It was a bright morning in Willowdale, but Inse’s stomach felt like it was full of butterflies. Today, he would get his math test back.
As he sat in his seat, his teacher placed the graded paper in front of him. His heart sank. A C. His lowest grade ever.
His mind filled with whispers. You’re not smart enough. You’ll never get better.
Curity, sitting beside him, saw the disappointment on his face. She leaned over. “Hey, Inse, I know you’re upset, but this is just one test. You can get better.”
Inse sighed. “I don’t know, Curity. I tried so hard, but I still didn’t do well.”
Curity smiled. “That’s just your Voice of Insecurity trying to stop you. But guess what? You don’t have to listen to it. You can act despite it. That’s what 4 TFM is all about!”
Inse frowned. “But how?”
Curity pointed outside the window at a tree. “See that tree? It didn’t start big. It had to push through the dirt, even when it was hard. It kept growing, even when the wind and rain tried to push it down. That’s what you have to do—keep going, even when your Voice of Insecurity tells you to stop.”
Inse thought about this. “So… even though I feel like I’m not good at math, I should still study and try?”
Curity nodded. “Exactly! If you act despite feeling unsure, you’ll get better.”
That afternoon, instead of giving up, Inse asked his teacher for help. He practiced every day, even when it felt hard.
Test day came again, and this time, Inse felt nervous—but he took action anyway. He focused and did his best.
When he got his test back, he saw a B. His face lit up. “I did better!”
Curity grinned. “See? You didn’t let insecurity stop you. You acted anyway—and that’s how you grow.”
As they walked home, Inse looked at the tree again. It was standing tall, reaching for the sky.
Just like him.
The End.
This story focuses on 4 TFM – Act Despite the Voice of Insecurity, teaching Inse to push through doubt by taking action! 😊
