Naomi Klein

Dismantling Fear, One Narrow Habit First

Translate the idea into a compact experiment. Day 1: Name one narrow fear habit (for example, postponing tough emails). Day 2: Define a 2-minute version of the opposite action and set a daily cue. Day 3: Recruit an accountability partner; send a daily completion text. Day 4: Add a tiny reward you will actually feel—tea, a walk, a song. Day 5: Slightly widen the action (two emails, a longer question). Day 6: Note evidence you survived and what improved. Day 7: Decide whether to stabilize the new habit or graduate to the next fear. With each loop completed, you teach yourself a sturdier story: courage grows by repetition, and the first narrow crack is how the wall begins to fall. [...]

Transforming Fear: How Action Gives Anxiety a Home

Ultimately, Klein’s words are a rallying point for courage. By choosing action rather than avoidance, individuals and communities can reshape their relationship with fear—making it a ‘permanent host’ only insofar as it inspires ongoing vigilance and determination. In times of political unrest or environmental crisis, such as those Klein often writes about, this philosophy offers a blueprint for converting anxiety into sustained, purposeful resistance and hope. [...]