Speaker Jeff Levin Encourages Saints To Fight FOMU & Become Who You Are

On Tuesday, October 14, all Canterbury students gathered in Maguire Auditorium for the year’s first guest speaker hosted by the D’Amour Center for Faith, Service, and Justice. As they filed in, they were uncertain of exactly what sort of assembly they were getting themselves into. “Before the presentation, a few students asked if it would be boring,” muses Academic Counselor Mia Brown, who was familiar with the presenter, to which she replied: “Nope! It will be like nothing you’ve ever seen!” Inside, they were introduced to Jeff Levin, whose down-to-earth and compassionate approach offered a fresh perspective on the difficulties of being a teenager and how to be vulnerable enough to find yourself through community.

Jeff Levin is a New Hampshire and Boston-based life coach and psychotherapist with more than 40 years of experience. He specializes in helping teens and young adults develop social-emotional skills, reduce stress, and increase confidence. His workshops have helped athletes, students, businesses, and families pursue joy, connection, and confidence in an increasingly complicated world.

Jeff took the stage for an energetic but serious discussion about combating the doubts and self-criticism that can get in our way and keep us from seeing ourselves fully. Everybody, he explained, is more than just one thing—a student, an athlete, a son or daughter—and we can’t let fear hold us back from exploring all of those roles fully, even if we stumble in that process.

“He talked about something called FOMU, which stands for ‘fear of messing up,’” says Hailey Farace ’27. “I connected that idea to sports and how I could let that fear of making mistakes affect how I perform on the ice, on the field, or even in my everyday life.

So how do we fight FOMU? By allowing ourselves to be vulnerable with one another.

“You need to make this place an enclave of connection,” he told the audience. He encouraged students to ground themselves—in prayer, meditation, or other moments of quiet reflection—to unplug, and to be authentic in their relationships. Part of that is actually telling other people what it is you appreciate about them, which can be awkward at first, but gets easier with practice.

Ultimately, this message is one intended to promote more than just stress relief and connection-building: these are just first steps in allowing ourselves to become who we’re called to be. 

“Jeff pushed kids' comfort zones and humanized their peers and faculty, which is something that can be lacking these days,” says Ms. Brown. “It challenged their rigid beliefs and gave them new ways to think and different perspectives to explore. What stood out to me was getting both students and faculty involved and creating an environment where being vulnerable was okay and was expected.”

The talk ended with Jeff and Chase Sukow ’27 breaking out their guitars for a rendition of “Lean On Me.” Eventually, a large portion of the audience began to sing along.

“I think this presentation was valuable to the Canterbury community,” says Hailey. “Learning more about mental health and anxiety can positively impact everyone on campus, as both students and athletes with busy schedules.”

“I think the students understood that you don’t have to constantly battle with your inner critic,” Ms. Brown notes. “You can let go and live authentically. That’s the key to thriving and living happier and lighter.”

View Photos