Imagine that every time you didn’t feel 100% about something, you decided not to follow through with it. Imagine how many opportunities and experiences you would have missed out on. Personally, if I never completed things I didn’t feel confident about, I probably wouldn’t be in a sorority because I would have been too scared of recruitment, I wouldn’t have a job because I wasn’t totally sure I would be hired, and I wouldn’t have such amazing life experiences.
Maybe you are the type of girl who cannot go to the bathroom alone. There is a difference between not wanting to be alone and not being able to be alone. Once you learn to be alone, you begin to push your boundaries. You learn to get more done and find more efficient ways to do things. If you get the opportunity to travel the world, do it. If you get the opportunity to apply for a position with a one in a million chance of getting it, do it. You don’t want to wake up one day with regrets.
I’ve gone to different countries with people I barely knew. I went on a mission trip to a country that speaks a different language and taught them English. I came to a college over a thousand miles away from home without knowing anyone. I joined a sorority of 150 girls that I didn’t know and made some of my best friends. I never felt comfortable doing any of that. Before each of those events, I thought about backing out. I spent every night before that freaking out and thinking of everything that could go wrong. I tried to convince myself it was a bad idea. But you know what? None of those things were bad ideas.
If you have a hard time trying new things, here are a few tips!
– Go to the movies or out to eat alone. You may feel awkward at first, but eventually you will start to relax and learn how to become independent.
– Change up your daily routine. Take a different route to work, try a new food.
– Trust yourself! Deep down, you know what you want to accomplish and what makes you happy. Don’t let yourself convince you otherwise!
– Follow your heart!