Mantra with Jemma Sbeg - I Can Be Scared and Still Be Brave

Episode Date: August 11, 2025

This week's mantra is "I Can Be Scared and Still Be Brave." Bravery isn't the absence of fear; it's the willingness to act even when fear is present. So often, we wait until we feel completely confident to take a leap, but true growth happens when we acknowledge our anxieties and move forward anyway. In this episode of Mantra, we'll explore what it means to lean into discomfort, quiet self-doubt, and find the courage to pursue what truly matters to you. Embracing fear doesn't mean you're reckless—it means you're human, resilient, and ready to expand beyond your comfort zone. This Mantra will inspire you to acknowledge your fears, tap into your inner strength, and take brave steps toward the life you envision. Mantra is an OpenMind Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to OpenMind+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Mantra! Instagram: @mantraopenmind | @OpenMindStudios TikTok: @OpenMind Facebook: @0penmindstudios X: @OpenMindStudios YouTube: @OpenMind_Studios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is Open Mind. Welcome back to a brand new week. Here is your mantra. I can be scared and still be brave. I'm Gemma Speg and every Monday I give you a simple but powerful phrase to really just consider and bring into your life a philosophy. to guide you into the week ahead and hopefully even beyond. In each episode, you guys know we unpack what our mantra really means, how it has shown up in my own life, and how you can bring it into yours.

I also offer you journal prompts and a weekly challenge to help you take what we talk about and put this mantra into real action. At Open Mind, we really value your support. So please make sure to share your thoughts on social media and remember to rate, review and follow mantra to help others discover the show. For more exclusive content, monthly bonus episodes, early access and ad-free listening, join our Open Mind Plus community on Apple Podcasts. Each month I also have the opportunity to respond to your questions and comments in our bonus episodes.

So if you have a question, dilemma or theory based on this episode, please leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram at Mantra Open Mind. Stick around. We'll be right back after this short pause. Hey, it's Gemma and I have something really special to share with you. I'm hosting my first ever virtual live video podcast, not a pre-recorded episode, not a highlight reel, but a real-time face-to-face moment where we get to connect, laugh and kind of just reflect together no matter where you are in the world. Plus, I'm hosting a VIP after party for my inner circle where I will be answering

your questions and getting to talk to you guys even more. It's happening August 12th at 7pm Pacific Time or August 13th at 12pm if you live in my hometown of Sydney. You can grab your ticket now at pave.live. I cannot wait to see you there. Okay, let's get right into it, my lovely listeners. It is time for this week's mantra, I can be scared and still be brave. I'm going to say that one more time. I can be scared and still be brave. Let's begin with this question.

How do we distinguish between fear as a natural human emotion and fear as a barrier to our potential? Being scared is obviously our brain trying to tell us something, and we obviously want to listen, but is it always trying to tell us that something is dangerous, or is it maybe just trying to tell you that something is new, or that something is different, or that something is just slightly beyond your comfort zone? But we're interpreting that message incorrectly. We're interpreting it as a sign not to do something when the fear is really calling us to, of course, be brave. So we need to understand that distinction first to be able to act accordingly. Let's start with a little biology or history lesson into fear because fear like every single

emotion is a really vital one. That's why we have it. You guys know that on this podcast, we will never say that an emotion is bad or negative or evil or whatever because each of them serves a really unique purpose. It's essential for being who we are and operating at a high level. So in its purest form, fear is here to keep us alive. It's the part of our brain that scans for danger, that makes us hesitate before taking a risky leap. And it has literally evolved to simply help you survive. Fear is, it's incredibly wise. It's our protector. But sometimes I think it can be a little bit like a helicopter parent, like just a little bit too cautious, just a little bit too safe, so much so that, you know, we don't really get

the opportunity to go break a leg or to grow. So when fear is genuinely keeping us safe, when fear is very important to listen to and to consider, it often is quite intuitive, it's practical, it's rooted in preserving our well-being. I'll give you some of it. I'll give you concrete examples of this. When you turn down a job because it feels misaligned with your values, that fear that you're feeling isn't about inadequacy, it's about integrity. When you are hesitating to walk down a dark street at night alone, that fear is your survival instinct kicking in. It's not self-doubt. Feeling uneasy about a new relationship because you're seeing certain behaviours that remind you of past harm and that are red flags, that's not

