Dream BIG
Don’t listen to the naysayers.
Don’t listen to the negative voice in your head.
Do listen to Your Mentors.
Do listen to Your People.
When I was left with my five sons to care for with no career or financial safety net, I was scared out of my mind. The anxiety was real and ever present. How on earth was I going to take care of my kids? How was I going to feed them? Pay rent? Make the car payment?
What I did know was: I had to take action. In spite of paralyzing, mind-numbing fear. I took a step in faith and reached out to an acquaintance who owned a business. Guess what…he was looking for someone with my exact skill set!
While working there, I began dreaming big and after a year or two I shared an idea with the owners to allow me to grow there. They loved the idea and allowed me to branch out in my career with the company. Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out. But it was an act of bravery and another small step towards changing my circumstances.
Then I had another idea! I pitched this to one of my external business partners. And you know what…they liked it! However, this too didn’t pan out, but my bravery and strength grew a little bit more.
Then I dreamed really big! I was going to go back to school to become a Physician's Assistant! I had fallen in love with science and surgery years earlier and had even taken an Anatomy & Physiology class making a 95 all the while homeschooling my boys. So, I took the GRE and moved my family to a new town so I could attend school. I spent the next year taking my prerequisites to apply. My first time applying, I was waitlisted. I spent the next year genotyping in a lab and gaining more shadowing hours. Building a stellar resume to apply again! Guess what? You got it…I didn’t get in. I didn’t even get an interview. Unheard of for someone who is waitlisted.
Well, the death of this dream was really devastating. I spent about two days just despondently sobbing. But then I said to myself: Ok, what next Shelley?
What was next was a job at my current company, ADP. I was there because it was a job. They hired me and I needed income and benefits. I didn’t love what I was doing, but I kept pushing myself. I found mentors. I tried to be as teachable as possible. I continually asked for feedback. I kept taking steps forward. Sometimes the answer was yes, but many times it was no. But this was GOOD. The “No” answers kept me on my toes and kept me learning. I kept growing. My belief in myself and my bravery continued to grow. I was learning that my greatest fears were unfounded! In spite of failure, in spite of hearing “No” many, many times it didn’t kill me. It didn’t defeat me. And all these failures were the stepping stones to my successes.
Now this doesn’t mean I wasn’t discouraged at times. There were moments and seasons when I was so incredibly discouraged. I had to keep My People around me. And they believed in me when I couldn’t. They would say: Shelley, you ARE going to make it. I had a church that told me every Sunday: God loves you and you are going to make it. This was invaluable.
After over five years with ADP, I’ve landed in a good place. A role I not only enjoy, but one that is a good fit for me. And while I’m forever grateful that I’ve landed here, this is not the point of my blog post today. The point is this: It’s the Journey that makes the difference. It’s taking the steps. Facing your fears. Teaching YOURSELF that you’re brave and capable and that you have exactly what you need within you to succeed.
Maybe you are in a similar place. Maybe you are consumed with fear and anxiety like I was. Maybe you’re not in my exact place, but there are things you want to accomplish and you are full of self-doubt. The single best thing you can do is: take your next step. Whatever it is. Even if you force yourself to take the tiniest little step. All the small steps added together make big steps towards a better you, a better tomorrow, and the fulfillment of your destiny.
Until next time, I’m wishing you courage, bravery, and the grit to keep taking steps towards your hopes, and dreams, and future.
Shelley