What are you afraid of?

You know I love you and we are “forever friends” so it keeps amazing me how much I LEARN from you. Your last few posts have prompted a few yellow sticky moments (that are now on the edge of my laptop!) Love this roll you are on – hanging on for dear life!!! Love you! – Ann

Hi Carrie. The “fearless” message coincides with the release of the “Green Lantern” movie (which I saw yesterday). Hal Jordan seems fearless yet consistently defies his mortality. Once he believes in the strength the Green Latern holds for him, Hal overcomes his fears to defeat the villians and bring good back to the world.

I too use an exercise similar to the one you shared, and often with my clients. If nothing else, facing fears in this manner frees the inner soul to move forward; it’s cleansing and at the same time rewarding.

Personally, I’ve found that if I meet my fear face-to-face, it’s 99.9% gone forever with new insight gained. For instance, I wanted to connect with the local Chamber of Commerce to introduce myself and my newly formed LLC to perhaps get a speaking gig or two; I had put this off, though, being afraid of no interest generated or rejection. But when I re-evaluated my fear, it was the actual meeting people one-on-one holding me back. So I asked one of my fellow Toastmasters to go with me as to not be or feel alone. During the socail gathering of the Chamber members I reconnected with a couple of old friends and met some new ones!

What I found during this process was the underlying reason for most of my inactions: no interest generated or rejection in what I have to offer. However, I now understand that if that happens, the “audience” may not be my target market — for they are all working and do not see themselves at a transitional point in their lives!

Kudos to you in your new endeavors with inviting conversation! It’s also generating copy for my own blog and newsletter!

Dream On!
PeggyLee

Peggy – your response was a post in itself that I hope everyone that visits will learn from as well!

I have hit a new ‘something’ lately and not sure what it is. (I knew you’d spot it) Simplifying. Streamlining. Stripping away all that doesn’t serve and meeting the challenge FULL on. Having friends like you certainly helps FAN the new flame!!

Thank you Ann, for all you are and teach and mean to ME personally!! (tell mini-You I was thinking a girls trip on an African safari appeals…thinking we need to meet those elephants face-to-trunk!) I bet @PaulEvans:twitter could arrange that and we could work some orphanage visits in too…

Coming from you, that means a lot. Thanks, Carrie!

It is so simple:  “You need a mentor.”  I heard you say that in the melange of snippets of quotes and thought, she’s right!  I know whom I want my mentor to be and I will start working on that today.  I’ve watched her, I’ve cheered her, I’ve hung on to her every word ….. okay, I want YOU to be my mentor.

I’ve been watching you almost two years now, Ms. Barefoot Executive, and you have been a vision (in both senses of the word) to behold.  I watched you one day this year on Barefoot TV and I said, not one more year is going to catch me NOT going for everything with my business.

Plant the thought, right? as Mike Dooley would say.  And I hear you in the background saying, PLAN AND DO IT!  It’s YOUR business–get going!

So I prayed, daily, and I got off my rump.  It was my therapist who said two weeks ago, call shelters and offer to do your workshops.  I said, okay.  My small business consultant at Temple University’s small business development center provided me with a list.  And on that Friday afternoon I called every shelter in Philadelphia and offered to do my workshops.  I began by preparing two flyers:  one with my 6 stand-alone workshops and another with my year-long program for women on public assistance and women in the shelter system.

About 20-25 calls and 7 or 8 email messages later, I had one definite expression of interest.  Before Constance Lindsay of Trevor’s Place got back to me to say she had read my proposals with interest, she contacted Resources for Human Development to see if they could fund the 7-week portion of my year-long program.  I went to RHD’s website and completed their non-profit incubator application so that if there were any questions, they would have all of my information and details about the program.

THIS past Friday I spoke with a CareerLink site administrator to discover how to become a statewide provider on the Pennsylvania list.  Mr. Sikina interviewed me very quickly and surmised that I did not need to be on the statewide provider list, but offered to review my materials for possibly sharing them with other site administrators at their monthly meetings, or having ME come in and present my programs!

Then I opened an email from my friend Shaquilla Smith of Hype Media Global and she asked, quite simply, “How are you?”  I responded and then she dropped an extremely pleasant bomb:  she wanted me to be a special guest on one of her company’s shows this summer and to headline, as keynote speaker, their couple’s retreat at a resort in Florida in February 2012.

