Photo by Prixel Creative

Remember when you were a kid and your parents were very concerned with who you were hanging out with? They were on to something that we seem to lose track of as we become adults. Not only are friends invaluable in our lives in general; often our chosen families, but if we are setting out on a new path they can help us build that momentum to conquer our fears and reach our goals.

I came to realize the power of friends when I decided to make some life changes six years ago. My goal at the time, which was during my mid-20s, was to uproot my stable, quiet life in Sweden for a nondescript life in NYC. I would be leaving behind a steady job, my apartment, a decent amount of savings, and a social support system that made sure always had my back when needed. In the early stages of trying to turn vision into reality, I felt lost and at times wondered if I was crazy. My friends and family were supportive but still at times looked at me like I had three heads. Slowly I started to develop deeper friendships with those around me with similar visions, a woman who decided to move to Thailand to become a professional Thai boxer, a friend who had moved to Brazil for love, a friend who decided she wanted to make a similar move but to Australia. With these friends, I could share my plans, my struggles, my excitement and my doubts and be met with understanding, advice and inspiring brainstorming. This became a catalyst in my life and the initial feeling of floundering about trying to make this vision real started to morph into a plan with practical steps I could take.

This, by no means, is not to say that family and friends that don’t share your vision cannot be wonderful supports as well. Keep leaning on them and appreciate them for all they contribute to your life.

Increasing the amount of like-minded spirits in your circle is a strategy for you to get grounded and gain momentum in realizing a vision, a journey that can be very rewarding but also comes with a lot of obstacles and curve balls.

Here Are Four Ways You Can Move Forward, Confidently:

01 | Start to think through who in your life hears your vision and makes you feel like you can make it happen, who you dare to share your doubts with without concern that they will, in turn, question your vision. Consider those who inspire you to overcome obstacles on this journey.

02 | Consider going to events, Meetups, conferences or other social events that would expose you to people within the realms of your vision.

03 | Build deeper connections with acquaintances who have done something similar or who accomplished something challenging.

04 | Review your vision board together with these people, share your doubts with them.

Through these lessons, ideas, and practices, you will start to see your doubts subside and the challenges that may have seemed insurmountable suddenly seem manageable.

FROM THE EDITOR
At Conscious, we are inspired by stories that cause us to think differently and think big-picture, and so we set out to tell stories with the help of leaders and influencers within the social good community. You can read more stories like this when you join as a member.