Your Actions Have To Come Despite the Feelings

Did you ever stop and think how many times you have said you wanted to do something, yet you don't.  You find at times so inspired by what life would look like and feel like, if you were just able to do "THAT".  Yet, once again, you find that months and maybe even years go by and you haven't! 

Well, things don't ever happen to us unless we are taking some actions that lead us to what we want.  Our lives expand BECAUSE we are taking the actions and these actions makes room for awesome things to occur! 

I was attending a very intensive yoga teacher training a few years ago.  At the end of the 9 weeks,  there was a graduation ceremony and they were choosing 25 people for the graduation ceremony demonstration that was going to have an audience of over 500 people.  Actually, that wasn't the part I was afraid of.  I kept having people tell me to try out and I kept saying "Noway"!  One of my peers came to me and said "Lauren, why aren't you trying out for the demonstration"?  I responded, "I'm afraid I won't be chosen".  I was partly unconscious of this until I spoke it out loud and when I did, I realized how crazy it was.  I was afraid of being rejected, which was out of my control, so I decided to take myself out of the game all together and then I didn't have to experience the rejection.  I decided to make the act of trying out the actual challenge and what I would receive the most inspiration from.  I would leave the result up to the powers that be.  I ended up being chosen for the demonstration, which was very exciting, but it wasn't the most important thing about the experience.  

I know most of us have heard the saying "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway" and of course Nike's best tag line "Just Do It". They are both so very pertinent to our lives and going after our most desired goals. Dr. Laura Schlessinger says "....Courage is not the lack of fear, it is fear plus action." 

But, how exactly do I take the action when I feel so fearful, insecure or just plain 'ole stuck?

What are the secrets to unleashing your own courage in the face of feelings, in order to create the life that you really want?

Here are 4 things you can do to choose action

in the face of the "YUK" feelings

1.  Expect to have fear or discomfort when you go after something that you really want, and when they show up....keep going anyway!   If you have a job interview coming up, or you are in a new relationship, or you are repairing a relationship with a friend through a conversation, or even trying a new hobby, or exercise routine.  Expect discomfort as part of the deal and when it shows up, you don't have to be surprised or have it derail you in your goal.  In fact, moving past that can often be more challenging then what you are actually going after.  

2.  Breathe......well, of course, my readers know that I am going to fit breathing into the equation somewhere. But, seriously, you can see an instant transformation in a child when they are in the middle of having a hysterical tantrum if you tell them to breathe.  For me, in the midst of what seems like a crisis, it's like the gates of hell open back up me release me and I can see once again.  It's an action rather than a reaction to feelings and often thinking immediately gets much more clear.

3.  Imagine what life looks life if you continue NOT taking this action. 
Ouch!  You may not like what that looks like.  But, that's good, because human beings are not motivated by pleasure, we are motivated by pain.  So take a look inside the life that you create when you don't take the actions towards your goals.  I'm just sayin'.  I never said it was fun and pretty.  Don't expect motivation to fall from the sky.  Now, take an action.

4.  Ask yourself "what is the payoff for not taking this action"
My payoff if I had not tried out for the graduation demonstration was that I could avoid being vulnerable and taking a risk.  I wouldn't have to experience rejection.  But it would also have cost me an opportunity to build my self confidence and esteem, no matter the results. 

What was interesting was that when they announced the opportunity to begin with, I was sitting next to a great friend and she immediately said she was going to try out to be chosen. I remember turning to her and she sat tall with a smile on her face, so excited for the opportunity. She ended up not getting chosen and I went over to her after the try outs and acknowledged her. I remember going up to her and saying "Great Job, you are so amazing"! and she said "For what, I wasn't chosen?" I said "You didn't even skip a beat when they asked people to try out, you just went for it. The end result isn't what matters, you were so self confident and sure about what you wanted and went for it. WOW! With that quality, you can do anything".

So, go out there and take action...Don't Wait for the Perfect Time, You Create it as NOW!