It started about a year and a half ago, when I was stretched to the very end of my rope in my job as a first grade teacher and made up my mind that the following school year would be my last. The question then became, what’s next?
Counting the Costs
In my early years of teaching, I pondered the possibility of getting a Master’s Degree and becoming a school counselor, but it became pretty clear pretty quickly that ‘School Counselors’ don’t actually get to give much in the way of counsel anymore. Not to mention the daunting task of getting my Master’s was just too high a cost, both mentally and fiscally for this single mom of three almost adult boys.
One Small Step or One Giant Leap
What started to rise to the surface was the idea of becoming a Life Coach. You see, I had first hand knowledge of the power and impact that a quality Life Coach could have on your life. I’ve spoken before about my coach Michele and the countless ways she has impacted my life for the better, and now we can add to that list her inspiration for this next chapter in my career. I enrolled in the same program that she used to become certified and this became the first of many Do It Scared moments for me.
I was scared of the cost of the program. Was this really going to be worth this substantial financial investment that I was making? I was scared about how much time it was actually going to require. Was I really going to have time to commit to this program, all while working full time, having a Senior in High School and a long distance relationship that I was committed to making work? To say I was scared would be an understatement. But between my innate hard headedness combined with my total burnout at work, I took the leap and Did It Scared. In just over a year, I became officially certified this past February and I couldn’t be more proud of myself.
Facing the Giant
Little did I know that completing the program and becoming certified was nothing compared to the Goliath of starting my own business. The program claims to spend some time preparing you for the business side of becoming a Coach, but much of the work is on your own, and what I’ve learned is that this is a grassroots, one baby step at a time kind of process. And what I’m also learning is that it mostly all comes down to connections and networking. This means showing up to any and every networking event one can find with your ‘elevator pitch’ at the ready.
Y’all…I’m used to talking to six and seven year olds. Not a room full of adults. When I tell you that every time I pull into the parking lot of one of these meetings, it is a full on Tony Robbins, Brene Brown pep talk fest, getting my terrified fanny out of that car and into the door. Literally, every step of the walk across the parking lot is me reminding myself that I can do hard things, that I am an articulate and capable woman with space to hold and a voice to share my passions for helping others.
Small Victories = Huge Growth
This past week, I attended a meeting called Room at the Table, created specifically for Women Entrepreneurs to share and learn from one another. I was SUPER nervous, I even went to the wrong location initially, and could have easily just said, welp…I tried…and headed home. But I found the right place and walked myself, wobbly legs and all, into the meeting and was met with such a warm and welcoming group of women. They gave me the floor right out the gate and asked such thoughtful and wonderful questions that not only challenged me to think on my feet but also ponder ways that I can be even more prepared the next time I attend meetings like these.
I left there feeling incredibly proud of myself and also uplifted by this amazing group of women who not only had fantastic stories of success, but also encouragement for the rough road that is being a female entrepreneur. I conquered my fears and not only did it give me powerful insights into how to be a better business owner, it gave me tools and insights into how to better communicate exactly who I am and what I have to offer the world. Most of all, I now realize that every time I Do It Scared, it’s just a little bit easier the next time and the time after that.
Call to Action
Let that be true for you as well! No matter what your journey looks like, we all have places and spaces that we’ve allowed our fears to trap and paralyze us. Today or tomorrow or at least once this week, let me challenge you to find the courage to Do It Scared! I promise you won’t regret it! I’d also love to hear about it in the comments here! Let’s share our Do It Scared moments and spur one another on towards greatness!
