Two years ago I launched the Unprocessed Lifestyle blog with a tremendous amount of fear, self-doubt, and anxiety. Despite all of those feelings, I decided to press Go. Since starting this journey, I’ve come to realize that had I waited one day longer I would’ve only delayed the blessings and opportunities that were waiting for me on the other side of starting. Since starting, this has been one of the most rewarding experiences and I can hardly believe how much time has passed since I took this leap of faith. This post is focusing on 3 reasons you need to just start. You can only dream about it for so long, but at some point, you have to take action.
1. Starting is the hardest part
It’s like going to the gym – the hardest part is getting there. The same rules apply here. Starting is hard because there can sometimes be a few mental hurdles we need to jump through, a few learning curves we need to overcome, or a few negative people or habits we need to break. Just like going to the gym, you have to think about your ‘why?’ You’ll ask yourself, “why do I want to go to the gym 3 times per week?” Your why is “to achieve optimal health which means losing 30 lbs, toning my muscles, and building my stamina to have better heart health.”
Your ‘why’ is important because even when you don’t feel motivated you can go back to it and know why you need to continue. Your ‘why’ is the push you need to start – not just on day one, but every single day after that.
2. It doesn’t need to be perfect to start
When I started my blog I waited until I thought it was “perfect” before launching it. Not only did I change the format soon after launching, but I’ve changed it many times since then. I even plan on rebranding it soon – it’s continuously evolving and changing. If I had known then what I know now I would’ve started my blog long before February 10, 2019. The beautiful thing about being on a new journey is learning, along the way, which path/route you want to take to your final destination. I know my ‘why’ and I’ve explored multiple paths to get there – all of which have never been and will likely never be perfect. Striving for perfectionism is paralyzing and wastes time.
In my line of work, this is how things go: implement >> measure >> analyze >> correct >> implement.
We don’t wait until it’s perfect to start because we know that we only know what we know and what we don’t know we’ll learn along the way. We’ll have a chance to correct it and try again. This is why it doesn’t need to be perfect for you to start.
3. Feeling unprepared is normal; don’t let that stop you
You’re worried that no one will support you. You’re worried that no one will buy your stuff. You’re worried that you’ll make yourself look crazy. You’re worried about your color scheme, your fonts, your verbiage. You’re worried about everything! It’s normal to feel anxious or uncomfortable when you are stepping into something new. If you don’t feel some level of anxiety or feelings of nervousness then you probably aren’t pushing yourself far enough. One of my favorite quotes is,
“there’s no growth in your comfort zone and no comfort in your growth zone.” -unknown
Those are true words spoken. Feeling uneasy or nervous doesn’t mean you are unprepared, it means that you’re taking a step in the right direction. When you feel these feelings, embrace them and channel them in a different way. Think of them as feelings of excitement instead of nervousness or anxiety. They shouldn’t stagnate you, they should propel you!
