How do you follow your heart, rather than your fear?
A very good colleague and friend and I were recently chatting – we’ve often been each other’s communication lifeline during this crazy period in time.
Both of us have been working away on new projects, in direct response to the “things” that have been asking for our attention. These are our respective Next Chapters that we’re building right alongside the businesses that we currently have.
My friend shared that she’s been feeling a wee bit concerned. Some of the thoughts that “the voice inside” had been delivering included:
- Are you sure you’re doing the right thing?
- What do you think you’re doing?
- Is this really a good idea?
- Isn’t the message a bit…soft?
- What if your current clients are all scared off and no one new arrives!!?
When I heard these thoughts I confessed that that voice had paid me a visit too and that I was absolutely sure it had also left calling cards for plenty of other women. And then I shared about Helga and her knitting.
Helga and her knitting
We all have an inner critic inside of us and whose job, as far as she’s concerned, is all about keeping us safe. I have this vision of Helga, as I have affectionately named mine, sitting in the corner happily doing her knitting.
I find she’s completely relaxed as long as I am staying in my comfort zone, in my zone of familiarity, not taking any chances or any risks. But the moment that she senses me walking towards a growth edge, stepping into something new, into something that may have involve risk of some sort, where I may be judged, where I don’t have all the answers yet, where my ducks are not all neatly lined up in a row… that’s when she slams down her knitting and races bellowing, into the centre of the room. She aggressively, threateningly, starts wagging her finger at me and telling me all the ways in which I will fail.
My friend is experiencing her own de-knitted Helga moment, even though her critic seems a little more polite than mine!
Perhaps this happens with you as well?
Perhaps your own Helga is trying to keep you safe, and that’s what is stopping you from stepping into your own next chapter. You want to follow your heart, rather than your fear. But it’s not easy.
What’s calling you?
My friend and I talked about the fact that these things that we’re looking to build, in my case, the Centre for Self Worth and in her case, a new direction, emphasis and focus on the role that self-love plays in personal, sustainable success, these are not new ideas to us.
These are ideas and callings that have been in the back of our minds, and definitely in the middle of our hearts for quite a long time. For various reasons, it hasn’t been appropriate to bring them front and centre in our businesses. But now it is and our Inner Critics are going to play up as a direct result.
Is there something that keeps tapping you on the shoulder? Perhaps it’s a new way of showing up, a new service, a different perspective, a bit of a pivot. If any of these have kept asking to be seen, if they have consistently come back to you, then perhaps it is time for you to gather up your courage and take a step forward.
I know for sure that we can’t continue doing the thing we’re doing and trying to ignore the thing that’s calling. I don’t want to get to a later stage in life, looking back at 70, 80, 90, wondering, “what would have happened if I tried that”?
I’m sure you don’t want the taste of regret either.
You’ll always leave a little piece of your heart behind if you don’t make peace with your Helga, step forward and at least give that thing a try. Is there a guarantee that it’ll work out? No, there’s not. But there is equally no guarantee that it won’t. And if your heart, accompanied by your head, and your gut instincts are all aligned together, if you are focused on being of service, on being useful, on adding value to the world, then your chances of this succeeding are really high.
So just like my friend and I please turn to your personal Helga and thank her for her concern and desire to keep you safe. Smile, let her know you’ve got this, square your shoulders, anchor into your undeniable worthiness, focus on your vision, turn up your courage and step forward into Your Next Chapter.
The world is waiting for your contribution.