What happened?  What changed?  I listened to my soon-to-be mentor (ahem!!!!!  She says prayerfully …….), I got off my duff, I prayed to God, and I PICKED UP THE PHONE.  I already knew I was good on the phone, but I spent that first Friday afternoon cold calling and following up.  Nothing works like follow through.

Thank you, Carrie, for being the example.  Between you, Julie Ann Turner, Christine Arylo, Rosie Dow and Nell Merlino’s Make Mine A Million, Blowing Up Barriers Enterprises is on its way!!!!

Now about that mentorship position ……… !!!

PS: In the past year and a half I’ve also managed to lose 90 pounds without trying. I do intend to follow your footsteps in every way. Just have to find the husband and kids ………

I am so proud of you Niama!! Sounds like I am already mentoring you through
the blog and through the TV

Our actual personal mentoring programs run Nov-Oct and so those will open up
at our event in October in Dallas.

I consider Mary Kay Ash a mentor of mine. I read her books, listened to her
CDs and studied her materials.
I consider Zig Ziglar a mentor. Same. Read him, listened to him and now
creating materials with him this year.
I consider Dr. John Maxwell a mentor. Inhaled and absorbed so many of his
materials.
I invested further in personal online mentoring with Yanik Silver, in person
mentoring with Strategic Coach. I invest in a strategist, I work with
mastermind groups. I invest heavily in me because you are right. The
accountability and challenge that goes with working with a mentor, coach,
strategist and group is unparalleled!!

Congrats on some key steps!

 Okay, I have no business saying this, but I want to come too!    After the two weeks I’ve had, it is about time to meet some elephants trunk to face.    Hmmm, don’t want to be late for my workshop series though …….

Enjoy yourselves Carrie and Ann!  This year I have women in shelters and on public assistance to show their own brilliance.  Next year perhaps the elephants for me.

Love and blessings,

Dr. Ni

Hi Carrie – I totally agree with your methods!  Too often we stay unconscious and allow ourselves to step out of our power.  Instead, if we took the time out conversation, like you just laid out, we could see what’s most important and get back to it!  Thanks for sharing.

Carrie, Thanks for sharing. it seems that you are answering so many of my questions on your blog lately. It is like you are reading my mind. Or is it that I am so similar to so many other mums working from home? Whatever it is, thanks. I am loving the content.
Dee

excellent! happy to hear it!

excellent! happy to hear it!

excellent! happy to hear it!

excellent! happy to hear it!

excellent! happy to hear it!

self-awareness is my most powerful tool lately

self-awareness is my most powerful tool lately

self-awareness is my most powerful tool lately

self-awareness is my most powerful tool lately

self-awareness is my most powerful tool lately

Yep, pretty recently, in fact. About a week ago, I found out that I had gotten a business development internship I was really excited about. Awesome!

But to pursue it, I’d have to leave my not-very-interesting but comfortable-income day job.

After doing some pros and cons, I said yes to the internship before the fear could catch up.

But catch up it did, and I had some panic attacks a few days after handing in my two weeks’ notice.

I’m still kind of scared, but I’m simultaneously intensely excited about the opportunities that can come from this internship. I’m doing it.

Thanks for posting this and helping me put things in perspective, Carrie!

Zero in on the panic. Is it because of money or comfort zone? If it’s money – you can fix that with a part time job or business. If it’s comfort zone – the only way to tackle it is head on!!

Great post! There’s actually a new reality show airing on Yahoo Screen called “Failure Club,” produced by the legendary Morgan Spurlock, which examines the fear of failure and how it affects our dreams and decisions.  I happen to be a character on the show, and along with 6 other failure club members, am pursuing a goal that may seem unrealistic: leaving the corporate world to start a handyman company. Would love for you to watch!

http://screen.yahoo.com/to-do-or-not-to-do-27613594.html

Wow! Congrats! I’m not much of a tv watcher – but really proud of you for pursuing a big goal!

“I’m really busy now and if I succeed I will be overwhelmed with and need to make even more complex decisions.

Pounding through it anyways and looking at not carrying so much personally… team!