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Be Not Afraid

  • Writer: Cynthia Brian
    Cynthia Brian
  • 12 minutes ago
  • 6 min read

MIRACLE MOMENT®

“Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.”

~ Swedish Proverb


Thanks for reading StarStyle® Empowerment! This post is public, so feel free to share it.


A MESSAGE from Founder/Director, CYNTHIA BRIAN

We are living in a time and place that is laced with fear and anxiety. The Swedish proverb above provides a roadmap to peace and serenity. When I was writing my latest book, Flap Forward! Fly Free!, I didn’t realize how poignant and appropriate the message of this new book would be in this divisive moment. Nature and my barnyard of adopted animals have always been my inspiration and the foundation for encouraging kindness, community, and love so that we can all rise above our fears. When we need help, we need to ask for it. There is power in collaboration and cooperation. The courage to face our fears results when we work together for solutions.


Sadly, fewer Americans are opening a book just for fun. Reading for pleasure has decreased by 40% over the past 20 years, studies are showing. Also discouraging is that these studies indicate that only 2% of adults are reading to their children daily. A study, “Libraries and Well-being”, was commissioned by the New York Public Library. Libraries are essential, supportive environments for learning. The study summarized, “If you are feeling unmotivated and unconnected, the library has now been scientifically proven to improve your well-being, the perfect antidote to all the push alerts and doomscrolling that’s bringing you down.”


Read book reviews written by teens for children, teens, and adults. Visit your local library to find antidotes to your fears. Look for books that are authored by humans. The Authors Guild, of which I am a member, now certifies books that humans write instead of being generated by AI. Look for the “Human Authored” logo.


Believe in yourself, your thoughts, and your power to make change. Fear is the opposite of love. When you love more, fear dissipates.


Wishing you a safe and haunted Halloween.

Be not afraid.


With LOVE,💖

Cynthia Brian

Founder/Executive Director

Be the Star You Are!®

PO Box 376

Moraga, California 94556




FEAR IN OUR MIND

By Karen Kitchel

Halloween, for many kids, is a night of fun, sweets, and treats. For others, it is their first exposure to fear. As they walk on a darkened neighborhood street, there are ghosts dancing in the trees, and skeletons jiggling their arms and legs. Even some giant pumpkins have turned into scary creatures. However, as the poem below suggests, we often find that fear is only in our mind. Fortunately, the fun we seek often outweighs the fear on this festive night.

Halloween the night of treatsChildren roam the haunted streets,Dressed in costumes, they bravely stride,Fear may linger, yet they won’t hide,For they know one thing that is clear,The fun they seek outweighs the fear.So let this eve, with magic spun,Teach us all, when fears have won,To move beyond and findThat many times fear is only in our mind.

(Poet: Catherine Pulsifer)

Karen Kitchel is the Kindness Coordinator volunteer with BTSYA. She purchased the book, No Barnyard Bullies, as a gift for every kindergarten student where she is a volunteer teacher. www.scatteringkindness.com You can read more about Karen’s adoption story in the book Be the Star You Are! Millennials To Boomers. https://www.bethestaryouare.org/book-gift.


SUCCESSFUL PEAR AND WINE FESTIVAL

Once again, Be the Star You Are!® thanks our sponsors of the Pear and Wine Festival: The Lamorinda Weekly, MB Jessee Painting, and StarStyle® Productions, LLC. It was a beautiful day with happy attendees enjoying pear pies, BBQ, crafts, a petting zoo, and numerous booths. Our “Plant the Seeds of Literacy” program was a big draw with both adults and children planting seeds of herbs, vegetables, and flowers to take home to their gardens. Our teen volunteers are always so energetic and fun. Thank you to all who participated and supported BTSYA. https://www.bethestaryouare.org/events-1/2025-pear-and-wine-festival


CONFRONTING OUR FEARS

by Cate Taylor

Facing our fears is an important part of growing up. When we challenge ourselves to step outside of our comfort zones, we discover strengths we didn’t know we had. Confronting our fear can build confidence, but overcoming it can prove to ourselves that we are capable of so much more than we thought. It can also help reduce our anxiety. Avoiding our fears often makes them feel bigger and more scary. By facing them head-on, we take away that power and take control of our lives. I was really scared to go parasailing because I’m afraid of heights, but I decided to try it anyway. At first, I was nervous as we went up, but I slowly started to relax. By the end, I was actually having fun and felt proud that I faced my fear. This is why it’s important to face our fears and stand up to them!

Cate Taylor is a 16-year-old content creator volunteer with Be the Star You Are!® She loves to go on walks, meet new people, and read.


FLAP FORWARD! FLY FREE!: A True Tale of Courage and Community for Kids

When animals are in trouble, who comes to their rescue?

Based on a true story from Cynthia Brian’s menagerie of adopted animals, Flap Forward! Fly Free!, is the fourth book in the delightful children’s picture book series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures.

While Stella Bella is watering her garden, surrounded by her critter community, she hears the honks of Father Gander as he flails in the sky. A distraught Mother Goose, the goslings, and the barnyard buddies leap into action to help the frightened Father Gander. Through collaboration, cooperation, and courage, fear is faced with love and friendship.


This uplifting story celebrates courage, curiosity, and the joy of discovering one’s wings. With vibrant illustrations and a heartwarming message, Flap Forward! Fly Free!is perfect for young readers and families who love tales of adventure and self-discovery.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or book lover, this story inspires children to embrace their uniqueness, soar toward their dreams, and be fearless.


Flap Forward! Fly Free! has officially taken flight!


When purchased directly, proceeds benefit Be the Star You Are!® and you will receive extra goodies.. The book is also available at Amazon and at your favorite book retailers. Check out the full series, all Human Authored.


SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Check out home, garden, and lifestyle products we believe will benefit you. https://www.cynthiabrian.com/home-garden-products


FACING OUR FEARS

by Gowri Kamatchi

‘Everyone feels scared sometimes. Fear is a normal feeling that helps keep us safe, like when we look both ways before crossing the street. But some fears can hold us back from doing things we really want to try, like speaking in front of a class, learning to swim, or making new friends.


The best way to face fears is to take small steps. If you’re afraid of the dark, try using a nightlight and staying in your room a little longer each night. If something feels too big, talk about it with a parent, teacher, or friend; you don’t have to face it alone.


Every time you face a fear, you grow a little braver. Remember: being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared; it means you do it anyway. And that’s something to grow from and be proud of.’


Gowri Kamatchi is a content creator volunteer with Be the Star You Are!®. She is a 16-year-old high school junior with a deep interest in global issues, journalism, storytelling, and climate policy. Her hobbies include reading, running, and rollerblading.


RADIO BROADCASTS COMMUNICATE, COLLABORATE, AND INNOVATE

Every week under the auspices of Be the Star You Are!® charity and produced by StarStyle® Productions, LLC, listeners are encouraged and inspired on our two international radio broadcasts, StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® and Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio. StarStyle® is a lifestyle program bringing information and innovative ideas that will aid with daily living, while Express Yourself!™ is hosted by teens, for teens, with discussions about everything and anything that interests youth today. Both programs are unedited, uncensored, and unapologetically authentic.


DONATE with GIVE BUTTER


“If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” Dale Carnegie


HAPPY HALLOWEEN! STAY SAFE! HAVE FUN! BE NOT AFRAID!


Thanks for reading StarStyle® Empowerment! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

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