Photo by Harvey Made
We often find ourselves in new territory whether we wound up there or took a leap of faith to start. We are faced with new opportunities that stretch us beyond our belief and bring us into new spaces we never considered venturing into. Whether it’s entrepreneurship, blogging or a new mission to impact the world, there are three things you need to remember when starting out.
01 | Be Authentic
It’s so tempting to mimic what you see and to a certain extent that makes sense. No need to reinvent the wheel. But you have to be YOU. Your voice, your story, your mission are unique and they need to be told in a genuine and honest way. It can be scary and uncomfortable to write, produce, innovate or create from this place of raw vulnerability but it’s necessary. It is necessary to connect with your audience, further your mission and progress towards your goals. Who you are matters so don’t waste your uniqueness striving to emulate someone else. Be you.
02 | It’s Okay
The process can be…rough. You will make mistakes. You will find a typo right after you hit send. You will forget a business card or an important person’s name. You will post the wrong link, overdraft, arrive late or just flat out forget. But it’s okay. It’s okay to be a work in progress. Work hard, set high standards, have clear goals but take the little and big failures in stride. They don’t define you but they will help shape you. Learn from the errors and keep moving forward. The little hiccups refine our skills and make us better at what we do. Embrace them.
03 | Enjoy It
These beginning stages of your passion project, dream job or new venture are arguably the most exciting. Every day is full of the unknown and the unpredictable. You learn the most in these first few weeks, months and years. You’re figuring out what works, what doesn’t, how to delegate, be more efficient, roll with the punches and more. So, soak it up. Take it all in. Savor that first sale, the 1000th Instagram follower or the moment when what you offered was just what someone needed. These are the moments you’ll need to reflect on when the bank account is low, when the dream project falls through or when the progress is slow. It’s in this season of newness and in those little wins that our confidence is established and our perseverance is cultivated. Enjoy it.
Embrace this season of new beginnings and the ups and downs that come with it. Enjoy the journey that you’re on and stay the course. No matter what failures, frustrations or fears you have—press on. Be yourself, choose optimism and trust the process. You can do it.
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.