(This is a personal, very vulnerable, blogpost)

What project have you been dreaming about doing for a long time?  It is your desire, your passion, and your dream!  You are too busy with your daily work, tasks, and relationships to try to tackle something that means so much to you.  One day, you say.  You will get around to doing what you love to do. I am doing it NOW and I am petrified.

My passion is Journaling.  My first dream was to write a book.  I finished this goal the Summer of 2019.  Then, I jumped back into my work, ignoring my real passion. My passion project is to share journaling with the world. People need to know the Power of Journaling.  It worked for me, and it can work for everyone who tries this simple process.  I thought that I would tackle this project after I retire. I see people retire and move into another chapter of their life.  The time for me is now!  I am going to finally do what I have always wanted to do!  

If you are considering starting your passion project, please learn from me.  Learn from my mistakes (because I am sure I will make them), learn from my successes, and learn from my attempts.  Please follow my journey as I share with you my biggest risk that I have taken in a long time.  Sharing Journaling with the World.

Here are some of the things that I am considering while starting this passion project.

Fear Factor

Yes, I am scared that I may fail.  My mom always used to say that I am afraid of success.  I am really not sure what that means but bring it on!  Bring on Success!  Failing is not as scary to me as it once was (so, I try to tell myself).  I have failed and had bad experiences in my time in this world. I really do not wish to fail this time.

Will people understand the importance of Journaling in their lives.  How can I get this information to people in a way that they will understand? How can I help people? 

I decided that I am going to feel the fear and do it anyway.

Taking a Risk

I am over 50 years old and have spent most of my life taking more risks than the average person.  I have LIVED my life and have a lot of life experiences. For example, when I was 23 years old and finished my master’s degree, I decided that I would move from Michigan (where my family was living) to the DC area.  I knew no one in DC.  I had a good friend from college in Baltimore.  She gave me a place to stay while I interviewed for jobs. I was offered 3 jobs and chose the one in Potomac, Maryland.  I found a roommate who had a nice room in her townhouse about 30 minutes (with no traffic) from my job.  I moved there and started my totally independent life.  For some reason what I am about to do seems a lot riskier than that experience.

Fight, Flight, or Freeze

I tend to Freeze. If I am faced with something that I don’t want to do or that I am afraid to do I simply do not do it.  Maybe it will go away? When I teach about conflict management and self-awareness, I mention the amygdala hijack.  A part of our brain that detects perceived threats.  Yes, my journaling class, this project is a perceived “threat” to me. I need to take deep breaths.  Try to take one small step at a time and try not to freeze.

Resilience

Resilience is a virtue. One of my favorite ideas goes like this, “It is not how many times you fall, but how many times you get up.” Or the Japanese proverb, “fall down seven times, stand up eight.” Or “feel the fear and do it anyway”.  

OK quotes will only take me so far.  I need to go to my roots and coaching background.  What would I say to someone else?  I would say, “Are you self-aware?  Do you know how you are feeling?” Yes.  I feel nervous.

Nervous Energy

Someone once told me that the physical signs of being excited for something are the same as being nervous.  I am not sure if this is true or not, however, it has worked for me before I speak publicly.  I get excited – not nervous.  I’ll get excited to be sharing Journaling with the World.  Turn fear into excitement!

Expert Support

In the Talent Development biz, we help each other and there is not fierce competition. I have given new trainers time, tips, and curriculum.  I try to mentor people in the field as much as possible. I’ve had many people thank me for my support. 

I am blessed with many intelligent colleagues.  I’m in groups with amazing people, I coach with amazing people, and I try to keep my relationships open. Even if I have not spoken to a colleague/friend in years, I know I can call, and they will help me.  I do the same.  

Leaning on people who can help in many ways will be important in my journey. Sometimes it is difficult to ask for help, however, I know that I will have reach out. This blog is one of my methods.  I will also send emails and make some phone calls.  Please wish me luck!

Emotional Support

I realize I will need my closest friends to support me when I feel defeated, tired, or overwhelmed. I am so lucky that I have a best friend who is always there for me.  I have a close family and a super smart son.  Leaning on friends and family will be my number one way to get started. 

When Facebook first came out, I took the word, “friends” seriously.  I did not try to get thousands of FB friends. I only have real friends on FB.  Fortunately, LinkedIN started, and I use that for business. Yes, I have friends on LinkedIN, I also have a lot of colleagues, and others in the business community.

This may seem like a given, but I decided to put this as a post on my personal Facebook. I hope I get the support from my friends. I’ve always been the person who does not want to bother people with my work life on my FB page, however, this is very important to me, and I need the support. Not just a like, but to get people to my website and take the journaling class.

Experts

Don’t recreate the wheel.  I know that many people have expertise where I do not. My business coach, Sheri Kaye Hoff, mentored me through my book process, helped me create a training business, and can get me through this too. She is such a wonderful coach and one of the only people I know who does not judge. No matter how out there my ideas could be or how many mistakes I make, she is always there to help, support, and offer great advice in her own special way!

My web expert, Alexandra Ladyzhensky, has helped me develop the store on my website.  She is not just an expert web designer, but a patient teacher.  She walks me through how to modify and create pages on my website. She is just starting her business and is off to a great start!  

Can it be done?

Jeff Toister did it!  Jeff was a colleague and is now a good friend of mine. He was a trainer for customer service teams and dedicated to the art of training and development.  Then he decided to become the expert in Customer Service and share his tips. Jeff has written many books and teaches LinkedIN classes about Customer Service.  He put his passion project to work!  We can all take a lesson from Jeff.  Please check out his website, Toister Solutions!

Perseverance

As I start this new journey there have been some setbacks. First, my store on the website was not working and my Webmistress was not sure why.  I have been asking experts in Website commerce for help.  This is a test in my patience because I don’t have this expertise, and I need to rely on experts in this area.  I wait patiently for this issue to be solved. This postponed my start date but, I still have a positive attitude and know that I must keep to my process.  Trust the process even if I get derailed at times. 

Sure, there will be bumps in the road and I must meet each obstacle with curiosity and a growth mindset.  How can I make this work? What is the issue?  Who can help me solve this right now? These are all questions I will ask.  I have realized when I question instead of getting frustrated my world and attitude stays positive, and I won’t quit.

Dreams

To all of us who are following our dreams, let’s go do it, and support each other. Please let me know what dreams you are following and what goals you are working on right now.  What is your passion project?  Are you willing to go for it?

#Dreams #Journaling #Goals