Fear, it can stop you dead in your tracks. It can paralyze you. And it can keep you from starting, which is what we’re going to be talking about today.
Do you have a yearning in your heart to start something? Maybe a blog, business, or hobby? Could it be talking to some new people to gain friendships? Maybe you just need to have a difficult conversation with a friend or family member because you’re in a difficult situation? There are a ton of different ways that we can start, but we miss out on so much when we shirk back and cringe at the very thought of branching out of our comfort zone.
How Fear Nearly Kept Me From Starting
Please don’t feel like I’m only talking to you because my hand is raised high here too. Let me share how I nearly let fear keep me from starting last week.
Track with me for a minute. Last month I dove out of my comfort zone (yes, literally) for my very first Periscope. I was terrified but did it anyways because I thought it would be fun. That scope was a disaster because I had technical difficulties. I had to start the Scope three different times and wanted to cry when I was finished.
Skip forward to last week. I had worked out all of my technical difficulties and decided to Scope again. Kinda funny that the topic I chose to Scope on was letting fear hold you back from starting, but I knew that needed to be my “first” scope.
It literally took me 10 minutes to start my broadcast. Fear was holding me back. Fear of people not liking me. Fear of my hair looking bad. Fear that my background (my living room) wasn’t good enough. Shall I go on?
After amping myself up only to chicken out for the entire 10 minutes, I finally hit that start broadcast button. And do you know what happened when I was done? I was so liberated after I finished that Scope because not only had I started but I made it through! I had branched way out of my comfort zone and faced my fears and, surprisingly, I was proud of myself. Now, I may not have been the most eloquent person Scoping and my hair may not have been perfect, but it didn’t matter because I had started.
You’ll Miss Out If You Let Fear Keep You From Starting
When fear holds you back you can miss out on so much. If you don’t believe me just take a look at the short list of things I came up with in just a few minutes.
- Job opportunities
- Friendships
- Being a blessing to others
- Learning a new skill
- Developing an existing skill
- Healthier relationships
- Starting a new business and eventually being your own boss
- Pursuing a dream
This list only scratches the surface. But as you can see, there are so many blessings that we can miss out on if we allow fear to hold us back.
So my encouragement to you is to just start. I know it’s easier said than done. Your palms might get sweaty, your heart might race and you might feel like you want to throw up, but once you’ve started you’ll be so glad you did!
On Starting
When you first start you might not be perfect. In fact, I can almost guarantee it. But don’t let that get you down because I guarantee that if you are consistent and don’t give up you’ll get good at whatever it is you’ve started.
Above all else, don’t compare yourself to anyone else. I love Jon Acuff‘s quote.
Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.
These are such wise words. Why? Because if I had compared my Scope to the other Scopers that I’ve been watching for months I would never have started. They’re really good at what they do because they’ve been practicing and honing their speaking skills. Hopefully when I get to the point that they are at now (their middle) I’ll be half as good as they are.
Are You Ready To Start?
My hope is that I’ve encouraged you to at least think about starting something. As Crystal Paine often says, “The world needs your gifts and your story. The world needs you!”
Many thanks, Tshanina! Just what I needed to keep me going! We really ARE stronger than our fears! You’re an inspiration!
I’m so happy to hear that this encouraged you, Jennifer!