It's out of the bag....... A Year Without Fear ...

Until today it was just me and my journal that knew about this project.  But I could feel the juices flowing once I began to talk to a really great friend of mine.  All of a sudden I knew it was time!

I'm turning the "What if" syndrome on its head!

You know that syndrome. I am sure you do. Me and it have been best friends for a long time.  But I am giving it a face life.

Instead of the doom and gloom or just plain blah "what ifs," I am throwing splashes of color upon all that grey and doubt; oh, and fear.

I've lived about a month now in what I have called "Before the year without fear."  I refuse to extract something out of myself ever again.I'm taking my time. I'm giving myself permission to not know the "exactlys." I'm letting just my toes dip in and feeling things out.  I've always been the plunge kind of girl, jump in and think later. Now I have been wooing my soul forward. 

In this month I have thought what will this year be like? Who will I be in a year?  What will I be doing?  A year ago today I hadn't even started yoga and now I'm finishing up all requirements to become a teacher at the 200 hour level! Already working. Unveiling a brand new concept called Living Mangaliso, and so much more.  Gosh, didn't see that coming.  So like Pocahontas I'm wondering what is beyond that river bend.

So what practically does this year without fear look like? I've been asking myself that question all month long.

Well let's look at some quotes first... Sometimes its just fun to play. That's going to be a big push for this year. Lighten up. Play. Laugh. Enjoy. GROW!

I only want people around me who can do the impossible.  
Elizabeth Arden

“Women, like men, should try to do the impossible. And when they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others.” Amelia Earhart

There is nothing impossible to him who will try  .. Alexander the Great

Thomas Edison once said, "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." I won't assume "genius" status but I like the reality that inspiration is only a very small factor. Putting the feet to the pavement will be the real deal.  

So what will it look like... I'm mean how will I know if the year that goes between 8/15/2015 to 8/15/2016 is lived without fear.  Well, I already know it won't be.  It's not about not being afraid. It is about living the year stepping out and living.  I'm not even talking big grandiose things here. Living the year without letting fear hinder.

I'm doing more things for the first time  then I have ever done before. I've taught my first yoga class, I'm working with some of my first yoga therapy clients, I'm taking on new spiritual directees, I'm forming new small groups, I'm creating and walking (actually.. I walked 2 miles barefoot today. Why? Because I wanted to and I wasn't going to let fear of "what will people think," stop me!). That's what I mean. It's the bigger things like; yup, starting a brand, calling it Living Mangaliso. It's also the daily little things.  Meeting a new neighbor, going out to coffee with someone for the first time, and oh yeah.. taking that walk barefooted.  Wear the clothes you want to, get the tattoo, go to the yoga class.. (I showed up to my first yoga class having never even watched a YouTube video... Just because I knew it was time.) Nike doesn't have a brilliant slogan for nothing... 

Just do it..... 

My year without fear also has me purposefully asking for help when I need it, canceling out the words humiliated and failure. It won't be that the realities of those things might not show up but I've made the decision it's ok if they do... I'll start again the next day, or hour or even  just the next minute (I mean why wait a whole day?)

There are poses I want to try and learn how to do... I know from learning head stand that that means lots of falls along the way. That's ok.. it's more about the practice then the pose.  I'm having a hard time with three part breath or breath of fire.. I know the people I can ask for help... And I'm going to. I'm not going to be ashamed or let shame or feeling foolish stop me.  

There are things I want to learn, places I want to go, and people (I don't even know yet) that I want to meet....

So what stops you?

For me it was the fear of looking foolish, being wrong and/or making a mistake....

So now if I look foolish, if I'm wrong and when I make a mistake... I'm going to smile at myself, maybe even laugh.. Agree, that yup that might have been foolish.. But how would I have ever known unless I tried...

So another practical note... Ten things every week....  Ten times a week put myself out there.. small ways ...larger ways.. I'll stay in touch on this... I'll post the ten things I do... Give yourself the time to set yourself up well...  Do your own "Before the year without fear." Find what's important to you. Listen to yourself.  Let you show up... Listen to yourself, your voice, your heart and take a step.. take two.. and then keep walking ...

Feel free to share your weekly ten.....