paranoia. Like, that is based on evidence and pattern recognition. Or, like, let's think about it financially. Like, when you say no to a risky investment because, you know, you don't have all the information and your gut is telling you no, that fear is not holding you back from success. That fear is reflecting something that you've probably noticed or can tell that maybe your conscious brain hasn't been able to fully recognize yet. So this is when we should listen, when fear feels realistic, when fear allows us to take a step back

and reassess, and when fear feels almost like a complete answer, bear in mind, you can still decide to go for the risky investment, you can still decide to go for the uneasy relationship, but fear has done its job for you, right? It's done its rightful job, it's told you to pause, it's given you more information. It has given you the warning. Whether that turns out being okay or not, that all just becomes further evidence and allows you to further hone the communication skills that you and fear have. Basically, it allows you to better understand what fear is telling you why, when to listen, when to ignore it. What is a real sign that you should be scared. The other side of this is when fear is being overprotective and trying to keep

us small. And when it's trying to do that, it is very loud, it is very annoying, it is very anxious, repetitive, limiting, not based on too much evidence. A lot of the time you can tell that your fear is trying to limit you when it starts with a what if. Because what ifs are really just based in delusional possibility. What if people reject me? What if I fail? What if this is the wrong choice? What if everything goes wrong? It doesn't speak in certainties. It's not speaking in facts. It's not speaking in evidence. It's only speaking in exaggerations. Here is a very simple framework that I often use. If fear is keeping me safe, it will feel grounding. It will make me pause, reflect. It will make me act with intention.

If fear is keeping me small, it will feel like a contraction. It will feel like shrinking. It will ask me to act from a place of not having enough information and of being very trigger-happy, it will feel like a little voice in my head that is not wisdom, but insecurity. And that kind of sounds more like a fear of my potential than a fear of something genuinely dangerous or scary happening to me. Start asking yourself, is this warning me of true harm or is this just a discomfort that comes from stepping into a new version of myself? And this really works to reframe our relationship with being scared because, again, it allows us to have that conversation with our fear, right? We aren't just letting it be a dictator.

It really allows us to say, I'm scared and then add an end at the end of that statement, not just stop right there. I'm scared and. Maybe. that's a good chance to pause and think. I'm scared and it's just because this is new to me. I'm scared and just because I'm scared doesn't necessarily mean I'm in danger. I'm scared and I welcome the feeling. You see, there is a whole life that opens up when you and fear become colleagues rather than enemies because a lot of what expands your life and challenges you will naturally be scary. As humans, we aren't comfortable with uncertainty, but every new beginning is going to be uncertain. That's why it's a beginning. So fear in that way, I think,

also has an important message for you. It's often incredibly accurate. This is something it's very good at. It is very accurate and good at detecting the exact edge of your comfort zone. What feels eerily similar to being scared? Being excited. being really close to the start line, being right about to jump. So if you're scared, not only is that not a bad thing, it might actually be a good thing. It might be that it's telling you, like, this is the right decision. This is where growth begins. This is going to be so big for your life that maybe your brain can't compute it right now, but that's because it's such a mystery and how much excitement comes from mystery. You still have to act. You still have to do something.

thing. In fact, I think you're called to do something when you feel that fear is just holding you back from your potential. This, of course, brings us to a second very important concept in this episode, which is bravery. You know what I was talking about with a friend the other day? When we were kids, we talked about bravery so much. Like, we were always asked to be brave. Like, if we were brave, it was like a badge of honor. Like, it was exciting to be brave and to be told that we were brave and to be courageous, where did that go? Because I don't know about you, but being an adult requires me to be a lot more brave than I was as the kid. I wish someone would just say, you're being really brave right now, the way that they

did when I was four or five. Bravery to me really asks us to be okay with not knowing that everything is actually going to be okay, but doing it anyways. So bravery is actually our ability to handle the discomfort of uncertainty. It asks us basically to, trust ourselves and trust the universe, trust the forces around us, trust that we are going to figure things out, trust that things are going to work out. If you want to channel bravery, what I find really useful to do is to imagine and picture all the best ways, the amazing ways that this thing can work out, rather than just focusing on what can go wrong. Remember, a lot of what we fear is in our imagination. And so bravery is really,

choosing to choose another thought, choosing to choose another outcome that feels safe enough in our mind that we will get to a place of action. Think about it. If this thing you're afraid of actually hasn't happened yet, if it only exists in your mind, it is no more likely to happen than the thing that you most want to happen. Your fear can't predict the future because you can't predict the future and fear is you. It's all about it. having a mindset that will make discomfort feel like opportunity because that is really what it is. That is the message we are trying to really end with today. I think it's also important to reflect on past experiences where you have both been scared and also brave. Those right there

offer you like the best reassurance that this isn't just going to be completely all right, but it actually might be incredible. It might unlock something absolutely marvelous for you, as it has done in the past. Look around at your life right now. There is something in your past that felt really scary to do that you are reaping the benefits of now. What if you did that scary thing, that new scary thing in this moment?

