Like I’ve mentioned previously, I had wanted to start a personal blog years before I had the courage to do so. Even in my freshman year of college, I put it off because I was trying to think of the perfect blog name, capture the best pictures, etc. If I’ve learned anything post-college it’s that you’re not going to get any better at anything without trying. Yes, failing is hard. Rejection sucks. But we won’t know how great we can be at something until we get out there and just try.

“Great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it. Doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking risks like that- that’s what life is. You might be really good. You might find out something about yourself that’s really special and if you’re not good, who cares? You tried something, Now you know something about yourself. ” -Amy Poehler

For some reason, we stop ourselves from accepting that new challenge or trying that new thing until we feel fully prepared. Especially as women, we can feel like we need to think through every scenario and be overly cautious (or maybe that’s just me). Amy has a point y’all! Think about it, if you truly try to wait for something until you’re fully ready, you’ll never start.

My blog still has a long way to go but I love looking back on old posts and seeing how much I have improved over the years! We have this anticipation that everyone has it figured out except for us. The truth is that we’re all figuring it out as we go. To be honest, I have had a pretty rough season personally and professionally that I might open up about at a later time. It’s so easy to think that everyone has it together except for yourself but it’s just not true.

We have to stop saying “I’ll be happy when __ happens”. Whether it’s getting x relationship, x career, x car, you get the idea. We have to choose happiness. That means here and now by accepting your life for what it is. If you are not happy with that picture then the beauty of it is we all have the ability to make change.

Below are a few ideas from my own life I’ve accumulated to do if you feel like you’re in a rut or are too contempt with being comfortable.

-Join an Organization

Okay, I know not everyone self-identifies as the Leslie Knope of organizations like me but I feel that there is so much to gain. Is it obvious how much I love Amy Poehler, yet? I loved that I was constantly meeting with like-minded peers in college with similar interests that were striving for something more. I found that I was really missing that recently so I joined the Junior League of Dallas. If you are a woman in your 20’s-30’s I would definitely check it out and they have them in almost every major city. I will write more about this experience later since I just joined but it’s a great way to give back to the community and network with women in your area. Meetup.com is also a great way to meet with people who have similar interests as you. You might be surprised at all the groups they offer (plus you can always create your own). As well as networking and a wide variety of events you can find on Event Brite!

-Continue Learning

I feel like no matter what industry you work in or what your hobbies are there is always more to learn. I’ve been pushing myself recently to stay updated on industry news. If you work in Marketing as well or are interested in learning more this is a wonderful list I found of the 15 Best Free Digital Marketing Certifications Online. I just received my Certificate of Completion for Google Analytics for Beginners and I plan on tackling a few more from the list. They are free, right? Nothing to lose!

-Reach Out to Your Network

Yes, it’s important to keep up with connections for obvious networking reasons but you may also be surprised at who is going through similar struggles that you are (or just a fear of failure). I’m trying to be better about transparency- pretending to be perfect benefits no one and I’m happy to see that others are letting their walls down as well. Life isn’t easy and we all have that in common. You never know who you might be able to help by opening up about your own story.

-Accept That Nothing Stays the Same

As humans, we are (hopefully) always evolving by meeting new people and learning new things. Sometimes we can beat ourselves up about changing our mind and taking a new path. The truth is that is the only way we are going to grow! Sure, we all like to have our five or even ten-year plan but we rob gratitude from the present when we expect that we are guaranteed that much time. I’m aware this is really deep for a blog post, but none of us truly know what the next day will hold. That’s why we just have to try the best we can, be as kind as possible, and dream big for what the rest of our lives may hold.

So, whether you’re in high school, just graduated from college, or are in your forties, I hope that you have the courage to try for whatever it is your heart longs for. I believe we are all capable of great things. I’m in the middle of figuring this thing called life myself and am happy to grab a coffee and try to figure it out with you. Thanks for reading!

Until next time!

-Lauren

photo courtesy of stocksnap.io