If you spent time reflecting on what you truly want to accomplish with your life, what discovery would you make? Are you looking to lead a ministry, start a business, obtain a promotion, write a book, or facilitate a workshop? Whatever gift you have waiting patiently inside of you, it’s time for release. As frightening as the unknown might be, living a life with regret is even scarier. Taking a risk requires a great deal of courage and you owe it to yourself and to the rest of the world to share what you have.

Once God revealed training, and life and relationship coaching were each apart of my calling, after a little hesitation, I began to invest in myself. The hesitation surfaced as a result of fear and self-doubt. However, once I realized my gifts aren’t just for me, the less afraid I became. I am here to guide couples into creating and maintaining healthy relationships and to motivate individuals to live a life that honors who they really are. Being afraid doesn’t give me permission to cheat others of the help I am able to provide them. Although I still get nervous from time to time, I know I have to put my “big girl” panties on and take the risk. When lives are changed and families saved as a result of my work, it quickly trumps all doubt.

I fully understand all the emotions that go into making a big decision, being bold and stepping out on faith. It isn’t easy. But can you imagine all of the organizations that wouldn’t have been created had those risk takers sat on their gifts? If you are doubting what you bring, know that there is a work in you that must be completed. Once you decide sharing your gift and impacting others is greater than your fear, it’s time to move! If you are ready and wondering where to begin, here are a few steps to get you started:

1. Write your vision, plans and dreams and share them with the most important people in your life. It helps to have a support team.

2. Discover what has you the most afraid about pursuing your passion. Breakdown what you’re really afraid of and be honest about how likely it is those things will actually happen. Please note, they almost never, ever happen.

3. Picture yourself succeeding in that thing. I often daydream about my future and picture myself, helping people, being interviewed and having a successful business. I once daydreamed about the shoes I would be wearing if I was ever photographed for a magazine, and guess what, I had the opportunity to be featured in Ebony magazine.  Envisioning success is more powerful than we think.

4. Don’t make any more excuses. We have to stop pretending we don’t have what it takes to be who we were called to be. If we were given a gift, we also have what we need to nurture it.

Putting your “big girl” panties on and taking risks is exactly how we move past what we’re most afraid of. Please take the following quote with you as you begin your fearless journey.

Bolder Sisters, what risks are you ready to take?