I’ve seen the statement, “Don’t try and take the easy way out” before on the internet and, although I didn’t know it at the time, it would impact how I make decisions. When I entered REDI Lab for the first time, it was an environment I wasn’t used to, with people I didn’t know. The thought of that generally scares people from joining programs at all. In fact, I could have refused to join REDI Lab and not be writing this article right now because I got anxious. But it’s completely normal to feel that way. We all get scared of things, there’s no denying it, we all worry at some point in our lives.
What I’ve come to realize is that the problem isn’t whether we’re anxious or not, but how we respond to these situations. People see others freeze with anxiety and get desperate in stressful situations. Anxiety is an unstoppable force. It will get to you eventually, and the only way to combat it is through perspective. We are often forced into thinking we know what others believe, and we tend to focus only on the worst things that could happen in these types of scenarios. That’s what causes us to act the way we do. People tend to want to escape situations they think will end badly. But the truth is, once it happens, it’s already done, we can’t go back in time. So we have to learn to carry it forward in a beneficial way through optimism.
Optimism, for me, is finding something of value in everything. Whether it’s good or bad, there’s always something useful to learn from it. You can use the previous burn as motivation not to repeat the same thing and to handle it better. An analogy for this is burning yourself on a stove, it will be scary to approach it again, but if you find a way to touch the stove without getting burned, you’ve found a solution. You had to burn yourself to know not to put your bare hand on it again. That’s so much better than avoiding all stoves for the rest of your life.
At REDI Lab, I’ve been offered the chance to take big steps to be as successful as possible, and all of it seems scary. I’m very bad at taking video or phone calls, it’s something I don’t like doing. Yet, I have to schedule online meetings in order to progress. The fear of failure looms in the back of my mind before I do anything, yet I still stand tall against it. Why, you may ask? Because it helps me grow, and it would be useless if I didn’t give it my full effort. We have to learn how to trust. If you got this far and took on this big task, it’s for a reason. You didn’t just get in because you were “lucky.” If you hadn’t given your full effort in those first few steps, you never would’ve gotten to this point. So why not give it your best now, more than ever, even if you don’t feel motivated? Bravery is doing it even when it’s scary.
When I joined REDI Lab, I created the concept of SNORE: Safer, Neighborly, On Round Earth. It’s a system that allows community members to train and become certified to patrol the area and help keep people safe while using public transportation. Especially school children who have to go home by themselves. As a reward, participants receive discounts from local shops and services, making life in Colorado easier. I found value in this because I take public transportation myself and see potential for it to be safer, especially the tram I once rode with the REDI Lab team for research. There was no security on board to prevent any incidents, which may explain why parents are scared to let their children ride it alone.
But to grow this idea, I had to present it to my group, and I did. Even if it was cheesy, even if my slides were bad, even if I stuttered. I had to keep going, because I wouldn’t grow if I didn’t give it my all. A week later, I had to present my idea to someone working at the Mayor’s office. I had to train myself to turn anxiety into excitement, to turn potential problems into opportunities to improve and shine because of them.
Courage is defined as “the ability to do something that frightens one” and “strength in the face of pain and grief” (Google). The bigger and more impactful the work you’re doing, the more courage it takes to continue. Let’s say you were offered the presidency right now. You’d probably say no, you don’t have the knowledge yet. But if you took the risk to study politics, had the courage to stand against a political party, stood against higher-ups showing corruption, or against laws you disagree with even if others support them. It takes a brave soul to oppose the majority when something doesn’t align with your values. But with each achievement, you grow. You’re able to take on bigger responsibilities and risks. So why only dream of being at the top, when that ideal version of you is just someone who’s willing to take bigger risks than the ones you’re facing now?
So then, why not just do it?
I was able to present in front of a group of six people I knew, and then to someone from the Mayor’s office. What can you do?
