One of my favorite films of all time is "The Shawshank Redemption." Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman share an incredible moment toward the end of the movie that has been a mainstay in my collection of personal mantras: "Get busy living or get busy dying."

Last year was a kick in the ass reminder that life is too short to stay stuck and that real living is messy as hell and sometimes kinda scary. Another reminder from 2020? Most of my personal and professional growth has not (and will not) kill me. Quite the opposite: because I embraced the unknown and stepped OUT of my comfort zones in so many ways, I am alive and thriving!

Believing that the following 3 things won't kill me has been a game changer! What if you...

Say "Yes" More Often.

There is abundant goodness in saying "yes" to things we would normally not embrace. While I don't recommend jumping out of an airplane without a parachute, i wonder: how might your life sweeten if you said "yes" more often? Yes to mixing up your workout routine. Yes to trying a new-to-you food. Yes to walking a new trail through the woods. Yes to dessert. Yes to learning how to transition from 100% hands-on work to a mostly virtual business in 24 hours. Yes to accepting help and support. Yes to dating after your broken heart has healed. Yes, yes, YES!

FAIL. Fail Again. And Then Fail Again.

Most highly successful people have failed countless times on their growth journeys. I have failed soooo many times in my years of self-employment. Misaligned offers have fallen into the abyss. Fail. I've grasped at the next shiny object in a quest to be everything to everyone and found myself empty-handed, angry, and alone. Fail. Here's the thing: the best way to become successful is to fail mightily! Somewhere along the way I heard that "F.A.I.L." is our "first attempt in learning." Your failures in work and in life are goldmines of opportunity. Look for the lesson in the failure, dust yourself off, commit to a 1% pivot, and give things another go.

Do Scary Things.

I love the "Dare to Lead" podcast hosted by Brené Brown. On February 1, Brené interviewed Silver Spring, MD native Chad Sanders, author of Black Magic: What Black Leaders Learned from Trauma and Triumph, which I will be adding to my book list very soon. There is so much goodness in this episode and I highly recommend you take a listen (or read the transcript). During the episode, Brené and Chad had this exchange and it hit me in the gut:

"BB: OK. I love this question. This is my favorite one. What’s the leadership lesson that you have to keep learning and unlearning and relearning because the universe just keeps putting it in front of you and will not stop until you get it?

CS: Be bolder. Be bolder. If you’re scared, keep going. Sit in the front of the roller coaster with your hands up and just be bolder. It’s good to be scared. Most things that are scary are not dangerous."

Say "yes" more often. Fail again and again. Be bolder and do the scary things.

As a BodyMind Coach, I help women who feel rudderless, overwhelmed, afraid, and unfulfilled embrace the scary stuff and take empowered action that invites balance, calm, satisfaction, and ease into their lives. To learn more, book a free Coaching Discovery Call to see how I might help you get busy living!

Let's be fully alive and thrive together!

Jennifer