[Show Up To Grow] Day 17: Be scared and do it anyway

by Mel Blackwood @troubleon8wheels

Take a risk - otherwise you're not really living! Life should be a helter skelter thrill-ride all the time!

Erm, well it could be. But if you take a risk without considering carefully first if you want what is on the other side, you may later learn you wish you hadn't bothered.

I mean, if you eat a certain type of fish that has to be prepared with extreme care, you may be poisoned. If you re-mortgage your house to have a blow out holiday to Vegas to double your money, you may lose everything. If you try roller skating as an adult, you could break a bone.

I wouldn't eat the fish, because I don't eat animals.

I wouldn't re-mortgage my house to gamble, because I don't find it thrilling. It may be fun with monopoly money, but I'm not in a position to lose my house and be okay.

I did try roller skating, because I decided that even if I broke a bone, I could heal. The additional things I learned, like improved confidence, improved posture, mindfulness and becoming fitter were worth the risk.

Opening the Corn Exchange shop was one of the scariest things I've done. I couldn't work out how I would manage to be there, teach the classes and find time to be present for my family. But I did. Taking one step at a time was the way.

• refurbish and build out the space

• move everything in and open it

• upgrade the payment system

• find some help

• continue to build relationships with suppliers

• get people to shop with us!

Life is scary or exciting depending how you frame it. By all means take risks, but ones that are meaningful for you.

What have you tried that was scary and turned out to be the best thing you ever did?