What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
Choosing to take bold action even though failure IS a possibility.
Let’s get right do it.
Ask yourself…
What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
My answer is lengthy. Maybe yours is too. I would do so many things. All of the things.
I would take bold action toward my dreams, longings, and biggest, most buried hopes that are seeds waiting to be germinated and to see the light of day.
But, there is no guarantee that we will not fail.
Instead, there is uncertainty.
We don’t know how things will land with anyone else. We can’t know.
Uncertainty and not knowing is the only thing we can count on in this life.
I’ve let uncertainty—potential failure, criticism, crickets—hold me back from so many things in my life.
The only way to find out what will happen is if you do the thing—you write it, you share it, you paint it, you create it, you invite people…and you wait.
To find out if what you’re making will land, you must be vulnerable. You must try.
You must take the bold action even though it could flop. A big flop hurts. Crickets feel invalidating. It can take a bit of time and tears to find your ground when things don’t land as you wanted to them to.
But, we’re hardwired for connection. We absolutely need connection to thrive and to have mental and physical health.
At the same time, it feels threatening to try things without a guarantee that they will work out.
But, we can’t learn, we can’t connect, we can’t grow into the next version of ourselves, without trying.
A few days ago, I heard the story of someone in a marginalized group who made a pivotal choice in their life.
This person chose to be a warrior not a victim.
Nothing changed outside of them, but their insides changed.
They chose to take courageous action instead of shrinking and hiding.
That’s what I want to do too.
I want to be a loving warrior who takes decisive, bold action. A warrior that stands for something and chooses to lead even though everyone won’t like it.
So, yesterday, I took bold action. I made a decision that I’ve been waffling about for months…ok, for over a year.
I started a the What About Hope: Elevating & Empowering Women Meetup Group.
You see, I don’t want to passively share writing and podcasts with you. I want to get to know you. I want to provide a safe space for connection and fun and creativity—online and in person.
And, it’s scary. Because, well, I don’t know how it will go.
It very well may flop. Or, I might find it hard to sustain.
I started two Meetup Groups in the past that only lasted a few months, so maybe that will happen again.
But, what’s the upside of starting this group? (Ask yourself this question about your idea or dream…What’s the upside of _____?)
There are so many upsides to this Meetup Group.
First of all—CONNECTION! Connection that I need and we need.
Support! Fun! Movement! A place to experiment and try things out.
A place to invite other women to share their ideas and to host alongside me.
Part of why I finished setting up the group—yes, I did start in weeks ago—was because I want to create the things I want and need.
It may sound selfish, but in my experience, I and other women tend to create things in service of others while ignoring our own needs.
My intention is to create events that fill me up and support me while they fill you up and support you—a true energetic win-win.
I hope you’ll join the group. More events will come soon, but we’re starting with a Virtual Co-Working Session next week. It’s a time to do any work you want or need to do. You could start—or restart—the creative project you keep meaning to get back to, do some admin work, write, paint, anything at all.
If anything touched you in today’s post, I’d love to hear it. Just hit reply or comment. And, if you feel inspired to buy me a cup of coffee to support my work, just hit subscribe for options.
Until next time,
Joanna