Most fears, nowadays, come from within.

There’s no existential threat in acknowledging that a colleague is doing a great job, yet we worry that our work might be underappreciated.

There’s no existential threat in telling a difficult truth, yet we worry that we might be breaking a relationship forever.

There’s no existential threat in welcoming an outsider in the community, yet we worry that it might alter the balance of things and force us to review our take on the world.

There’s no existential threat in being wrong, yet we worry that others will think less of us.

We need to find a way to comfort ourselves without harming those around us.