More prepared, less scared! A few decades ago, I began my personal development journey. One of the first books I read was "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey. It taught me many lessons, including the concept of the circle of influence and circle of concern. The circle of concern is always bigger than the circle of influence. That's just life. However, you can do things to make your circle of influence a bit larger. It will never surpass the circle of concern because concerns come in many forms. Even wealthy people can't escape health or love concerns, which money can't completely buy. One way to change the size of your circle of influence is by investing in your growth and preparation. We can learn from squirrels that being more prepared makes us less scared of unpredictability and uncertainty. Squirrels are fast, vigilant, balanced, and agile, but they also plan for winter months when it's harder to find food. During summer, squirrels collect nuts and food to survive and thrive during winter. This is one example of what we can learn from them. If you have a beginner's mindset, use the above as an example of how we can learn from anything and everything in life. You can learn from dogs, nature, friends, loved ones, kids, elders—everyone! When you invest in your growth, you become more prepared. You'll never be 100% prepared, but you'll be better equipped to face life's uncertainties and unpredictable nature. Photo Credit: @shashib