Honors students attend lecture on "Leading Fearlessly"

Darryl Bellamy Jr. travels all over the country to give speeches to college students about leading fearlessly, and it was just this past week that he came to Ashland University. He energized the crowd through his charisma, while simultaneously involving everyone in his conversation. He was able to relate to the entire crowd, which is what made his speech such a success among the students.

When Darryl started off his presentation by running around the room to DJ Kahled’s All I Do Is Win, I instantly knew that this was not the lecture that I expected. My friends and I were worried that the presenter would stand up at the podium for an hour and drone on about how to be a good leader. We were wrong.

He had everyone write down what they feared the most on a card. We then placed those cards into the “fire pit”. This symbolic act showed everyone that those fears that seem to be imbedded deep within ourselves can really be uprooted and burned. They only hold us back when we want to move forward, and every time we do something that pushes the boundaries of our comfort zones, we become stronger.

Darryl was able to get me excited, laugh, and ugly cry all in a matter of ten minutes during the most meaningful parts of his presentation. I will always remember his demonstration that you are not alone in what you are going through. He told us that he was going to say a few statements and ask us a few questions. He wanted us to stand up if they resonated with us at all. Right before he began, he shut the lights off and the room went dark.

It was so dark that you knew you were surrounded by other people, but you could not see their faces. His calming voice and the darkness made it feel like a safe and comfortable space. He started by listing a few common fears having to do with family, academics, sports, our futures, etc. A lot of people stood up and you could hear some laughing and whispering throughout the room.

Darryl then asked if anyone had ever lost someone close to them. The room went silent. Most of the people around me stood up, but the emotions did not start to kick in until his next question. He continued by asking us to stay standing if the cause was due to suicide, drug overdose, car accident, homicide, cancer, and other heart-wrenching deaths that you hear about on the news and in headlines. With myself being part of a family where mental health problems and cancer seem to be a tragic trend, the amount of people that stayed standing was overwhelming. It shook me to my core.

I was a mess. Other people were a mess. He asked us to turn to the people next to them and give them a hug and, boy, I needed that. He stressed that nobody is alone, and I believed him. “You are not alone” is something you hear from guidance counselors, family members, friends, teachers, on the posters teachers put up in their classrooms, on social media, but I do not think I truly believed it until Darryl showed me that I was not alone. We are all connected, somehow, someway. I finally understood that while my fears are valid, they cannot dictate my life if I do not let them.

I especially appreciated how open Darryl was with hearing from us. He gave us his contact information, even his personal cell phone number, and encouraged us to text him with anything that was on our mind. He also gave everyone a black bracelet with the words ‘I’m fearless inside’ inscribed on the inside. I wear it daily as a reminder to never let fear consume me and to never stop trying to achieve my goals, and I notice it worn by my peers as well.

Darryl Bellamy Jr made a lasting impact not only on me, but on everyone who attended. When he wrapped up his presentation, the entire crowd erupted into cheers. He was energetic and charming, and everyone was soaking up what he had to say. Overall, the lecture was something I wish I could attend annually. It was the perfect pick-me-up during the first couple weeks of classes. Although what I explained sounds depressing, the message was loud. You are not alone. You are one fearless decision away. Act fast (5 seconds fast, to be exact).

Authored by: Molly Gregory and Ardith Amon