--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dear Brave People, I realise that it…" description: "\"“Dear Brave People, I realise that it appears I'm fearless. I can make that presentation with ease, I can stand near the edge of the cliff and look dow..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/emily-trunko-29105_afraid-of-change_dear-brave-people-i-realise-that-it-appe_1219912.jpg" --- # Dear Brave People, I realise that it appears I'm fearless… ![“Dear Brave People, I realise that it appears I'm fearless. I can make that presentation with ease, I can stand near the edge of the cliff and look down, and I can befriend that spider in the bathroom. (He's called Steve). But recently I've realised that's not what makes people brave. Brave has a…” quote by Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/emily-trunko-29105_afraid-of-change_dear-brave-people-i-realise-that-it-appe_1219912.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/emily-trunko-29105_afraid-of-change_dear-brave-people-i-realise-that-it-appe_1219912.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/emily-trunko-29105_afraid-of-change_dear-brave-people-i-realise-that-it-appe_1219912.jpg) > ““Dear Brave People, I realise that it appears I'm fearless. I can make that presentation with ease, I can stand near the edge of the cliff and look down, and I can befriend that spider in the bathroom. (He's called Steve). But recently I've realised that's not what makes people brave. Brave has a different meaning. I'm afraid of people leaving. After I watched my best friend become someone else's and I was forced into befriending my childhood bully, I realised I don't want to let myself go through this again. I see my fear come through when questioning my boyfriend;s affections. I see it when I distance myself from my friends who are going to leave for university. Isee it in my overanalysis of my parents' relationship and paranoia over a possible divorce. I don't want to be alone. I'm afraid of failure. I aced my exams and the bar has moved up again. I have those high expectations along with everyone else, but I know now that maybe the tower is just too tall, and I should've built stronger foundations. I act like I know what I'm doing, but really I'm drifting away from the shore faster and faster. I don't want to let anyone down. I'm afraid of change. I don't know where I lie anymore. I thought I knew what to do in my future, but I can't bear to think that I'm now not so sure. I thought I was completely straight, but now it's internal agony as I'm not so sure. Turns out I thought a lot of things. I don't want my life to not be the way I expected. I may not be scared of crowds. Or the dark. Or small spaces. But I am afraid. I am afraid of responsibility; I am afraid of not living up to expectations, of the changing future, of growing up, not knowing, sex, relationships, hardship, secrets, grades, judgment, falling short, loneliness, change, confusion, arguments, curiosity, love, hate, losing, pressure, differences, honesty, lies. I am afraid of me. Yet, despite this, I know I am brave. I know I am brave because I've accepted my invisible fears and haven't let them overcome me. I want you to know that you're brave because you know your fears. You're brave because you introduced yourself. You're brave because you said "No, I don't understand." You're brave because you're here. I hope you can learn from me and be brave in your own way. I know I am. -B”” [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reveals that bravery is not about fearlessness but confronting deep insecurities and fear of loss, failure, and change. **In simple terms:** Bravery means facing hidden fears and uncertainty. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and work through underlying anxieties. Themes self-awareness vulnerability growth relationships expectations Mood anxious reflective hopeful Type personal motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - relationship doubts - family dynamics - personal development - mental health Key Concepts psychology identity fear courage Questions to Reflect On - How can you differentiate between healthy caution and paralyzing fear? - What steps can you take to build a stronger emotional foundation? A Different Perspective The narrative may overgeneralize personal feelings as universal truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid of change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-of-change/) [Afraid of failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-of-failure/) [Best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [High expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-expectations/) [People leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-leaving/) [Small spaces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-spaces/) ## Related quotes > [“I don't want my life to not be the way I expected. I may not be scared of crowds. Or the dark. Or small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/i-don-t-want-my-life-to-not-be-the-way-i-expected-i-may-not-be-scared/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [All men have fears, but the brave put down their fears and go forward, sometimes to death, but always to victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/all-men-have-fears-but-the-brave-put-down-their-fears-and-go-forward-2/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Fears of the brave and follies of the wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/fears-of-the-brave-and-follies-of-the-wise/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“All men have fears, but the brave put down their fears and go forward, sometimes to death, but always to victory” was the motto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/all-men-have-fears-but-the-brave-put-down-their-fears-and-go-forward/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“I told her she was brave and she said, "I'm not brave, I'm in love." Ha. Same goddamn thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/i-told-her-she-was-brave-and-she-said-i-m-not-brave-i-m-in-love-ha/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [“It wasn’t brave because he wasn’t scared: it was the only thing he could do. But going back again to get his glasses, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-wasn-t-brave-because-he-wasn-t-scared-it-was-the-only-thing-he/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [It is very hard to be brave," said Piglet, sniffing slightly, "when you're only a Very Small Animal." Rabbit, who had begun to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-hoff/it-is-very-hard-to-be-brave-said-piglet-sniffing-slightly-when-you-re/) [Benjamin Hoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-hoff/) > [“They’re so brave," she said. "They’re all dead." "Only a coward would think of that," she said scornfully.