The Perils of Playing it Safe
A few years ago I decided that I was going to stop doing anything I didn't want to do....I'm sure I've blogged about it before. It's been quite the interesting and I must say successful experiment.
However, one surprising aspect of this decision was not only how hard it was to say no to the things that drained me - but how scary it was to say yes to the things that I wanted to do.
The first time I posted a cartoon on my blog was horrifying. Psychologists aren't supposed to draw cartoons, are they? I took the leap and never looked back. It was terrifying in the beginning but so good for my soul in the long run.
Life is of full of these terrifying but wonderful crossroads. Asking someone out on a date. Starting a new job. Quitting a safe but uninspiring job to start a business. Coming out. Deciding to audition for the part. You name it, if it's important to you, it's going to be a little (well, sometimes very) scary to say yes to a dream and ignore all the naysayers.
In order to make the leap, the pain of playing it safe usually has to be greater than taking the risk of doing something really wonderful and cool with your life.
In order to motivate yourself, it usually helps to list all the reasons why you want to push ahead despite the discomfort. We have to remind ourselves that we really DO want to face our fears and not hide in a corner all our lives.
It usually helps to take small steps in that direction at first — so we see that nothing bad really happens when we do something a little scary. I help people everyday break down the steps to something manageable if they are feeling stuck.
Little changes add up to big changes and before you know it you are able to take risks you never thought possible. Life gets pretty interesting when fear doesn't get in the way of your dreams.
The next time you feel stuck, ask yourself if this is something you would definitely do if fear wasn't a factor. If the answer is a resounding "YES" then it's time to make a plan for how you are going to conquer the obstacle that's standing in the way between you and an absolutely amazing and joyous life.