“The two important things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision.” -Robyn Davidson
We’ve heard sayings like this throughout our lives. Yet somehow, it never seems to become easier to take that first step. Change is scary and we’re all creatures of habit. But what else is holding us back from going after the things we most want in life?
Fear
Fear of the unknown is a powerful force. If you’re anything like me, you have a hard time making decisions without analyzing the full, long-term impact of those choices. The problem lies in the fact that life is incredibly unpredictable. We can’t possibly know or predict the outcome of each step that we take. Also, there are very few “wrong” choices to make. Certainly, there are right and wrong decisions when basing it on moral or ethical reasons, but the line is less clear when simply trying to decide which career path is the best fit, if now is the best time to start a family, or if it’s time to go back to school, etc.
Doubt
When we’re young, our parents and teachers tell us that we can be anything we want to be when we grow up. The world is presented to us as an endless buffet just waiting to serve up whatever dish our little hearts desire. After finishing school and venturing out into the real world, we get slapped in the face by job postings demanding so many years work experience, knowledge of programs and systems, and an endless array of various expectations. This can easily stop us in our tracks. No one warned us that it would be difficult to find our way into those positions. We underestimated the value of networking. So most of us have to take what we can get to pay the bills and stay afloat, and then this happens…
Inertia
…we get stuck. We remain in that job and do nothing. Just sit and wait for some external force to come along and knock us into our dream job. All the while, voices in our heads tell us this is as good as it gets, we don’t have the skills to find anything better, we need to learn to cope. And the passions we once had get pushed further and further back.
I’m pretty sure most of you can relate to these points. We all know that feeling of giving up on something that once brought us joy in order to get by. The reality is, however, that change will only come once we take action. I know it’s been said again and again, but we have to take that first step. If you’re wishing for something to change in your life, be it a job or relationship, you have to enact change.
I hope that this blog will serve as a platform for us to explore some of these areas together. To overcome fear with boldness and courage. Life is too short to just wait in one place. Let’s start taking action!