2018: How I Learned to Believe in Myself
Dec 31, 2018What if, I do something different with my life?
What if, I take a risk on myself?
What if, I try entrepreneurship again?
These were questions I started asking myself repeatedly, night after night, as I dreamed of my future. I had just taken a two week family vacation back to California and Hawaii in December 2017. I was sleep deprived, tired, and HUNGRY for more. As I put my three girls to sleep during this vacation, I relentlessly studied in the wee hours of the night, trying to find an idea, an idea that would set me free, an idea that would challenge me to grow into a bigger version of myself.
I knew deep down, that there was something more for me. I just didn't know what, but I felt it.
Then one night, as I was falling half asleep listening Brendon Burchard (a motivational/personal development expert), I found it. I found the idea.
There is the great children's book I read to my kids What Do You Do With An Idea and I love it. It represents so much of the fear, the doubt, the self-judgement that we go through when we want to do something, but are too afraid to do it. We make excuses, fear other's judgement, pretend we don't have ideas, or quit on ourselves before we even try. I've been there, several times, in a place where I didn't believe in myself, where I didn't think that I could do it.
In 2018, I took action on my dreams, because that is the only way you'll ever know if you truly want something. You have to take action, to learn what the next step is. You have to take action, to know how you feel about what you are doing. You have to take action, to let others know you are serious and hungry. Action leads to doors you never knew existed. When I found my idea that night, everything else - the doubt, the fear, the negative voice in my head, all became a little bit quieter. The dream inside of me started to become my reality, because I was allowing it to.
All of my life, I believed that you had to get a good education to get a good job. I believed that you had to do well in your job in order to get a promotion. I believed that you had to find a way to make a family and a successful career work. From the outside, the formula for success seemed pretty straightforward. But from an implementation standpoint - living a happy and successful life - requires thoughtful planning, a positive mindset, and consistent action towards the life vision you have. An education and experience give you context and a foundation, but what is most important, is your ability to learn anything.
In 2018, I started to learn my way into my future. I started talking to people doing work I wanted to do, I started to go to events and workshops. I attended conferences. I read books. I took online courses. When we moved from Lima to Seoul mid-2018, I didn't let up. I attended a Happiness Workshop with Kyla Mitsunaga (who just released her first book! Check it out here! - WITH vs. AT: Two Prepositions that Changed My Life). Then, I found myself doing a co-workshop with Kyla on Women's Empowerment, then another on Women's Entrepreneurship. And doing three more solo workshops on success and happiness with the US Embassy community.
Before I found the idea that would change my life, I would have never imagined doing the work I love in an international context. It just didn't fit the "formula" I grew up believing. How could I, just go do something, and gain credibility? Don't I need a degree? Don't I need experience at a top company or institution? I realized that no, I don't. All I need is (1) hunger to learn and (2) courage to act.
What was the idea that changed my life?
All that I have experienced and will experience in life, can help someone, if I share it.
I can teach others my perspective on life, success, and happiness. I can inspire others. I can empower others to step into their own light. I can help others see possibility. I can use my life to lift others up. And I know, deep down, that this work is not just busy work, but my life's work...and if I died tomorrow - I know that at least, I tried helping people believe in themselves, that I used my time well on this planet to make a positive difference, and that I was a positive role model to my daughters.
As you start out 2019 - ask yourself - Are you acting out of fear or out of courage? Are you making excuses or taking action? Are you comparing yourself to others or are you focused on being the best version of you? Are you sitting on the sidelines hoping and wishing or are you in the arena fighting for your greatest life?
In 2018, I learned how to believe in myself again. I learned that in order to achieve my next stage of life, I had to redefine my beliefs, think bigger, and believe that YES, anything is possible if I try.
Bring it 2019! Here we goooo......!!!!
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