I’ve just returned from three transformative weeks in Mexico - a journey of inner work, deep receiving, and exploration. One experience that stayed with me, while staying at a remote jungle retreat, was a trip into an ancient underground cave in the Yucatan, led by a lovely Mayan guide.

Descending into the cave was like stepping into another world, pitch black, surrounded by stone stalagmites and stalactites. The air was thick with history, mystery, and a pulse of something unseen.

My friend and I held hands in a circle for two, and our guide invited us to bring to mind something we feared. My first thought was a snake. I’ve been petrified of snakes since childhood, a primal, gut-level fear. I tried to find something “bigger,” a deeper fear that felt more meaningful, but the image of that snake kept creeping back.

After a Mayan prayer and a ritual to release our fears, our guide turned off the flashlight, bringing us into total darkness. Then he switched the light on - and right there, coiled in the rock in front of my face, was a small snake.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or scream.

He said, “This snake is your protector, here to show you there is nothing to be afraid of.” He told us he had worked on this land for years and had never seen a snake in this cave before. Its presence was rare, a sign, a guardian.

In that moment, standing face to face with my living nightmare, the strangest thing happened: I wasn’t afraid.

The worst-case scenario I had imagined, being alone in a dark cave with a snake, happened. And I was okay.

That moment taught me something powerful. As Franklin D. Roosevelt said:
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Most of the fears we carry are bigger in our minds than in reality. Fear grows when we avoid the things we’re afraid of, whether it’s failure, judgment, rejection, or the fear of being seen or not being seen.

We all have feelings we are afraid to feel (anger, vulnerability, shame or even joy) that, like the snake, feel scary and out of our control, but what we resist persists.

But when we face our fears head-on and take the action we’ve been avoiding or feel our feelings, it is incredibly powerful and transformative.

It’s in these moments that we meet parts of ourselves we thought we couldn’t handle, and we become our own hero in the hero’s journey.

As Joseph Campbell once said:
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

So, I invite you to pause and reflect on these journal questions:

What is one fear (or feeling) you’ve been avoiding, the one that feels like it’s keeping you stuck?
When it shows up, how do you react?
What might happen if you gave yourself permission to lean into it, even just a little?
What’s one small step you could take today to move forward?
What could be the treasure you find on the other side of fear?

Lean in. You might just find the fear isn’t as big as you thought, and on the other side is freedom.

Simone 

P.S.

I know that for many men, the idea of doing inner work can feel uncomfortable, even confronting. It takes courage to lean into parts of ourselves, but this is where the growth is. If you're curious about a co-led Men’s Coaching Program (or know other men who are), join the priority list to find out more.