The Hidden Gifts of Trust: A Child’s Journey from Fear to Joy

Trusting the Unseen: A Lesson in Faith and Fear

Trust is easy to talk about but much harder to live—especially when the stakes feel personal.

This week, I witnessed that delicate dance between trust and fear through my daughter’s eyes. As her birthday approached, she grappled with a question many of us, deep down, have asked ourselves: Can I trust that what I hope for is coming—even when I can’t see it yet?

About a month ago, we purchased a pastel-colored laptop for her—a necessary tool for school next year. It wasn’t her chosen birthday gift, but she understood the practicality and appreciated the gesture. Still, as her actual birthday drew closer, uncertainty began to creep in.

“I haven’t seen any gifts disappear from my Amazon list,” she mentioned one afternoon, trying to sound casual. “Did you share it with anyone?”

Two days before her birthday, she couldn’t contain her worry any longer. She confessed, “Mama, I looked where you and Papa usually hide presents… and there’s nothing there. Am I going to get any more gifts?”

I smiled and gently reminded her: Trust.

On the morning of her birthday, her face lit up with delight. She received gifts she had hoped for and several surprises she hadn’t even imagined. Later that day, as we ran a few simple errands, she was showered with even more little treasures at her favorite shops. What she had feared might not happen actually exceeded her expectations.

Watching her journey from doubt to delight reminded me of three powerful lessons—lessons that don’t just apply to birthdays, but to dreams, business, and life:

1. Set the Intention.

One of my mentors, Fatima, used to say, “Setting an intention is like sending an army of angels ahead of you to prepare the stage.” My daughter had planted the seeds of joy and celebration long before anything visible arrived. In life and business, clear intention acts like a magnet. It organizes energy in ways we can’t always immediately perceive.

2. You Have to Ask.

Trust isn’t passive. It invites our participation. My daughter had created her wish list and voiced her excitement out loud. Similarly, in our personal and professional lives, asking—boldly and without hesitation—is how we invite new realities. Without asking, many opportunities remain just out of reach.

3. Trust Is Louder Than Fear.

But only if we allow it to be. Our brain’s amygdala is hardwired to protect us from change, interpreting the unknown as a potential threat. It offers countless reasons and excuses to stay put—to delay, to overthink, to doubt. It’s subtle. It feels logical. And that’s why it’s so easy to miss: it becomes our blind spot.

We see this not just in birthdays, but everywhere—in the dream trips we don’t book, the courses we hesitate to enroll in, the opportunities we talk ourselves out of. Often, it’s not a lack of opportunity—it’s the internal story we listen to.

As I explored in this article about the power of decision, every choice we make shapes the life we are building. The real question isn’t just what you are choosing—but where you are choosing from: fear, or possibility.

Additionally, for an inspiring conversation about embracing courage and shifting your mindset toward abundance, you can listen to this episode of The Courage To Be™ podcast: 118: Is Your Intuition Leading You Astray? with Lauren Kester.

At the time, it can be hard to see how the dots will ever connect. But trust knows: every act of faith plants a seed.

Every yes to ourselves sets something bigger into motion, even if we can’t see it yet.

The question is simple—but the choice is profound:

Are you letting trust lead you… or are you letting fear keep you small?

To your success and abundance!

Tania

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