Transforming Fear into Bravery: A Mental Health Journey Inspired by Good Will Hunting

This might not be a surprise, but my favorite movie is Good Will Hunting. I fell in love with the movie as a teenager. The movie spoke to me in a way that I had not experienced before in my life. I saw myself in Will although our experiences were different. It was easy for me to stay focused on my studies, sports, work, relationships, and theater, but I would feel alone any time I was by myself. I knew I needed more, but I did not know what that meant. I did not talk to my family and friends about my future. I wanted to go to college but was not sure if that was an option. I did not do well on the ACT, so I was not receiving much academic financial aid. I had stopped playing the sports I loved and was good at by the end of my sophomore year of high school due to life getting in the way, which meant no sports scholarships. I had an unspoken pressure given to myself to go to Asbury College because respected adults in my life had gone there. I was confused and felt I had no guidance. In the movie, Will and his best friend, Chuckie, work together doing construction. Will is talking about his future working in construction when Chuckie makes it clear to Will that it would be upsetting to him if Will chose to stay in construction for the rest of his life. Chuckie points out that Will is wasting his potential if he stays. It is a beautiful scene of love between two friends, and although Chuckie’s delivery was harsh, Will was able to understand Chuckie and took it to heart in a positive way (many times we get caught up in the way people deliver things to us instead of understanding what they are saying and where they are coming from). As a senior in high school, this also spoke to me. I did not see much of a future where I was living and believed if I stayed, my life would be similar to those around me. I did not want that life, although I believed I deserved it.

In February of my senior year, I heard from a small college in North Carolina. I am not sure how they found me, but they did. The admission counselor called me often, it felt weekly. I talked to him like he was my older brother. He made me feel wanted and deserving of a college degree. He explained to me that it was possible for me financially as well, and not to focus on it. Fear crept in and reminded me that it was not possible. I struggled to decide on staying or going. In July, I visited the college. I quickly fell in love and, despite the fears, I moved in shortly after that visit in August. Fear is common and can be controlling over our lives if we allow it to be. The opposite of fear is bravery. I think bravery can only be built in the midst of fear. The beautiful thing about fear is that we can use it to strengthen our sense of bravery. The stronger our sense of bravery, the less fear shows up and controls us. The purpose of fear is to keep us safe, and when we minimize it to that specific purpose in our life, it can do its job in times of danger. If this was a math equation, it would look like this: Want + Fear + Bravery = Completed Goal, and maybe in time, the equation will simplify to Want = Completed Goal. In closing, fear does not have to control us but can be used as a tool to build our sense of bravery. 

If this blog resonates with you and you need help on your mental health journey, consider scheduling a session with the author, Brad Vaughn, a licensed clinical mental health counselor at Halos Counseling.