The perfectionist in me is never ready. I could always do it better. My fears that others will judge me or not like me is a real buzz kill, and I just can't live by that voice anymore. Having spent much of my life waiting to feel ready, or adding to the final product, I am learning now to simply jump, and think about it later.
I have often heard others say: set a deadline to help you to reach your goals. As much as dates seem arbitrary, one thing I know is, if I have a commitment and say I'm going to fulfill something and I make a promise to another, my dreams and goals become much more real. Commitment forces me to face the feelings that come up along the way and push through them anyway.
Join me now. I just jumped first, and I encourage you to do it too. In fact, I CHALLENGE you. It's time to declare your dreams! Name it, and find someone to be responsible to. Do not be superstitious or covetous of your ideas. Put them out there. Jump in to the world and get into the mix. Believe me when I tell you that this is the most counterintuitive behavior for me. Nothing was ever ready enough or perfect enough for my internal critic. Turns out that waiting doesn't make me ready. My confidence never appears until I take a risk and just put myself out there.
My new book (YES! My baby is 2 weeks premature!) is on the shelves. And guess what? I haven't even seen the finished product. I have had friends, fans and family tell me they received their copy, yet I have not trekked to Barnes and Noble, nor have I received my Amazon pre-order...or my author's copies. Talk about putting myself out there before I have time to prepare!
This is a new me. And hopefully inspires the new you. Let's just get into the mix and play. Please take some time to post and declare your dream here, then share it with another and be responsible to it. You will not regret it.
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| My book on the Barnes&Noble shelves in Chicago, courtesy of Stacy Levy |
Just a quick comment.... So glad you were willing to JUMP!
ReplyDeleteI got my book the day before yesterday and it is sooo inspiring! Thanks for all you do and who you are! Continued blessings!
I don’t know how to blog?
ReplyDeleteI will be 50 in a month and it will be my 23 year anniversary as a breast cancer survivor, but I am a new Yogalosophy convert and waiting on my book delivery. I truly enjoyed the Yogalosophy DVD workout (I managed 3 attempts before spring break) yet struggle to make/allow time in my crazy life to “take time for me”. I hope having the book to browse while drinking my tea in the morning will encourage me – I know it’s the right thing to do. I’m excited by the first of Ms. Ingber’s blogs that I have read (3rd March, 2013) mentioning play… I had play tattooed in Chinese as my graduation present to myself when I finished my doctoral program in 2005. It was supposed to remind that work is not all life is about, but somehow I lose that perspective more often than I’d like.
I’m inspired by Malala Yousefzei and my Mum, and shocked by the Boston bombing. I often feel overwhelmed and then playing with my cat makes everything feel OK. The swallows have returned to the carport; grading for final exams looms.
Is this a blog?