I get a lot of emails from women who want to take big leaps. Many of them want to make career changes and go into health coaching. Others want to make lifestyle changes and become healthier and happier.
Many of these women are just like I used to be: curiously ambitious, dissatisfied with the status quo, searching for more meaning and fulfillment from life.
But they all have one thing in common – they’re plagued by doubt and fear.
The underlying question in each and every one of these emails and phone calls is, “do I have what it takes?”
Regardless of how well I know these women, my answer is always the same: YES!
And if you’re reading this right now wondering the same thing about something you’re contemplating in your life, my answer to you is also YES.
How do I know this is true having never met you?
Because you wrote that email.
Because you’re having these thoughts.
Because you found your way to this blog.
Because you’re dreaming of something better.
Here are a few of my tips for having what it takes to do anything:
1. Fake it til you make it (aka “act as if”): This cliche has a lot of truth to it. When I first started health coaching and people asked what I did for a living, I would explain my health coaching gig as a part-time, side job which completely steered the focus away from it and onto my full-time job that I didn’t like. Total downer. Once I realized I was self-sabotaging my dream job by casting it aside and putting the focus on something negative, I stopped and took to saying I was a Health Coach and never mentioned my full-time job again, because there wasn’t anything good to say about that part of my life anyway. I wasn’t lying, I just wasn’t giving it any attention and in doing so, I was making my intention clear to the Universe. Now, I can say I’m a full-time health coach because I am, but I had to “fake” it first. So chin up, shoulders back and smile!
2. Take small right actions daily: Just because our heart has decided something is right for us, doesn’t mean our head is on board. Believe me, I know the feeling of paralyzing fear. Like you see the end goal so clearly, but the path to getting there is so uncertain and scary you don’t know where to start — so you don’t. You find a million excuses not to and tell yourself why you can’t, you shouldn’t, you won’t.
To quote Deepak Chopra, “You must find the place inside of you where nothing is impossible.”
How do you do that, Mr. Chopra? Well, you make a list of the smaller activities and goals and start to tackle them one by one. Maybe this month you start on your blog. Write one article, then another. And eventually, another. Buy your domain name. Set up your About Me page. See? This is easy! When you don’t know what to do, just do something, however small, every darn day – and the momentum builds from there.
3. Ignore the naysayers: There will be friends, family members and even strangers who tell you it can’t be done, you shouldn’t try or someone else (even too many others) are already doing it. You’ll be tempted to listen to them because you trust them, they’re older or more experienced or something like that.
Do not listen. Smile and thank them for their advice, but don’t take it on board. Whatever gift it is you’re feeling called to share, it’s because the world needs it.
I wish I could take that first step for every single one of you. But I can’t, only you can.
I took it for me, and continue to take more.
Trust yourself. Take that step.
If you’re interested in health coaching in particular and are curious about how it works, download this free guide. In it you’ll find:
- What students learn at IIN
- How the program works
- The cost and value of an education at IIN
- A special quiz to determine if health coaching is right for you
Click the photo to download it now!
Finally, if you know of anyone who would benefits from these tips – or the free guide-, share them on social media using the buttons right below!
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