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/they-re-so-brave-she-said-they-re-all-dead-only-a-coward-would-think/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“But if there's nothing scary, there's nothing to be brave about," said Henry, "And a knight must be brave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-trafton/but-if-there-s-nothing-scary-there-s-nothing-to-be-brave-about-said/) Jennifer Trafton > [Tessa touched his wrist lightly with her hand. "Be brave," she said. "It's not a duck, is it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/tessa-touched-his-wrist-lightly-with-her-hand-be-brave-she-said-it-s/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Im used to people leaving me after they found someone new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-used-to-people-leaving-me-after-they-found-someone-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want to have to miss all the people I'm leaving behind when I go to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-have-to-miss-all-the-people-i-m-leaving-behind-when-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Near Taksim he suddenly found himself inside a crowd of people leaving a movie theater. They were staring straight ahead, as if in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/near-taksim-he-suddenly-found-himself-inside-a-crowd-of-people/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I was always holding onto people, and they were always leaving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-always-holding-onto-people-and-they-were-always-leaving/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I contemplated how I was going to get through the rest of the day and felt the onset of a terror I thought I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-godwin/i-contemplated-how-i-was-going-to-get-through-the-rest-of-the-day-and/) [Gail Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-godwin/) ## More by Emily Trunko > [“Dear 18-Year-Old Self, Slow down -- everything is going to be fine. You aren't going to fail at anything you care about or anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-18-year-old-self-slow-down-everything-is-going-to-be-fine-you/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“For the broken hearts, I promise it gets better. I promise that the minutes and hours will go by faster and that the ache…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/for-the-broken-hearts-i-promise-it-gets-better-i-promise-that-the/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“You have to let me go. You have to let me let you go. C”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/you-have-to-let-me-go-you-have-to-let-me-let-you-go-c/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“Dear my older brother, I understand you love me, that you care for your little sister. I remember you beat up a bully once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-my-older-brother-i-understand-you-love-me-that-you-care-for-your/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“Dear whoever is reading this, I wish I could find a way to take all of your sadness away and replace it with happiness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-whoever-is-reading-this-i-wish-i-could-find-a-way-to-take-all-of/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“Dear World, I'm not quiet because I'm shy. I'm quiet because everywaking minute there are thousands of thoughts swirling around in my head. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-world-i-m-not-quiet-because-i-m-shy-i-m-quiet-because/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“Dear Mama, Whenever I would come home, no matter how long it had been, you would react the same way: the second you heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-mama-whenever-i-would-come-home-no-matter-how-long-it-had-been/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“M, I love you like Deadpool loves Batman. He doesn't. But even if he did, they're from completely different universes. --R”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/m-i-love-you-like-deadpool-loves-batman-he-doesn-t-but-even-if-he-did/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“Dear S, I guess it's too late now. You're off doing what you always told me you've dreamed of doing, and I'm here doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-s-i-guess-it-s-too-late-now-you-re-off-doing-what-you-always/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“Dear you, Yes, you. The person reading this right now. If you're anything like me, sometimes you might feel like you don't matter. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-you-yes-you-the-person-reading-this-right-now-if-you-re-anything/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“To whoever will listen. I've been thinking about black holes a lot. How their gravity is so strong it bends time and space. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/to-whoever-will-listen-i-ve-been-thinking-about-black-holes-a-lot-how/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“A, It scares me sometimes, how much my happiness relies on you. It scares me because I know there will be a time when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/a-it-scares-me-sometimes-how-much-my-happiness-relies-on-you-it/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“Dear S, This is so shitty of me to say or do but I literally think about you every day. Ever since we got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-s-this-is-so-shitty-of-me-to-say-or-do-but-i-literally-think/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“Dear Madeline, I miss you. I never got to meet you. I never heard your voice and I never saw your smile. Though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-madeline-i-miss-you-i-never-got-to-meet-you-i-never-heard-your/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) > [“I don't want my life to not be the way I expected. I may not be scared of crowds. Or the dark. Or small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/i-don-t-want-my-life-to-not-be-the-way-i-expected-i-may-not-be-scared/) [Emily Trunko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) [Explore all 17 Emily Trunko quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-trunko/) ## More Afraid of change quotes > [Don't be afraid of change. you may lose something good, but you may gain something even better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-afraid-of-change-you-may-lose-something-good-but-you-may/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We can't be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c-2/we-can-t-be-afraid-of-change-you-may-feel-very-secure-in-the-pond/) [C JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c-2/) > [Habit is necessary. It is the habit of having