Deepest Darkest Fears on Saturday

Sitting in the kitchen and talking about our deepest darkest fears.

My deepest darkest fear:

"That I might take myself too seriously" - Dan 2026

What do I mean by this?

I mean that sometimes I find myself all too worried about this, that or the other... I feel as though I am troubled and broken more than is reasonable. Yet when it really comes down to it, things aren't so bad.

Over the years I have learned that positivity is as much a choice you make every morning as it is a result of your life situation.

"Don't think" was what my old boxing coach would say when I was in the ring.

He was right about something. "Just box, don't think" he would say. On the surface that may seem counterintuitive but it works. Something about it works.

Becuase before you have a bout the training is already done. Typically you have already run the hard yards and now is simply the completion of your hard work.

Having said that I was rarely as prepared as I should have been.

The point is that when someone is trying to punch you in the face you don't have time to think, instead you need to rely on your instinct which has been honed by your training.

In the middle of a fight thinking is something approximating worry. It isn't helpful to worry. Better to act and trust your gut.

"Don't think" feels like a solution to my tendancy to worry too much about what people think of me. Then in that worry comes a tendancy to take myself too seriously and put on a more professional act for the world.

But it's better not to think. It is better not to worry. It is best not to take yourself too seriously.

But why is that something I fear? Why is that my biggest fear?

I guess it's because there is some part in us all that is original, that is unique and is in some way good. We are often punished by the world for being ourselves.

One solution is to blend in and just act like everyone else.

Something about this eats at you from the inside. Somthing about this draws you away from the life you are destined to lead. Something about acting how others want you to act and taking yourself a little too seriously corrupts your soul and goes against the simple spirit of life.

Nothing terrifies me more. I should rather be messy, unsuccessful and an all-round good person that is real and genuine and immersed in life.

Obviously seriousness has it's place, although there is something about being "too" serious that scares me.