Gosh, what's waiting for you behind this door? I just love talking about this. I really think that fear is a gateway. I think that being scared is the sign that I'm often doing something right. Even if, you know, every now and again, I still let it kind of keep me small. That's just normal. That's natural. That's human.

So I want to talk about how we can really galvanize us and get ourselves to move from a place of inaction because of fear to seeing things as an opportunity. We're going to take a quick break. But when we return, let's get to. deeper into this. Let me give you some journal prompts. Let's interrogate this fear more. I want to give you a weekly challenge as well and also my own further personal ideas around fear, bravery and being scared. So stay with us. Hey, it's Gemma and I have something really special to share. I'm hosting my first ever virtual live video podcast, not a pre-recorded episode, not a highlight.

but a real time, face-to-face moment where we get to connect, laugh, reflect, and honestly just kind of be in it together no matter where you are in the world. If you've ever hit play on an episode of the psychology of your 20s or mantra and thought, I really wish I could just talk to Gemma about this right now. This is your chance. We're diving into the messy, beautiful chaos of your 20s, your 30s of life and beyond. And yes, you get to be right there with me. There's a live chat so we can talk in real time.

and afterwards, I'm hosting a private VIP party, my inner circle, we would call it, where I'll be answering your questions and getting even more personal. It's happening August 12th at 7pm Pacific Time, or August 13th at 12pm if you're on Sydney or Australia. So mark your calendar, tell your friends, grab your ticket now at pave.live. I can't wait to see you there. Welcome back. Now that we have looked at the main. meaning behind today's mantra, I can be scared and still be brave. Let's get personal. I want to share

some of my own insights and reflections about this very important phrase. I want to talk about three times in my life that I've been scared. Three times, not the only three times, but three times that I can remember being very, very terrified, almost not doing something, but which I can look back now and think, wow, that was such a turning point for me. And a lot of them happened when I was kind of young. The first one was moving out at 17. Moving out when I was kind of like in a city and in a town where most people like didn't really do that for college and didn't really do that for university and moving to a place eight hours away where I knew no one. I'm sure a lot of you guys have done that as well. It takes a lot of bravery to do that. It takes a lot of bravery to not even

know who you are yet and still be okay with starting over. The second thing was living my first really serious relationship. You know, I thought this person was like forever to me. I remember being so scared to see what else was out there. I remember being so scared by the possibility of letting other people down. So scared of not finding anyone better. And we know how that turned out. I am so glad that I did. I can't imagine still being with that person and missing out on the life that I had now. But that doesn't take away from the fact that I was very, very scared. And finally, one in kind of semi-recent memory, was quitting my job. I feel like I talk about this quite a bit on the podcast because it was such a moment for me,

but it was scary. And it was scary primarily, all of these things were scary, because there was a place that I was comfortable in, there was a place where I knew where everything sat, what everything was about, and what I had to do day to day. And then there was a place where I knew none of that. I didn't know what it was going to be like in this new city. I didn't know it was going to be like being single for the first time in a long time. I didn't know what it was going to be like being self-employed.

And in all of these circumstances, I did initially really resist. And I thought about it probably a little bit too long and a little bit too hard. Probably could have acted sooner, especially in that second one. This is what I would have missed out on if I had let myself stay comfortable. I would have missed out on meeting almost every single friend that I have now, some of my best friends, my soul friends, I would have missed out on meeting my soulmate, my beautiful partner. I would have missed out on travel. I would have missed out on meeting some even more incredible people who I get to work with. I would have missed

out on being in London and having the best meal of my life with my dad because I took a risk on my business. I would have missed out on meeting my dog. I would have missed out on buying my apartment. Like every single thing that I am grateful for right now came from fear. And I just can't even begin to express to you guys how much I see this as a doorway. Sometimes even as like a sign that I'm on the right path, one of my favorite quotes that I love, which I reflect on probably weekly, I was literally talking with one of my friends about this yesterday who's doing this really cool creative thing that she's scared of. We were talking about this idea that if your dreams aren't scary, they probably aren't big enough. When a dream truly

