Action is Key

 

Thinking big and dreaming big is important, but not just thinking and dreaming big, actually waking up and doing big so you can achieve and obtain those big things. Every person has a powerful story inside of them and is filled with dreams, ideas, goals, and visions, but very few actually take action so that they can experience the things they are thinking about and dreaming about. This used to be me – being a creative person and an entrepreneur at heart, I spent many years dreaming, but I was always one foot in and one foot out. I had this belief embedded in me that things had to be a certain way and you have to wait for the right time only to one day wake up and realize I had given fear way too much power. Fear was completely controlling me and holding me back.

Make Fear Your Friend.

I’m sure you can relate as we all fight fear at some point. This is something that happens to most people, if not all, and I’ve said this before and I’m going to say it again it wasn’t until recently we started to hear people talk about the power of now, how to make fear your friend, and how to overcome self-doubt and self-limiting beliefs.

Better later than never for me, for you, for all, but it’s time to really talk about these things. What is keeping people back from living their life? I’m sure we can all agree fear plays a part, but it goes deeper than that. I believe it’s emotional trauma on some level. It’s not the same for everyone, but every person has experienced trauma in some form, and from that attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and responses are formed and this is how people learn certain patterns, even the ones that keep them stuck and prevent them from taking steps of action towards their dreams. There are a number of reasons this could be. It could be fear of failure, fear of success, feeling like they have to play small, so others don’t judge them, dimming their light out of fear of attention… these are just to name a few.

We All Struggle.

Now more than ever it’s time to start de-shaming and normalizing the struggles every person's faces and now more than ever it’s time to wake up, look in, and have no fear when it comes to living the life you want. It’s time to start talking about the barriers and blocks that are keeping you from showing up and creating the life you want. Time is the most valuable gift we’ve been given, and we only have one life in this physical body. One life is enough if you truly enjoy every day for the gift it is.

It’s really important to me that I share ways with you that can help you identify what’s in the way. Oftentimes, people get stuck focusing on the symptoms such as stress, sadness, frustration, anger, irritation, and so on and because people tend to only focus on the symptoms this leads to only seeking solutions for the symptoms and while it may work or be manageable for some time, it’s not sustainable. It is so important to look beneath the symptoms and look as far and deep as you need to. For instance, if you’re constantly feeling stressed, yes it’s important to learn how to manage your stress, but it’s actually more important to identify the root of what’s causing you stress. This is just an example.

The point is – don’t be afraid to look in – looking in and going through is truly the only way out – I’m able to say this because I lived many many years stuck and finding ways to manage symptoms – my ways used to not be healthy ways. There is a liberation of energy and a sense of lightness when you look in and identify what’s keeping you stuck, what’s causing you to experience stress, sadness, or whatever it is you may feel, including unfilled.

Here are a few questions to help you.

 Take some time to answer these questions:

     1.    What’s keeping me stuck?

     2.    What’s one thing I can do today to help move me closer to my dreams?

     3.    What’s one thing I can do when fear shows up

I’ve learned through my own journey it's more productive to look inward with the lens of curiosity, which means to truly understand, rather than looking inward with the lens of “what’s wrong with me” or “why is this happening to me." It's so easy to get stuck, it’s so easy to fall back into autopilot mode, and it’s incredibly easy to judge us and to let fear take over. Don’t forget fear is a good thing. It’s what keeps us safe from doing things that can put us at great risk you know like walking down a dark alley at night or jumping into the ocean when you visibly can see 5 sharks. We thank fear for that, but I’m here to remind you to fear is not helpful when it shows up when it’s time to take steps of action that will lead you closer to your dreams and living the life you want.

I hope you will join me in thinking, dreaming, and taking big steps so that together we can live the life we desire.

Stephanie Robilio, LCSW

Published Author

Clinical Director at Agape Behavioral Healthcare 

To learn more about Stephanie visit www.themindfulliving.com and follow her on Instagram @mindfulliving.now, Facebook @mindfulliving, and subscribe to her on YouTube Stephanie Robilio. Find all of Stephanie's books on Amazon: WellNow, Mindful Makeover, Painted Soul, and Bonafide Spirit. To join real conversations about what it takes to achieve optimal wellness in mind, body, and spirit, check out The Mindful Living Podcast on Spotify.