I remember sitting on my bed in my Amsterdam apartment one summer with my daughter Makena, talking about our dreams for the future.
As she shared about the life she envisioned, the same theme kept coming up over and over again – her love of photoshoots.
When I pointed out that she lit up every time she talked about getting her photo taken, and encouraged her to move in that direction, all of her resistance came up.
She shared all the reasons she couldn’t do it…
Why it just didn’t make sense…
That she was too busy focusing on other things…
It got to the point where she even got a little bit mad at me!
But I knew better. I knew this was her fear talking.
So I kept digging deeper…
This slightly heated moment could have easily turned into a fight and a topic we never touched on again. But I didn’t let it go, because I knew she would regret not going for it.
My reason for “pushing” was to push her into her dreams.
Makena’s resistance came from the fact that she worried people would think she was vain. She lacked the confidence to go for something that felt vulnerable, even if it was exciting and lit her up.
Sometimes our dreams are like this. The ones closest to our hearts are also scary, vulnerable, and can feel a little edgy.
In this instance, I told Makena she could either live her life worrying about what other people thought, or she could not give a f**k what anyone else thought and go for it!
And today, she is so happy she put her resistance aside and listened.
Fast forward a few years, and Makena does 4-6 photoshoots (or more!) each year. She comes alive on camera. These photos have become an essential part of our brand and have helped grow our business. They led to an opportunity for her to be featured in a fashion magazine last summer.
And above all, she inspires countless other women by being bold enough to go for this dream.
Women reach out to Makena all the time and tell her how her photos inspire them. How her being visible helps them feel they have the permission and courage to do the same.
Sure, there may be people who judge her, but that doesn’t matter.
The fact that she is going for what lights her up has helped grow our business and inspire countless people.
Is there something in your life that truly lights you up, but you aren’t pursuing it because you’re worried what others will think?
Maybe it’s something you were told you could never do, or that feels like too big of a dream.
It could be writing the book, speaking in front of people, starting a business, or finally claiming your gift and coaching people in your unique area of expertise.
Whatever your scary, edgy, exciting dream is… I challenge you to f**k what anyone else thinks, take a risk, and go for it!
Your gift and your passions are sacred.
By fulfilling your dreams, you inspire others to do the same –– your family, your friends, and countless other people who need your light and inspiration.
What step can you take right away to start going for your dream?