matters, you know, it threatens the ego's comfort because I think it asks you to be more than what you are and to challenge the limits of what you believe you can be and your identity really challenges your imagination in a way. That's terrifying. It requires the death of the familiar. It requires you to kind of metaphorically step off the edge into the unknown and hope that something is going to catch you or hope that you'll be okay if it doesn't. But if you don't kind of dare to dream big, how do you think you're ever going to act in a way that gets you achieving big dreams. Dreams don't obviously always have to be scary, right? Sometimes they just make sense and they are those small baby steps we take, but they should

always lead us to something bigger and bigger that kind of terrifies us a little bit. Why not? The universe isn't greedy. The universe wants to give you what you desire if you prove that you are willing to step into the right space to claim it. With that in mind, here are some ways that we can really move past fear into that active space. Firstly, and this cannot be overstated enough, you have to learn how to regulate or just soothe your anxiety or your fear response so that you can really listen to what it has to say underneath. Obviously, anxiety and panic and just general anxiety, general stress is going to get in the way of us being able to interpret when fear is real and when fear can be dismissed. As someone with anxiety,

I found that when I was first approached with uncomfortable situations, it was very hard to tell whether I was overreacting or whether this was my intuition. What was helpful was having strategies that I knew could regulate myself, that I knew would regulate me and that I knew would calm me down if this was just fear and if it was just the fear of my potential. If it was actually something real, I knew these strategies probably wouldn't work because there was a deeper calling. So essentially what I mean is helping myself get rid of that first layer of my fear response so I could really listen to what was going on deeper, knowing that if I was breathing deep, if I was grounded, if I was calming my racing brain, and that thought was still showing up,

then it was probably one that I could listen to. But you can't act from a place of panic, right? You can't be constantly panicking thinking you're going to make a good decision. So whatever way that you manage your anxiety, I'm sure you have. your own strategies or can get help with those strategies from a therapist, make sure you have them in your arsenal. Secondly, when in doubt, move. Move physically, dance, go for a walk, go for a run, and also move kind of in terms of your life. Like, just do something. Movement is always going to get you somewhere faster, even if it's the wrong place. But that means you can always come back.

It's better than just standing still. The biggest life tip I ever got from someone, one is essentially you can't make the wrong decision if you're making a decision because at least you're doing something. And that's really what I want you to bring into any fear-based situation. It's also important slash helpful to name the fear and name its purpose. The purpose of this fear is that it's expanding me. The purpose of this fear is that it's showing me the path. The purpose of this fear is that it is challenging me, it's stretching me, it's a workout for what I think I'm capable of. What an opportunity. You can also really, really write out what you want from your future self and how fear could get you there,

like what awaits you after the fear, but also how you could follow fear into the depths of what feels bigger for you. And just keep telling yourself that you're ready until you start to believe it. You guys know a deep philosophy I have and a deep truth that I know based on psychology and science, the words you speak to yourself and the beliefs you have about yourself do become reality. So if nothing else, just start telling yourself you're capable until you feel it, until you feel capable just to take even one small baby step. Okay, it's time to take these insights and turn them into actionable steps for your life. When we come back, I'm going to share some journal prompts and our weekly challenge.

So just stick around for more after this quick break. On his podcast chasing life, I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta. CNN's chief medical correspondent brings you the secrets of the happiest and health. healthiest people on the planet so that you can live your best life. Are some people just born happier than others? And what might they be doing that the rest of us aren't? Follow Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Apple, Spotify, IHeard podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome back. Let's just take a few minutes to really ground this week's mantra in your real life. I can be scared and still be brave. Let's start with, of course, our deep thought of the day. This is from someone called Mary Ann Radamaka. Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow. I like this quote because it is an element we haven't quite touched on just yet.

