Inse groaned as his alarm buzzed. Another morning, another battle against the voice of insecurity.
“You didn’t sleep enough,” it whispered. “What if today is a disaster?”
He pulled the blanket over his head.
Just then, a text popped up on his phone. Curity: Get up, superstar! School won’t be the same without you!
Inse sighed. He wanted to go, but that voice wouldn’t let him.
Knock knock.
Curity stood outside. “Hey, you ready?”
“Not really,” Inse admitted.
Curity leaned against the doorframe. “I used to feel the same way. But then I learned the Five Transformations. They changed everything. Want to hear?”
Inse hesitated. “Will it help?”
Curity smiled. “Guaranteed.”
Step 1: Ignore the Voice of Insecurity
“The first thing you do? Ignore the voice of insecurity. It will always have something negative to say, but you don’t have to listen.”
Inse frowned. “That’s hard.”
“Think of it like a song stuck in your head,” Curity said. “You can choose to hum along or ignore it.”
Inse nodded. “Okay, I’ll try.”
Step 2: Use It for Amusement or Inspiration
“The second step is to laugh at insecurity or use it for motivation.”
Inse tilted his head. “Laugh at it?”
Curity grinned. “Yeah! Imagine your insecurity is a tiny chicken saying, ‘Bawk bawk! Don’t go to school!’”
Inse chuckled. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Or,” Curity added, “you can turn it into fuel. When my voice of insecurity says I can’t do something, I say, ‘Watch me.’”
Inse smirked. “I like that.”
Step 3: Follow the Voice of Security
“The third step is to listen to the voice of security instead. The one that says, ‘You’ve got this.’”
Inse closed his eyes. “I’ve got this,” he whispered.
“Yes! Now let’s keep going.”
Step 4: Act, Even with Doubt
Curity helped Inse up. “The fourth step is to act, even if you still feel unsure.”
Inse stretched. “So I don’t need to feel ready first?”
“Nope,” Curity said. “Action comes first, confidence follows.”
Inse grabbed his backpack. “Alright. I’m doing this.”
Step 5: Befriend Your Inner Voice
Curity high-fived him. “The last step is to become friends with your inner voice. It’s not your enemy—it just needs guidance.”
“So instead of fighting it, I can talk to it?” Inse asked.
“Exactly,” Curity said. “You say, ‘Thanks for worrying, but I’ve got this.’”
Inse grinned. “Let’s go to school.”
As they walked, he realized—he had just shown up for himself. And every day, it would get easier.
