Last Thursday, BSM students had the privilege of listening to speaker Darryl Bellamy talk about how to deal with fear. Bellamy is behind “The Fearless Inside Movement” and gave some new insight to the students about managing their fears.
Nick Brady, the Director of Faith and Mission at BSM feels that Bellamy was a great person to bring into Catholic Schools Week, especially during Black History Month. “[I was] trying to think like the vibe of Catholic Schools Week, and then also thinking about black history month and if there’s a way we can touch on both a little bit,” Brady said.
Bellamy has spoken to people of all ages, from kindergarteners to adults, and knows what fear can be like for people with different backgrounds and issues in their lives. Students have many things on their plate, and school can be very stressful, leading to various fears. Whether it is college, grades, or social situations, the message that fear is not always a bad thing can be very impactful. “I think the BSM students can be particularly susceptible to the pressures of academic achievement and trying to find balance [of] the different fears,” Brady said.
I think the BSM students can be particularly susceptible to the pressures of academic achievement and trying to find balance [of] the different fears.”
— Nick Brady
Bellamy had a different approach compared to other speakers as he interacted with the students in different ways. One way he suggests students deal with fear is to write it down on paper. Students wrote down their fears and put them on the stage for them to be randomly selected to be read aloud. The students were able to hear what their peers put down while maintaining a sense of anonymity. This method allowed students to participate in the experience rather than just listening to someone speak. Sophomore Abbie Marusich was at the convocation and, like other students, wrote down her fears. “I thought that it was a pretty good convocation and I think that it was engaging for most people,” Marusich said.
While Bellamy added some humor to his presentation with his stories of previous experiences and presentations of fear, he also addressed impactful messages. Senior Hannah Moberg’s favorite part was when the lights went out and everyone stood up to emphasize the students’ unity. It showed that even though everyone is unique, they are all going through similar things. “Standing up in the dark with everyone was very powerful,” Moberg said.
Everyone has different fears, thus the impact of what Bellamy talked about is different for everyone. However, Bellamy’s overarching message was to realize fears can sometimes be a good thing and many people are going through the same thing as you. “I think for myself and perhaps others to know that we all have fears and that’s okay…We just have to lean into those and embrace them in a healthy amount and know that we’re not alone,” Brady said.