You dream of writing a book and becoming a published author.
You have a business idea you know fills a huge gap.
You have a unique way to solve a common problem that you want to share with the world.
You have a knack for creating things and you want to sell them for money.
Are you gonna do it?
Heck no. Leaving your predictable, safe, if not boring current reality to go after something exciting but risky and impractical? NOT WORTH IT.
But what if you succeed?
What if you find happiness?
What if it works and you get to live your dreams, feeling inspired, excited and lit up every day?
The only way to find out (no matter how much planning, forecasting and risk mitigation you might want to do) is to take a leap of faith.
At a certain point, the only thing left to do is to step into the unknown and see what happens.
But how do you do that? How do you get to the point where you’re able to put the fear aside and just go for it?
I talked to a couple of women about their leaps of faith and I know their stories will empower you to take one step closer to making your own.
Maude Robitaille of Ora - DIY & Crafts, an open creative studio providing tools, supplies and inspiration to learn new arts and crafts, chose to pursue her business idea with her partner, Eric Harrison. It meant leaving her full-time job in Montreal, as well as her family and friends behind to come to Calgary, a city she had only visited once before.
Pursuing her business idea was a risk that meant stepping away from everything she had ever known.
Kari Klein, coach of This Life, made a leap when she shifted away from a steady chiropractic practice, to a home-based practice while building her coaching business. It meant a big financial risk and a risk of losing the clients and practice she had spent 10 years building up as a chiropractor.
“Truly, I was terrified,” says Kari. “I recall several snotty-nosed cry sessions wondering if I could really pull this off and not financially cripple our family again. For me the feeling was like being pressed up so hard against a pane of glass that I couldn't breathe.”
For Kari, she made the leap when the pain of staying status-quo became more emotionally painful than going for her dream.
Maude knew if she didn’t act on her business idea right away, that she would feel terrible.
Both women describe the powerful feelings of excitement, relief and fulfillment they found after facing their fears.
“The fear of going for your dreams can manifest in many ways, ranging from stress and anxiety to absolute exhilaration,” says Maude.
“It was like I could take this huge breath and a feeling of lightness washed over me. It's amazing how hard I fought the leap, when the release was so wonderful on the other side,” says Kari.
But the fear isn’t something that ever goes away, really. And doing what you love, no matter how close to or far from the beaten path you are, requires many, continual leaps of faith. Everyone develops their own strategies to help them get through it.
For Maude, being pragmatic and having a partner she can rely on helps. Also, knowing the benefits she brings to her clients makes it all worthwhile.
Kari pushes through the fear by focusing on her own thoughts and state of mind and trusting her inner wisdom. She challenges her fearful thoughts by recognizing that they are simply thoughts, not facts.
“I trust my inner wisdom more and more now, it hasn't led me astray. I feel calmer than I ever have. Turning down the noise in my head has allowed me to access a place of certainty and creativity that just keeps growing. Getting to see the results of my coaching in the lives of others … it is the most amazing thing to witness other humans coming fully alive to themselves (again). I couldn't be happier,” shares Kari.
As you can see from Maude and Kari, fear is the name of the game. You won’t ever be able to go for what you want if you’re not willing to be at least a little bit afraid (on a semi-regular basis) and take a leap.
I know you can get there. And if you need a little help, start with the Get Unstuck Worksheet. It just might motivate you to make a little leap of your own!
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