When was the Last Time You Jumped Off a Cliff?

Being scared is . . . well, scary, right?

Unless you are a unicorn, you probably don’t like the feeling of being scared. It is the number one thing holding us back from taking that step, that keeps us frozen on the edge of the cliff. . . peering over, but not daring to take that step forward.

I’m about to do some scary things and I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty darn uncomfortable, BUT excited at the same time.

When was the last time you were a little, or a lot scared or uncomfortable?

I remember my first day in law school going to a meet and greet and only knowing one person - and not very well at that! Scared to death. . .

I remember how scared and nervous I was teaching my first aerobics class, worrying about the music, the timing, the cues and giving the class a good experience. Nervous as a cat. . .

I remember shaking in my black pumps, standing in front of a jury during my first trial. Honestly, you could see me shaking. . .

Some of these scary events date waaaay back.

Then there was hitting publish on my first blog post. How was I to write a blog?

And then there was bigger, real fears when I found myself making decisions for my three sons and myself. I worried endlessly about making the wrong decisions.

We can have a lot in our lives that can make us scared. We can also find a lot of ways to NOT face our fears and stay in the SAME spot. But, if you’ve been around here for any time, you know that’s not my message. We do not need to do that. We can’t! Life is far too precious.

I have discovered that every. single. time. I’ve done the scary thing it always turns out Better than I expected. It may not seem so at first, and it may be painful in the process and it may take a while, but this is true. Added bonus, it makes the next New thing LESS scary. Getting out of your comfort zone and standing on that cliff builds resilience. You get braver and stronger and better. Also, almost every single time, the scary thing is not as scary as we build it up to be in our minds and is, typically, not a life or death step. Don’t get me wrong, it may be really important and life changing, but typically we survive and are able to take a new step forward.

The photo above was taken recently at a business conference I was asked to participate in. Can I tell you how scared I was? I’m not a business woman. I do not have a business degree, but there I was in a room full of super smart accomplished women and it was one of my most favorite days of the year. It has also lead to other speaking opportunities so I am so glad I didn’t let my fear hold me back from participating.

Anytime you hit a new season of life you have an opportunity for change. Yes, it can be scary and a scary time, but I know you are stronger, more creative and resilient than you know. That cliff, new job, stage, new relationship, new hobby, new class, or what ever is in front of you, is there for a reason. . . waiting for you.

If you are finding yourself on that edge, in a new season with new challenges, let me know how I can support you. Simply reply to this email.

The picture below is from a time I did jump off a real live cliff . . . and it was SPECTACULAR!