JASON WORTHY | Confidence…
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Our Deepest Fear by Marianne Williamson
If you have met Jason Worthy, then you have undoubtedly experienced the warmth and kindness that he so effortlessly exudes. He is a Jacksonville native, loving husband, father, friend and brother currently pursuing yoga teacher training (200hr YTT) certification at Yoga Den Jacksonville. We invited him to elaborate on his perspective on fear and confidence during this journey into his power, and we are honored to share what he has created…
Confidence. It affects us all - whether you are trying to land your dream job, have to give an important public speech, or just trying to get up the nerve to record a poem for your wife’s website. We all need confidence to succeed in life; but, we are all humans, and we will all occasionally feel some sort of unnecessary fear. Fear hinders us and slows us down, keeping us from realizing how truly great we are.
We might have a fear of failure: inadequacy leading to mistakes that could have major consequences. Whether starting a new project or succeeding in a current one, being afraid to fail can cause us to abandon our ideas before they’re even given a real chance. It could be a fear of abandonment: the fear of becoming isolated or being pushed out of the team or organization, not being popular, or being rejected, the latter becoming crippling for some. We could have a fear of criticism: when we put emphasis on what other people think about us, it can hinder us from pursuing the future we desire. It could be a fear of being an impostor: the fear of claiming a leadership role and others finding out that we were not born, trained or qualified for it. The simple fear of making a mistake can cause us to stagnate and miss out on what may be great (or even life-changing) opportunities.
Now, God is mentioned in the poem above, but you don’t have to be religious or even spiritual to appreciate the meaning behind the message. We are all beings of the universe…we are all beings born of the very earth that we live on - earth (carbon, calcium, iron), wind (the air that sustains us), water (which makes up 70% of our bodies) and fire (the energy that exists with in us all). The very fact that we exist in such a vast universe makes us special and important. We are all meant to let our inner lights shine!
To move forward, we have to examine what’s stopping us. It’s often fear…but of what?
A fear of failure? You have to ask yourself: would you feel worse if you had tried and failed? Or if you had never tried at all?
A fear of criticism? When we are close-minded, what we hear is painful criticism; however, when we open up, what we might get is advice.
A fear of being an imposter? Try to remember that - as a leader - you will be judged for your actions and how you treat others - not by your resume.
We mustn’t let fear guide us. We will never accomplish anything great in life if we are too afraid to even take the first step.
Writing this piece and reading this poem on social media are some of the first steps on my path to becoming more confident. I also enrolled in a yoga teacher training program after almost a decade of being afraid. I have been introverted all my life, and speaking in front of a crowd has always brought feelings of crippling anxiety. In the past, I have let a fear of failure convince me that I am not good enough to be a leader. “Who would want to listen to what I have to say?! Why would they?” Now, I recognize that it’s time to start asking…“why wouldn’t they?!” And maybe some people won’t; but that’s okay. Maybe my message will reach one person…And maybe what I have to say will shift that person’s perspective, and in turn, their life. But even if that’s not the case, I am doing this because I want to, and I am tired of hiding in the shadows of fear.
I think it’s time we ALL let our lights shine bright!
- Jason Worthy
POEM
Our Deepest Fear by Marianne Williamson
Text above.
Read in poetic form here.
Listen to Jason read the poem here.
YOGA POSES:
Adho Mukha Vrksasana | Handstand
Visually one of the most powerful yoga postures. When this pose is mastered, it is the ultimate balance between effort and ease. Essentially, in this pose, you are standing in a reverse tadasana (mountain pose), where you charge your power from your own personal “true north.”
Virabhadrasana II | Warrior 2
Another grounding, standing pose that is also incredibly opening. Finding stillness in this posture can allow you to work on your endurance, strength and focus - this is a great place to play with your gaze. There are also many wonderful poses that can grow directly from this expression.
AROMATHERAPY: (Recommendations from our friend Megan Schneider, Yōga Advocates)
Frankincense is the oil of truth (and divine masculinity) that can help ground anyone into the physical body/earth/realm.
Balance is a grounding blend (doTERRA) that brings the energy of the earth into your hands and feet to assist you with a stronger foundation from which to rise.
MUSIC:
Courage to Grow by Rebelution