Hold Hands with Fear
Do you feel a push to do something different? To break away from whatever your grind is and inject fun, or creativity, or maybe just reconnect with who you once were?
You know that feeling. It's like a hand on your back redirecting and guiding you toward a new path. It fills you with a craving for newness, but it's also pointing you in a terrifying direction. Why is it so hard? Because, as Elizabeth Gilbert writes, "Creative living is a path for the brave. We all know this. And we all know that when courage dies, creativity dies with it."
Fear can be the most crippling thing for me when it comes to being successful, especially as an entrepreneur. And most especially as a LuLaRoe Retailer. I am afraid to go live at the wrong time. I'm afraid of what people will think when I approach a stranger with my card. I'm afraid to make a mistake. I am afraid to fail.
Fear can cripple our drive and paralyze our growth. From the book "Big Magic," here are some of the very real fears we all have that keep us from living out our creativity:
You're afraid everybody else already did it better.
You're afraid your dreams are embarrassing.
You're afraid you don't have the right kind of work space, or financial freedom, or empty hours in which to focus on invention or exploration.
You're afraid you're too old to start.
You're afraid you're too young to start.
You're afraid because nothing has ever gone well in your life, so why bother trying?
You're afraid you'll be rejected or criticized or ridiculed or misunderstood or - worst of all - ignored.
Those fears are very real, but we can embrace them. We can invite our fear along for the ride, but refuse to let it take the wheel. Bravery means doing something scary. Because on the other side of scary is where all the good things happen.
You have permission to acknowledge those very real fears. And then grab them by the hand while you push through and own your awesomeness. You will never know just how much good awaits you unless your willing to hold hands with Fear.