“The moment we control our fear is the moment we start living.”
My life has been negatively and positively impacted due to my food allergies. Since I was two years old, I have had a life-threatening allergy to peanuts, which has caused me much fear. I am also allergic to eggs. Fear is supposed to be an indicator, a compass that points you in the right direction. Ryan Holiday suggests, “The fear you feel is a sign. If courage is never required in your life, you’re living a boring life. Put yourself in a position that demands you leap.” However, how we react to fear affects almost every aspect of our lives. As Americans, we face a plethora of decisions daily. Some decisions are simple, such as what to make for breakfast, but others are much more complicated. From a young age, I needed to be very careful and watchful about everything I ate and touched. I could not participate in school holiday parties or have the same birthday party treats as everyone. Furthermore, I could not eat at restaurants without taking a huge risk. All of this caused a great deal of angst while growing up. It is not surprising that the root of a majority of our struggles and sadness comes from fear. That is why we must use our fear to our advantage and let it guide us in the right direction.
If we let fear control us, we will miss out on our biggest dreams and aspirations. People that make a lasting impact on society use fear to their advantage. The most substantial accomplishments in American history all had fear attached to them. During the Revolutionary War, it was scary to go against the powerful British government. Do you think the Americans who stood up against them were scared? Of course they were, but they knew that fear meant they were pursuing something meaningful. Heroes of the past and future know they must use fear to propel themselves forward. Americans tend to let themselves be consumed by fear every day. It is time for us to face our deepest challenge head-on and make a difference in society. “We will our purpose into existence. We choose to be heroes. And if we don’t, it’s on us,” says Ryan Holiday. The moment we control our fear is the moment we start living. Therefore, I decided to launch a fundraising campaign to raise money for FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) in hopes of making a difference regarding food labels, laws, restaurant protocol, medical advancements and cures. I also participated in the Teal Pumpkin project and purchased and organized allergy free treats to drop off at area schools and libraries to promote inclusivity and allergy awareness. I wanted kids to feel included as much as possible and not be limited or isolated. Overall, fear can be channeled and purposed to not only propel us forward, but to contribute to society in a meaningful way. Without food allergies, I may have never experienced this growth mindset.
-James