Photo by Thought Catalog
Coffee mugs. It turns out you draw so much more than coffee or tea from the ones we have here at Haven. In addition to your morning caffeine, with each mug, you get a daily dose of inspiration and motivation.
Yesterday, with my morning fill up, I picked up some courage from one in particular that says “Do the damn thing”. Melissa and I were holding our first Instagram Live and I was a nervous wreck…For. Absolutely. No. Reason. At. All. Do you ever get that way?
More often than not, fear is illogical – even paralyzing. After going through some fairly rough times in my life, I would worry that I would start missing out on all that could be in it if I let fear hold me back. I started reading everything I could get my hands on to find out how to conquer and overcome my fears so that I could be in charge and drive instead of allowing them to be behind the wheel. As it turns out – as it often does – the advice touted by self-proclaimed “experts” fell short of anything close to inspiring.
Finding Inspiration
Instead, I ended up finding my inspiration in a quote (yay, Pinterest!). The one quote I kept coming back to is attributed to William James, an American psychologist, and philosopher. Back then, I couldn’t get this quote out of my mind, so I took a bold move and had it tattooed on my body so I wouldn’t ever forget it.
“Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.” (William James)
I had been looking for a quick pill to overcome my stage fright and I was failing because there simply is no such thing. The problem was in my head. I had to allow myself to feel the fear and do the damn thing despite it. I also had to trust and believe that my life is worth living fully and not giving fear the power to stop me.
Implimentation
Once I flipped from focusing on the negative to a mindset of positivity, I could breathe again. Yesterday morning, I recognized the fear that was building inside and I let it come. I didn’t try to push it down. Instead, I believed that being on camera for the Instagram Live was important for our business. I believed that I would get through it. I believed and I created the fact.
I’m so blessed to have people around me that wouldn’t let me back out or cave into the fear. The support system in our cowork is beyond incredible and every amazing person there helps hold me accountable. I said I wouldn’t let the fear get the better of me. I said I would do the damn thing. Everyone was right there, cheering us on as we were Live.
Our belief that Columbus needed a new kind of coworking space drove us to make it happen. Believing that Melissa and I are a huge piece of the Haven Collective brand pushed me to be on camera; and will continue to push me to be on camera. My mantra is there for me in both my professional and personal life: Be not afraid of life. If this motivates you, awesome. If not, go out and find one that does. For me, holding back because I’m afraid won’t create a life worth living, and who wants that?
Now, get out there and do the damn thing.