Notes to Our Younger Selves

Fear is often rooted in the stories and moments in our lives where we did not or could not predict what was going to happen to us next. In those moments, many of us recoil, run away, or simply freeze, as our minds and nervous systems try to make sense of stimuli that we may have never experienced before. It is our belief that to know something, to make a conscious effort, to seek further knowledge, to stand firm in the face of uncertainty is the quickest way to confront and remove fear from our lives. Our journeys are strongly influenced by our convictions, and our convictions are only as strong as our commitment to put one foot in front of the other, regardless of what may lie ahead.

**In this episode of Notes To Our Younger Selves, Nico and Drey explore their thoughts and beliefs regarding “fear” and arrive at some interesting conclusions and observations along the way. Starting with addressing the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, we unpack how necessary it is for all us to be present and aware of how important this moment in our nation’s history truly is and how we must advocate to preserve the right of choice for all women within our communities. We move to a working definition of fear and offer our own interpretations of what fear means to us, peeling back the role of ignorance in creating and sustaining fear within our lives .

From there, we discuss how elements of our childhood were shaped by fears of others, those we loved the most and loved us the most and how generational trauma can be passed down unintentionally to black boys at a young age. We touch on the cognitive dissonance of black men being the most feared members in society and how that messaging creates fear and conflict within young black boys. We briefly touch on the value and power of taking challenges, dreams, and goals by detaching from the outcome and intimately knowing and loving the process & journey instead and by pulling on the strength of our loved ones and ancestors as an additional source of motivation . We end the episode sharing two of the most fearful moments of our lives to date, with co-host Drey offering a powerful anecdote regarding an encounter with law enforcement.**

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The correlation between fear and ignorance (10:10)

Identifying the physiological response to fear within one’s body (12:15)

The hyper self awareness and acute stress & anxiety that is instilled in black boys (15:05)

Effective methods and mental frameworks to push through fear and pursue your goals & dreams (25:00)

Questions answered:

What’s your first association or thought that comes to mind when fear is mentioned ? (8:00)

How did your identity as a black boy and the images and stories you consumed at a young age impact the level of fear you felt in your formative years ? (14:41)

How were you able to remove doubt & fear to pursue your dreams to the fullest? (21:36)