What are you afraid of? I think to myself, nothing really. Truth be told, I really have an issue crossing bridges or platforms when the surface is see through but other than that I’m ok with spiders, bugs, animals, the dark, being alone, small spaces…so I’m good. Yet when I had to work on a new project, in collaboration with three other incredible women, the self chatter began to whisper in my head. What can you offer? You can’t do this! And finally, how will you get this done? My subconscious mind knew I was in new territory while my logical brain knew I could do whatever I needed to get done. I could have stopped and listened to the fear of the unknown and allowed it to stop me. Instead I acknowledged that I am smart, qualified, and capable so I pushed myself to work hard and produce content and videos that would add to this project.

Many people, of the social media age, think nothing of filming an impromptu video and sharing it with the world. I am not of that age! I had never filmed a video of myself let alone for the purpose of teaching others. I had taught for years yet the idea of teaching while filming was daunting. So I decided to do what I do best…prepare for the task. I asked some people how they film, as a wise mentor of mine always said “learn from people who have done it well before you”. I wrote great content for the course. I made sure that I was comfortable with the script for each video. First, I began by rehearsing what I would say to myself. Next, I practiced in front of a mirror, and after a few tries I was finally comfortable enough to film myself. I spoke as if I was talking to a friend and explaining the topic I wanted to teach. Before I knew it I had made a great first video. As thrilled as I was with it, I was unable to send it to the person coordinating our course. Try as I may I was stuck. First lesson was learned and I now needed to tackle the next hurdle. I had to find a way to film myself that was easier to send. That being said, I then spent the next hour trying not to have glare in my glasses while I spoke. If I moved, which I do as I am an animated speaker, then I had flashes of glare in the video. Finally found an angle that worked but in the process the background was less than ideal. I like to have things perfect but I also knew that I needed to get this done and out there. Better it be done than seeking perfection and having nothing to show. Take 2 on the first video and it was not as good as the first but it would do. Each of the next three videos got better as I went along. I felt more at ease, I had more fun, and I got them done in record time. I was able to send in my videos and they became part of our course.

Here are a few things I told myself that day. I have always risen to challenges why would this day be any different. I work well under pressure and with deadlines. I needed to learn how to make videos as nobody was going to do it for me, so I had to do it. I have never let myself down. It feels great to push yourself past a comfort zone and succeed. The moral of this story; fear is only a warning that you are about to do something that is unfamiliar. You may fail at first but hopefully you learn from that failure, ending in success. Guarantee, if you don’t try you’ll never succeed!

I celebrated that night because I did what I thought was going to be terribly difficult and it wasn’t at all. I learned something new and isn’t life all about growth? Some days we learn something small and other days it is big. As long as we keep growing life is headed in the right direction.

One can choose to go toward safety or forward toward growth. 

Growth must be chosen again and again; 

fear must be overcome again and again. 

Abraham Maslow