understanding it with calm confidence.

Resources to support you:

Book: The Fear Cure: Cultivating Courage as Medicine for the Body, Mind, and Soul* by Dr. Lissa Rankin – helpful strategies for building courage in everyday life.


By speaking compassionately to your fear, you create a mindful habit that gently transforms anxiety into clarity, courage, and calm.

2) Remember Your Worth Isn’t Measured in Productivity or Achievement

Why:

Many of us grew up believing our value is tied to what we accomplish. When we connect our self-worth only to external successes or achievements, we build our confidence on shaky ground. Our moods can swing wildly based on performance reviews, grades, our busy schedules, or what we see others posting on social media.

When we separate our sense of worth from productivity, we develop genuine, lasting self-confidence. This brings a sense of calm into our daily lives, helps us set better boundaries, build stronger relationships, and ultimately live with more clarity and joy.


How:

Make time each week for activities that nurture you without being attached to specific outcomes:

1. Reflect and Choose:

   List activities you truly enjoy that aren't tied to producing something or measuring success. This might be gardening, sketching, dancing in your living room, reading a favorite book, cooking just for fun, listening to music you love, or taking peaceful walks in nature.

    

2. Protect Your Time:

   Treat this as important self-care. Put it in your calendar like any other appointment. Whether it's an hour on Sunday mornings or 20 minutes each evening, stick to it consistently.

    

3. Let Go of Expectations:

   Remind yourself your only goal is joy or relaxation - there's no right or wrong way to do this. Release any pressure about skill, improvement, or showing others. Just be in the moment.

    

4. Reflect and Reinforce:

   After each self-care session, take a moment to appreciate yourself. Notice how the experience affects your mood and mindset. Writing down your feelings in a journal can help strengthen these positive benefits.

Resources to support you:

Book: The Gifts of Imperfection* by Brené Brown offers valuable insights into embracing our worth beyond productivity.
App: Try Insight Timer - it’s one of our favorite apps, it’s free and offers meditation exercises and other mindfulness practices specifically for building self-acceptance and self-love.

Remember, when you honor your worth beyond what you achieve, you create a deeper sense of peace that goes beyond external recognition.

1 Question

If you could sit by a fire and share silence comfortably with one figure from your life, past or present, who would that be, and why?

Something Interesting

This section used to be in our mid-week motivation and we’ve decided to try it here when we come across something we think you’ll find interesting (warning - these can be quite random and removed from the rest of the newsletter). Today’s comes from Tim Ferriss's 5 Bullet Friday:

“Brewing tea removes lead from water.” “In a new study, Northwestern University researchers demonstrated that brewing tea naturally adsorbs heavy metals like lead and cadmium, effectively filtering dangerous contaminants out of drinks. Heavy metal ions stick to, or adsorb to, the surface of the tea leaves, where they stay trapped.” Not all tea is created equal, so click the link to read the details.

Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoy your week.

With gratitude,

MindfulMornings

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