You know that thing, that dream, that big idea that you fantasize about? You have to do it. It’s what you think about in the middle of the night, or what creeps into your mind on your way to work or as you sit in your office/cubicle/shop window/kitchen/car. Maybe it flickers like a spark, maybe it flashes brightly sometimes and dims other times. We may let our mind play games to rationalize this desire as unrealistic or impossible. How do you deal with doing the work in the face of fear?
This is something you have to cultivate. You have no choice.
I could end here, but I’ll offer you the courtesy of explaining what I mean in the hope that it might inspire you to actually do it.
The past 14 years of owning a business have been a whirlwind of fear for me, along with all the gratitude, blessings, joy, and incredible community I’ve encountered.
I’ve dealt with rejection – a lot! – from speaking engagements, media pitches, interview requests, and various other ideas that, obviously on my own, I think are amazing.
venturing a new path
The past few years have not been easy for most people. As the world has changed and changed, so have I. Some of you may know that I have developed a passion for coherence and learning more about the brain – something that is different from cooking and nutrition, but very relevant to our global health and wellness.
Some of you may also know that this will be my last year at the helm of the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program. School isn’t going anywhere, but I’m taking a step back so I can focus more time and energy on helping others tap into their intuition, being more human, more present, more creative, and focusing on ourselves so we can all move past the chaos to be kinder and more compassionate. (If you want to learn more, find the details about the upcoming Intuition Masterclass and the weekly Wake Up Wednesday sessions.)
When asked when I realized my business was working, I always say the same thing: I’ll let you know.
I dread taking the leap every day. And every day I keep jumping.
Why? Why do I continue to brave fear when I could be moving forward?
It’s simple: you have to. I have no other choice. And you have no choice.
We owe it to ourselves and to the universe to fulfill our calling.
We all have one, it just often seems easier to knowingly push it into a deep and dark place. And where we push away what we know is where we also begin to experience pain, stress, insomnia, deterioration in our relationships, financial challenges (often caused by our desire to consume “things” instead of fulfillment), and most frightening of all, loss of spirit.
Losing the spirit is the hardest. When we get too comfortable in what we think is a safe space to exist with that reliable paycheck, health benefits, vacation days, and regular schedule, all without feeling fulfilled, our spirit slowly dies and we become apathetic. We rarely notice the shift towards ho-humness, but if you start looking around at your friends and family, your colleagues, your bank account, your server – you might see it. And what we see in others is often a reflection of ourselves.
This apathy obliterates the spirit until we forget who we are. We consume fear of the unknown, and in that consumption, we create the greatest crime against ourselves: we sacrifice what makes us uniquely awesome.
That fear we experience at the prospect of taking the leap may just be the biggest sign of all that we’re jumping in the right direction.
That fear we experience at the prospect of taking the leap may just be the biggest sign of all that we’re jumping in the right direction. We may choose to tune in to those around us who try to dismiss our ideas as unrealistic. Don’t get carried away. Their judgments of our actions have nothing to do with us. This is their fear of talking.
Doing the work in the face of fear
The more we are afraid to respond to this call, the more certain we can be that it is exactly the direction we need to go. That doesn’t mean the end goal will match our vision of what we might consider “success,” but that doesn’t matter. The intention behind why you started is what matters. The rest is simply your personal adventure to face your fear and rekindle your spirit.
Doing the work in the face of fear is not the same as living in fear. It’s just the opposite.
Doing the work in the face of fear is not the same as living in fear. In fact it is quite the opposite. I don’t live in fear. I experience fear and doubt. I second guess myself often. I just don’t let fear win. Fear can never win. I let fear fuel my efforts. In the face of fear, I respond by doing my best.
I was scared writing this post. Every post I’ve ever written has caused me the most fear and anxiety, you’ve loved the most – and I’m still afraid to post.
for your consideration
As I embark on a new direction in my work and writing, this is a decision that was definitely made in the face of fear, which tells me it’s the right move. I have new promotions that you can participate in if you choose.
If you are challenged to do the work in the face of fear, I invite you to consider:
- If the world ended tomorrow, what would you regret never putting your energy into?
- What are your barriers to answering your calling?
- What’s stopping you from igniting your spark and letting dreams come true?
- What brings you more joy?
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