Fools rush in; the rest of us tremble. Fear is normal. It's even valuable, because it gives us something to push up against, which helps develop our spiritual muscles. This is positive resistance. Weight training for the mind. Fear itself is only a smoke screen: false evidence appearing real. You can defuse it with "affirmative action."
Every night before bed, I used to look at my office (set up in a corner of my living room) and give it the thumbs-up sign. I did this for years. A simple, powerful, YES for success!
Step Six: Do The Work!
In the Hero's Journey, this is the Initiation. Goethe said, "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it/Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." Once you commit to change, a confluence of forces moves to assist you.
I draw inspiration from improvisational comedy. The core concepts of improv are: (1) Begin with what is. (2) Don't manipulate the action; discover it. (3) Never stop the action by saying "but" or "no"; instead say "yes, and" and add on to what's come before. In this way we build a story, a calling, a life.
When I wanted to start writing for health magazines, I began by authoring a piece about a fashion designer for a business magazine (Begin with what is.) After the article was published, I asked the editor, "Do you have other needs I could fill?" (Discover the action.) I learned they were planning to drop a certain column for lack of writers with good story ideas. The topic? Personal health. I became their primary contributor, and used these articles as a springboard to generate assignments in health magazines. (Yes, and")
When you feel air currents wafting past your face, you're in the solution. The poet David Whyte describes this forward momentum eloquently: "The rest of creation is waiting, breathless, for you to take your place."
Step Seven: Take The Tests
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