I often get asked:
“How do you take the risks that you do?”
“How were you at peace with moving to a new country without knowing where to live or a place to work?”
“How do you take risks, especially when your heart is involved?”
Moving to a new country, being courageous for love, taking a risk to start a blog and then a hat brand… the truth is I’ve been taking a lot of risks over the last few years and I’ve been able to do so because I’ve been doing this since I was 13. Whether I knew it or not, I was building up my risk-taking muscle that allows me to follow my heart. Of course there’s fear involved, especially when I’m super attached to the outcome, but I’m able to do it with at least some sort of excitement, knowing that I have my back and that I’m more than capable. Why I’m sharing this is because the perfect time to start to take risks, follow your heart and go for your dreams is now. It doesn’t matter how big or how small the risk or dreams may be, go for them now.
When I was 13 the risks were quite small. They were things like giving up soccer to pursue my love for cheerleading, or deciding to ask a boy to dance at a school mixer. While a little nerve-racking at the time, they were small risks with not a lot on the line. I continued to follow my heart and take risks, and the older I got and the more comfortable I was, the risks became larger and the outcomes became greater. My heart was more involved which made going for them even more exhilarating.
The older we get the more the risks seem to affect our lives; changing career paths, moving, telling the man or woman of our dreams how we feel. But if risk taking is something you’ve done before, the context seems to not matter as much and your heart takes over. It’s been here before, it all feels familiar and something in you says, “This has worked before, you can do this again.” The more you follow your heart, the more your body feels what it feels like to go for something that you would absolutely love to do.
The more you do this, the more you believe that it will all work out, while also learning that it’s ok to fail. Even if it doesn’t turn out how you originally planned, you know it’s because something better is on its way.
Your dreams will continue to change and what you’re taking a risk for will alter, but what can always be there is the confidence you’ve built within yourself and your ability to go for the things that mean the most to you in that moment.
So start now. Your future dreams will thank you.
