Taking Risks

In 2007 I wrote my first mission statement. In 2014 I noticed I had achieved the goals set forth, (quite shockingly) and needed to create another mission. Ugh. Not just a statement, a mission. Here it is:

July 29, 2014: My creativity is the key to my success. As my own boss, I collaborate with other smart, bold, and empathetic people as we support each other’s pursuit of knowledge and creative direction. I make a difference in people’s lives and I am an opinion leader. I accept my weaknesses and invite help from others. When faced with fear I keep going. 

I’m sharing this with you today because of the last sentence. 

I started “Betsey’s Blog” (in my mind) earlier this year. I tried to figure out how to do it and either failed or got frustrated numerous times. So I stopped. Several times. And then I reread my mission and started again, and gave up again. All summer long. 

Then I reread my mission one more time and decided to believe the person who wrote it. I decided to believe that “when faced with fear I keep going.” What was I afraid of? What was I risking? Criticism, negative feedback, judgment, rejection. Yes.

Well, sending out my first “Betsey’s Blog” was risky. I did get some negative feedback, and it stung. It took a while for me to work through the feelings that resulted from criticism, rejection, and harsh judgment. 

And as I think about it now, each feeling was in relation to another person. That’s why I’m so passionate about being a relationship therapist. I love working with people to help them make changes in their most important relationships. And I do it, in part, because I’m fully aware how important relationships are to me. 

So, I’m still here. I faced my fear and kept going.

What are you afraid of?