habits, of turning a trail into a rut, that must be incessantly fought against if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/habit-is-necessary-it-is-the-habit-of-having-habits-of-turning-a/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Ignorance is always afraid of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/ignorance-is-always-afraid-of-change/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [Cherish every second never let a day go by without self-improvement, also never be afraid of change, your whole life will pass you by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonyg/cherish-every-second-never-let-a-day-go-by-without-self-improvement/) [Tonyg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonyg/) > [One can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-can-remain-alive-long-past-the-usual-date-of-disintegration-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They think the government shows people everything —how to work, study, eat, sleep and that’s it. They are afraid of change. They do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-krotov/they-think-the-government-shows-people-everything-how-to-work-study/) Anton Krotov > [It's kind of depressing when you hear the anti-science rhetoric in America, but I think that people are just afraid of change, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/it-s-kind-of-depressing-when-you-hear-the-anti-science-rhetoric-in/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) > [Most people are afraid of change. But if you look at it as something you can always count on, then it can be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/most-people-are-afraid-of-change-but-if-you-look-at-it-as-something/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [You can't be afraid of change, especially if it's for the better, for your own advancement..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-be-afraid-of-change-especially-if-it-s-for-the-better-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As much as we pretend otherwise, we want what's comfortable, and we're afraid of the different. We're afraid of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gehry/as-much-as-we-pretend-otherwise-we-want-what-s-comfortable-and-we-re/) [Frank Gehry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gehry/) > [“What if I told you 10 years from now your life would be exactly the same? Doubt you'd be happy. So, why are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/what-if-i-told-you-10-years-from-now-your-life-would-be-exactly-the/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [As much as people say they love change, they love it when you change - not when you want them to change. Even when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/safra-a-catz/as-much-as-people-say-they-love-change-they-love-it-when-you-change/) [Safra A. Catz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/safra-a-catz/) > [“Don't be afraid of change. You may lose something good, but you will gain something better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-camilleri/don-t-be-afraid-of-change-you-may-lose-something-good-but-you-will/) Josef Camilleri > [It's simple-minded people like that, the ones that are afraid of change, they use everything in their power to defend what they stand up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubba-wallace/it-s-simple-minded-people-like-that-the-ones-that-are-afraid-of/) [Bubba Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bubba-wallace/) [Browse all 94 Afraid of change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-of-change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Dear Brave People, I realise that it appears I'm fearless. I can make that presentation with ease, I can stand near the edge of the cliff and look down, and I can befriend that spider in the bathroom. (He's called Steve). But recently I've realised that's not what makes people brave. Brave has a different meaning. I'm afraid of people leaving. After I watched my best friend become someone else's and I was forced into befriending my childhood bully, I realised I don't want to let myself go through this again. I see my fear come through when questioning my boyfriend;s affections. I see it when I distance myself from my friends who are going to leave for university. Isee it in my overanalysis of my parents' relationship and paranoia over a possible divorce. I don't want to be alone. I'm afraid of failure. I aced my exams and the bar has moved up again. I have those high expectations along with everyone else, but I know now that maybe the tower is just too tall, and I should've built stronger foundations. I act like I know what I'm doing, but really I'm drifting away from the shore faster and faster. I don't want to let anyone down. I'm afraid of change. I don't know where I lie anymore. I thought I knew what to do in my future, but I can't bear to think that I'm now not so sure. I thought I was completely straight, but now it's internal agony as I'm not so sure. Turns out I thought a lot of things. I don't want my life to not be the way I expected. I may not be scared of crowds. Or the dark. Or small spaces. But I am afraid. I am afraid of responsibility; I am afraid of not living up to expectations, of the changing future, of growing up, not knowing, sex, relationships, hardship, secrets, grades, judgment, falling short, loneliness, change, confusion, arguments, curiosity, love, hate, losing, pressure, differences, honesty, lies. I am afraid of me. Yet, despite this, I know I am brave. I know I am brave because I've accepted my invisible fears and haven't let them overcome me. I want you to know that you're brave because you know your fears. You're brave because you introduced yourself. You're brave because you said \"No, I don't understand.\" You're brave because you're here. I hope you can learn from me and be brave in your own way. I know I am. -B”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily Trunko" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-brave-people-i-realise-that-it-appears-i-m-fearless-i-can-make/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid of change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-trunko/dear-brave-people-i-realise-that-it-appears-i-m-fearless-i-can-make/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/emily-trunko-29105_afraid-of-change_dear-brave-people-i-realise-that-it-appe_1219912.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/emily-trunko-29105_afraid-of-change_dear-brave-people-i-realise-that-it-appe_1219912.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/emily-trunko-29105_afraid-of-change_dear-brave-people-i-realise-that-it-appe_1219912.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Dear Brave People, I realise that it appears I'm fearless. 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