Fear is only as powerful as we allow it to be. I recalled one of my favourite episodes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer today and had to laugh with you about it. Enjoy!

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Picture this, a bunch of teenagers stuck in a dark mansion

It’s an old building. Scary things are happening to different people in different rooms. Everyone’s worst nightmares are coming true!

In one room, somebody’s stuck with lots of spiders attacking them. In the dark basement, this person’s walking around, barely able to see. Arms are sticking out of the floor, trying to grab them. And of course, the most common fear most of us face…loved ones either in danger, or dying off for no reason at all.

This is a scene from one of my favourite episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer

It’s Halloween and the gang is in this mansion having a party. Some idiot kid draws an occult symbol on the roof, just for the fun of it, thinking it’ll add to the whole atmosphere of Halloween.

Except, unbeknownst to them, the symbol represents some kind of a demon and energises its really scary power. And that’s why all this is happening in the house. Of course, obviously, all the doors are locked. They’re all stuck inside, so they can’t even escape.

Nearly at the end of this scary episode, they realise the only way to stop this is to chant something or whatever and manifest this demon.

The demon of fear

They have to physically manifest him, and then Buffy has to fight and kill him. So, there’s a huge build up. They’re all really scared, and getting ready to fight. They’ve gone through so much.

How powerful must this demon be to have made them experience their worst fears?

They’re ready to fight him, the gang. Willow, and everybody ready to help Buffy out, and Buffy standing in this fighting pose ready for this demon.

They zoom in on the floor where the symbol is drawn, and the demon rises up from it like, “HA HA HA HA HA HA HA”, loudly laughing.

Then they zoom out…and we see the demon is only six inches high!

He’s actually going, “hee hee hee hee hee hee hee” with a squeaky voice.

After all the build up, all the fear, Buffy looks at him and goes, “aww, he’s so cute.” Giles is like, “you have to kill him.” So she takes her foot and then just crushes him

Ka-chak! And he’s gone.

I love, love this episode of Buffy! It’s one of my top favourites. Buffy, Angel, all of it, I’ve watched the series several times. If you’re a fan, you probably have a few favourite episodes too.

Another favourite is the one where they have no voice at all. All sound has disappeared. So it’s basically a silent film. You really see the talent of all the actors. Expressions, hand movements and gestures – they show emotion and communicate so well with no voice, no dialogue at all. So it’s a lot of fun.

But yeah, but this fear demon one is my absolute favourite because it’s really, really scary. And in the end, you laugh so much.

Of course, this is true of all fears, right? In truth, it’s just this tiny little thing you don’t see, but it has such power over you!

You give it power over you, and you let it unleash havoc in your mind. You know, all the anxiety and the stressing and the worrying. Oh my God. All this is just useless, wasteful stuff.

I mean, these fears, they manifest only because they exist in your mind. You kind of experience them because they exist in your mind. All you have to do is wipe it out of your mind, squish that little fear demon, and that’s it, you don’t experience this worry, stress, anxiety and all that.

I’m part of this writing salon. It’s called New Rules Studio by Terri Trespiscio. There are a few other wonderful teachers, Daisy Florin, Christina Dexter and Serena Eastman. These are really great teachers who facilitate the writing sessions for us. And twice a week, I attend the sessions.

Yesterday evening, in Terri’s session, she gave us this prompt about how something was smaller than we imagined

And no, and this wasn’t the story I wrote. Actually, I didn’t think of Buffy at all. I thought of the Mahishasura statue at Mysore and wrote this whole other story.

I’m so happy with it, I’m going to probably read it out to you another time. Or actually, I intend to send it out on my mailing list. If you’re not on my newsletter, it’s called The Feel Good Tribe. Go here to sign up. I share a lot of entertaining stories in it and lots of tips and hacks and all kinds of stuff.

So I’m going to share the Mahishasura story there. But just now, a short while ago, I was sitting and thinking of what I’d written. “Whatever I got out onto the page in those 20 minutes, I’m very happy with it. But how can I change it a bit more and make it more meaningful?” All that. I was kind of thinking of that.

And suddenly, this memory of the Buffy episode popped up into my head! I’m like, “Oh my God, yeah, the fear demon thing!” And I immediately wanted to come here and talk to you all about this.

We all need the reminder that fear is nothing

It’s only that, it’s just fear. Yes, fear exists in us to protect us. It has a purpose in our lives. But we don’t have to add to it and build upon it. We don’t have to contribute anything.

Whatever fear exists, let it give a warning, keep you away from danger. But beyond that, don’t feed the demon.

In your business, life, creativity, wherever. Working on a project right now of any kind? Stop overthinking it, stop wondering, “if this doesn’t work out, what’ll happen? If people don’t like this, what’ll happen? If this business isn’t successful, what’ll happen to me?” All these thoughts that keep on coming, right?

Just remember the fear demon from Buffy, and then think of her squishing it

Stomp on that demon! Symbolically. Stand up and press one foot down onto the floor like chapak! Then say…

“The fear is gone. I have squished it! Now, time to keep continuing with my business, my work, creativity, whatever I’m doing.”

And just get on with it. That’s it.

All right! Here is me squishing my fear demon that you may not find this episode fun. hahaha Thank you so much for listening! Talk to you again next week. And yeah, don’t forget to sign up to my newsletter, The Feel Good Tribe.

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Susmitha Veganosaurus

“I read voraciously, find humour in most things, and I’m most in my element when I’m teaching, writing, and playing with clay. I believe authenticity and kindness are the key to a joyful world. Sign up for my free newsletterwhere I share Life and Business Tips, Vegan Hacks, Holistic Guidance, and more.

Vegan cuisine and holistic business building are my two biggest passions. If you’re looking for guidance with vegan cooking, or want to grow your conscious business with joy and fulfilment, explore ways we can work together here.”

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