Round Square Postcard - The Assam Valley School

Wednesday 13 October, 6-7.30 pm (IST)

Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are

living our fears
To understand the essence of having a dream. To know what fear is and how we can overcome it. To
realise that fear is a hindrance in attaining goals. To realise that we should never let our dreams go. To
know that courage and tenacity go a long way. To not fear failure, rejection and judgements. To be able to
voice your opinions. And to be able to listen to others patiently.

● What is a dream?
○ Dream - sleep + goal
○ They are boundless
○ A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur
involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. During a typical lifespan, a person
spends a total of about six years dreaming. Most dreams last only 5 to 20 minutes.
● What is fear?
○ An unpleasant feeling triggered by the perception of danger, real or imagined.
○ On one side, there are obvious biological reasons for fear, such as keeping humans alive in
the face of danger. But apart from physical, bodily harm, fear can take on many other forms.
For instance, psychological fears, like a fear of public speaking, can be just as paralyzing as
performing an activity with great physical danger, like say, swimming with sharks.
○ Obviously, there are different levels of inherent danger in these activities, and yet our brain
often reacts to them in the same way.
● Social construct around fear- biases, judgmental opinions, inhibitions, apprehensions, failure, being
judged, mental barriers, sexism, lack of confidence or courage, high hopes/expectations
● How fears obstruct dreams?
○ Some general causes of nightmares and anxiety dreams include: fear or stress. recent life
changes, especially ones that provoke uncertainty or other distress. traumatic events.
○ we do know one thing for sure about fear - it impacts your emotions, and this, in turn,
impacts your ability to make decisions. So, if you are a generally fearful or anxiety-filled
person, you are more likely to view life through a pessimistic lens. Fearful people
consistently amplify the perception of risk too. In the long run, being fearful will stop you from
experiencing life fully.
○ Fears can be helpful:
■ ​As I see it, there are three types of fear: Illogical fear, healthy fear, and real fear—and
the latter two are helpful. Healthy fear helps us discern safe situations from
dangerous ones. It is a gift given to all of us, and typically manifests as a visceral,
instinctual response. This is the type of fear we need for our survival and protection.
For example, if you are standing on a high ledge, healthy fear kicks in and cautions
you to step back. It keeps you from falling off the cliff in the same way it keeps you
from placing your hand too close to a flame. This fear response arises from the
physical world and warns us of actual danger.
■ Real fear is also based in reality but it is not the same as healthy fear—it’s not based
on physical danger. Examples would be the fear of losing the people we love most,
never achieving our dreams and aspirations, or even the fear of our own death. This
fear exists in the truth that life is a terminal condition, and it’s based on something
that is irrefutably real: Everything we do and everything we are has an expiration
 date. These manifestations of real fear may be existential, but they are just as valid
because they are associated with real events like death, change, and pain.
● Solutions- how to overcome fears and accomplish dreams
○ There are many ways to release fear, but it really begins when you decide that irrational fear
is no longer an option. Nothing happens in our lives until we decide; I have found this to be
true consistently throughout my life. Once you decide fear isn’t an option, you are left with
only the choice to change—to shift your consciousness, or to take action. Think about it this
way: What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
● Personal anecdotes/experiences of fear/failure/confidence/courage
○ Fear is a very real part of life. But the men and women who learn to push past fears will
always accomplish more than those who succumb to it.
○ “You can nullify illogical fear—it takes commitment and mental work, but it absolutely can be
done. It sounds simple, but that’s the other thing about illogical fears: The only thing
providing them sustenance is you.”
● Ignoring fear?
○ I don’t think it’s possible to ignore fear. We can try to repress it, but that proves impossible in
the long run. We can, however, ignore our instincts and our intuition, and this often results in
missed opportunities, actions we aren’t proud of, or even physical peril in extreme cases.
Anytime you feel fear, instead of ignoring it or trying to hide from it, acknowledge it and
identify what is behind it. Identifying the fear and understanding why it has arisen is the first
step in eliminating it.

Time line
6-6.20 pm: Opening address & Keynote session
6.20-6.35 pm: Baraza groups- Ice-breaking activities
6.35-7.05 pm: Baraza- Discussion on the topic/theme
7.05-7.25 pm: Quick presentation/talk by Baraza groups- 2 minutes each
7.25-7.30 pm: Closing address