I want to talk to you about doing it scared. When I say do it scared, I mean doing the thing that frightens you, but, you know it's the very thing you need to do.
Oftentimes, when we start talking about purpose, and we start talking about vision, and we start talking about doing what it is that we're supposed to do in this world, we think God is just going to somehow make it happen "by and by." However, all the things I just mentioned will require you to step all-the-way outside of your comfort zone. It's going to require you to step out of the box that maybe you have put yourself in or maybe the box that other people have put you in. It may require that you take off some of the hats that you wear and do something that is petrifying to you. I want to encourage you to just do that thing, whatever it is for you, scared.
Know that there is a process. You can trust it and just begin. Just begin to write the book; start the business; ask that girl to marry you or say yes to that handsome fellow who wants to take you off the market. Just start the thing that you are afraid to do.
Maybe the job opportunity is in another city, but you've never left home. You've never left your neighborhood. You don't know what you're going to do without your parents’ support. You just don't know, so you're afraid to go, but you know the very thing that you're afraid to do is what's going to catapult you into the next leg of your journey. I just want to say, and I'm going to keep saying it - do it scared.
I am not only an inspirational conversationalist and podcast host, but I am also the author of three books, and I want to share with you the introduction to the very first book I wrote. The name of the book is Speak with Chic: One Woman. Ten Truths. It's the first book of my conversational narrative series. The book contains ten short narratives where I share ten truths about myself. I wrote a brief introduction, and I want to share it with you.
I had to write this book. I had to write it because I was afraid to write it. Afraid of sharing, afraid of not doing it right, afraid of being ridiculed, afraid of failure, afraid of success. I knew if I did not face this fear, I would remain stagnant. Without knowing the how, I decided to focus on the what and just start writing. This book is the first in the Speak with Chic: One Woman Ten Truths series. Each book will contain ten conversations that chronicle my life decisions, choices, mistakes, accomplishments, failures, and successes. Sharing these conversations help me heal and grow, and I pray others will read my stories and find a way to courageously, confidently and boldly speak up and give voice to their own truth in their own unique way.
Even as I write the introduction here for you to read, I see where, even then, I did not know that I would be here four years later. When I wrote my first book, I thought that I was going to be writing a book series that I would call the Speak with Chic Series, but, it didn't turn out that way. Did I continue the series? Yes, but it's not called Speak with Chic. Did things turn out exactly the way that I thought they would turn out when I started? Absolutely not. Things are far greater than I could ever expect.
Four years ago, when I decided I would step out and just do it scared and become an author and to write my first book, to edit my first book, to self-publish my first book, and to put my business out in the street for other people to read, there was no such thing as a Speak Up Sis. There was no Speak Up Sis platform. There was no Speak Up Sis podcast. There was no Speak Up Sis talk show. There was none of these things when I started my journey. However, I knew I had to get the book written. I knew I had to get what was on the inside of me out and onto the pages, so I could heal.
I write therapeutically, and I knew for me to release what's in my head and in my heart, I needed to put it on paper. Something inside of me told me if I did not just step all the way out of the box, if I didn't get uncomfortable, I wasn't going to grow. I realized January 10, 2018, when I clicked submit to publish my first book, I would remain stagnant if I didn't follow through.
Think about stagnant water for a moment. Water that does not move stinks. Mosquitoes swarm around water that does not move. The longer you choose to stay still, the more foul-smelling your life will become, more foul things you will allow to happen, and the more biting things will show up to just suck the life out of you.
Sometimes, just stepping out and operating in our gift is the hardest thing to do, but the most important thing we may ever do. I encourage you to do whatever it is that you know is in you to do. Just jump and know that your gift will make room for you in this world - not your education, not your mom, not your dad, and not the people you know. Whatever the Lord has placed in you to do, do it scared until you can do it brave.
If you have decided to step outside the box and need someone to talk-it-out with, I am here to help you. Schedule a complimentary consultation, and let me help you with your process.