Just because there are hard days doesn't mean it isn't the right path. Not to sound like woo-woo, but sometimes you are being tested and sometimes you also aren't going to win every single time and every single day. And sometimes fear isn't always going to be exciting. It's just going to feel terrible. As long as you hang on and try again tomorrow, you are doing as much as you can for yourself. I love collecting stories of people who feel like they're almost at the edge of giving up and then suddenly everything changes for them, who are so scared and then suddenly it all goes right. You know, musicians, actors, elite athletes, everyday people where fear is really the beginning for them. You can always try again tomorrow. You don't have to be

successful every single day. You don't have to even be comfortable every single day. Just hold on. Whilst we're in this reflective mindset about this week's mantra, let's take it a little bit deeper. I'm going to share a few journal prompts to help you explore this mantra in a way that is truly sitting with you in this moment. Again, if generally isn't your thing, I feel like I said it's every episode. If you just don't have a pen and paper handy, if you're driving, if you're working, that is okay. Just take a quiet moment to simply reflect on these prompts wherever you are. Firstly, when you look back at your life, what's a subtle, perhaps even overlooked act of bravery that you've demonstrated in your life that you might not have recognized at the time,

but which really led you to a more expansive place. Next, what is one area where you typically avoid taking action because of fear? If you would have really embraced this mantra today, how might you approach this situation differently? And finally, what would it truly mean for your life in the coming months or years if you fully embrace the belief that you can be scared and still be brave? every single day. Now that you've made that space to reflect, let's give our mind just a moment to rest, to sit with those thoughts. In just a second, you'll hear a custom music track, and I

encourage you to really take this opportunity to process this week's reflections in whatever way feels right, wherever your thoughts choose to go, no pressure, no expectations. If this is something that doesn't connect with you, just skip ahead around 30 seconds. But as you settle in, just keep our mantra in mind, I can be scared and still be brave. Just let it shape your thoughts, let it connect with you in whatever way feels fit. Beautiful. It's always amazing how much comes up when we just let ourselves be quiet and let ourselves be still. Kind of scary sometimes what we're kind of avoiding thinking about, but also very enlightening.

So I hope that exercise was helpful to you. Now that you have had that chance to find that calm and to grow. around yourself. Let's take all that refreshed energy. Let's channel into action. It's time for our weekly challenge. This week, our challenge is the brave conversation challenge. Choose one person in your life, a friend, family member, colleague, with whom you have to have a slightly uncomfortable but necessary conversation with. Prove to yourself in that, that you can be brave, that this is something that you can bring into your everyday life, that positive things do come out of addressing uncomfortable situations or facing your fear. You could be setting a boundary, you could

just be having a hard conversation about something they said, just asking for something you really need, just lean into the fear, get comfortable with the discomfort, and see how much bravery you can really take into this situation. I'd love to hear how this challenge goes for you, I'm going to do this. I know exactly who I need to talk to. I need to get it over with. So if you want to do it to reach out to me at Marta Open Mind to share how it went, share your thoughts, share your questions. You guys know that every month I do a special bonus episode where I answer your questions and reflections about our recent mantras. This is available exclusively on Open Mind Plus, but if you want to participate,

please feel free to DM me at March Open Mind or leave a comment below. All right, as we wrap up this week's episode, I want to share a few final thoughts about this week's mantra, I can be scared and still be brave. My final thought that I want to share is that I know I've talked about being scared and being fearful in a very large, expansive context. Sometimes we can be very scared about small things, about things that might feel minute to others but are big for us. just bringing bravery into everyday situations and just asking yourself, what if I just did this?

What if I just acted? I think we actually suffer less when we just do and when we just kind of rip the band-aid off and just let fear sit in our life and address it when it comes up. That way when big fears and big scary moments emerge, we feel more prepared. So I think that's really what I want people to understand about being brave. It doesn't mean that fear is going to go away. It doesn't mean that fear might disappear. It's going to keep coming up.

But it allows you just to kind of sit beside it and almost appreciate it in a strange way and live with it and let it guide you. So this week and beyond, just keep hanging on, keep walking forward, keep seeing where being scared might actually lead you. Thank you for joining Mantra, an exclusive Open Mind original powered by Pave Studios at Open Mind, we value your support. So share your thoughts on social media and remember to rate, review and follow Mantra to help others discover the show. For ad-free listening and early access to mantra with me, Gemma Spegg, we invite you to subscribe to Open Mind Plus on Apple Podcasts.

I'll share another insightful and introspective mantra with you next Monday. Until then, keep showing up for yourself and your journey. I'm Gemma Speg. See you next. week. Mantra is hosted by me, Gemma Speg. It is an open-mind original powered by Payne Studios. This episode was brought to life by The Incredible Mantra team, Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Stacey Warren Kerr, Sarah Kemp, and Paul Lieberskin. Thank you for listening. Hey, it's Gemma. I'm hosting my first ever virtual live video podcast, one night full of real talk, real connection, and a VIP after-party where I'll answer all your questions with absolutely no filter. It's happening August 12th, so get your tickets now at pave.live. Live.