Insecurity is such a waste of time.

Catherine O’Hara, with the clarity of one who has seen both triumph and trial, declared: “Insecurity is such a waste of time.” Though her words are few, they strike like the sound of a bell in the still night, ringing with wisdom that generations may carry forward. For what is insecurity but a chain of the mind, a thief of hours, a shadow that obscures the light of our strength? And what is time but the most precious gift, fleeting as mist and never to be reclaimed once lost? To waste it upon doubt is to betray both ourselves and the destiny we were born to fulfill.

The ancients knew well the danger of the doubting spirit. They told tales of warriors who faltered not because of the strength of their enemies, but because they questioned their own worth. The philosopher Seneca wrote that “we suffer more in imagination than in reality.” In this, he warned that insecurity devours life not with blows, but with whispers—convincing us that we are too small, too weak, too unworthy. Catherine O’Hara echoes this same wisdom: while we stand hesitant, time marches on, unmoved by our trembling.

History offers us vivid examples. Consider Joan of Arc, a young girl who might have been paralyzed by insecurity when voices called her to lead armies and stand before kings. She could have said, “I am only a peasant, I am only a child, I am only a woman.” But she refused to waste her years in hesitation. She stepped forward, armored not only with steel but with conviction. Though her life was short, it was full—proof that boldness can achieve what doubt could never dream.

The truth hidden in O’Hara’s words is also this: insecurity is an illusion, a ghost conjured by comparison and fear. It tells us others are stronger, better, more worthy, but it blinds us to the gifts that are uniquely ours. While we linger in its shadow, we do not grow, we do not create, we do not live. The tragedy of insecurity is not that it is painful, but that it steals from us the chance to leave our mark upon the world.

Yet the cure lies within reach. To overcome insecurity, one must act. Each step taken, no matter how small, dissolves the power of doubt. The orator finds his voice not by rehearsing endlessly in silence, but by speaking. The painter defeats insecurity by putting brush to canvas, even when the hand shakes. The soul learns courage only by stepping into the very arena it fears. Thus, action is the sword that slays the shadow of insecurity.

The lesson is clear: do not squander your days bowing to hesitation. Life is too short, and the world too vast, to waste your strength on chains of the mind. Instead, rise boldly, even in imperfection. Let mistakes be teachers, not terrors. Let failures be steps, not shackles. Insecurity drains, but courage creates.

Therefore, O traveler of time, take Catherine O’Hara’s words as a commandment: do not waste the hours of your life in self-doubt. The world needs your voice, your strength, your vision. Cast off the shadow, for every moment surrendered to insecurity is a moment lost forever. Use your time instead to grow, to give, to rise. In this way, you will not only conquer fear—you will honor the gift of life itself.