The FEAR Issue
We like to talk a big game about being fearless, but the truth is, all of us are afraid of something. Whether it’s social situations, fucking things up, letting people down, losing loved ones, living with regret or flying cockroaches — fear plays a significant role in how we decide to live our lives. But rather than vilify it right off the bat, our aim with this issue is to explore how fear influences the choices we make, how a healthy amount of it can actually make us better people, and how we can use it as a teacher — as a compass to show us where we are not yet free, as a stepping stone to courage, and as a reminder of what is truly important to us.
Cover story: In Conversation with Yante Ismail.
EDITOR’S LETTER
Guys, I’ve done it. I’ve finally found the human embodiment of BRAZEN.
This girl is fearless. She’s a little bit wild. She knows clearly what she wants, needs, likes and dislikes. She captivates everyone around her — the moment she walks into a room, she’s got everyone in it wrapped around her little finger. She spends time in nature. She loves animals. She’s kind, sweet and generous — all while taking no shit from anyone. She’s bold and brave. She expresses herself without fear of judgment. She takes risks and learns from her mistakes. She pays attention. She’s constantly learning, growing, evolving. She trusts that she is safe, loved and supported by the people who matter to her, and wastes no time on people who don’t. To be around her is to be reminded of what it’s like to be yourself. She’s the most authentic, sincere, radiant person I’ve ever met.
Her name is Luna, and she’s two years old.
The thing is, I think all of us are pretty brazen at that age. You don’t get any more authentic than a toddler learning their place in the world. At that age, we’re curious, hungry, eager, fascinated by the smallest things, vocal about what and who we like and dislike, silly, honest, funny and a little bit nuts. We wander into the world with reckless abandon. We don’t understand fear until it’s instilled in us by particularly nasty experiences, or, more often, the environment and people we grow up with.
As time passes, we inherit and acquire all sorts of fears, beliefs and ideas from our environment. We realise that society rewards certain behaviours more than others. We learn that if we want to be perceived as beautiful, we need to look like this, and not like that. We are taught that some things about us and our natural inclinations are wrong, dirty, taboo, not to be spoken of in public. We begin to wish that we were different, that we could be more like someone else, that we could be as happy/good-looking/wealthy/healthy/smart/funny/etc. as someone we know nothing about. We begin to fear making a wrong move, embarrassing ourselves, letting people down, losing respect, being lonely, ending up a failure. As the voices of those around us become louder and more incessant, we slowly come to forget how to recognise the sound of our own.
Of course, fear isn’t all bad. Fear exists, in the first place, to remind us of past pain and unpleasantness so we can avoid it in future. And that’s fine — I think we need to have a healthy amount of fear to live better lives. It’s when it starts to limit you that you need to take a good look at whether or not the fears you have are actually worth holding on to.
In this issue of BRAZEN, we get up close and personal with fear. What is fear, really? Where does it come from? What are the sneaky, insidious ways it keeps us trapped? How can we use it as a stepping stone to courage, to help us rather than hinder us?
We speak to an artist-slash-humanitarian who has learned how to use her fears as fuel and inspiration, rather than as limitations. We see that sometimes, all that’s needed to overcome a fear is to face it head-on. We consider the possibility that what is really needed to overcome fear is not courage, but love and hope. We explore how letting go of fears that have long defined our identity can in itself be a scary process. And we take ourselves through a series of experiments, questions and self-reflection exercises to determine what it is exactly that’s holding us back, so we can free ourselves from our own shackles.
It’s been a wild, wild year. With all the doubt, uncertainty and anxiety lying like a dark cloud over the world right now, it’s time to make fear our ally. My hope for you, with this issue, is that you will find something that inspires you to look your fears in the eye and tell them, “Thank you for looking out for me, but I’ll take it from here.” Have a blessed end of the year, guys. May you find in yourself the strength to show your fears who’s boss and be the person you were always meant to be. Here’s to another opportunity to start fresh.
Love and peace,
Shanita Lyn Kumar
Editor in Chief
