This weekend I decided to try something new and embrace one of my fears-SNAKES.
I don’t exactly remember how it happened, but one minute I was watching this gentleman walk through the crowd at the Southern University parade with a big yellow and white snake. Many people moved out of the way, but I noticed that the kids were not the least bit afraid. Instead, they walked up to him, asking him to pet the snake or have it placed around them.
I was in the middle of a conversation with my best friend when something said, “You should go take a picture with that snake.” I do not know what came over me, but suddenly, I stopped my friend and told her, “Hold on, I want to get a picture with this snake.” Then I took off for the snake.
I had to follow the man a little because so many people wanted pics, but finally, my turn came. Everything was happening so fast, though, I barely had time to think about the other voice in my head that was asking, “Why are you doing this? What if it turns on you?”
The thing was that I saw something that I wanted, and I decided to simply go for it. That is very unlike me, who is always calculating and thinking, but something told me that if I took the time to do all of that, I would miss this opportunity. I had to move fast, so I got moving.
The next thing I knew, the man was wrapping the snake around my shoulders and stepping back, which I was a little nervous about him doing because those voices were getting louder in my head, but it was now wrapped around me. I knew I had to remain calm.
Don’t ask me what kind of snake it was because I cannot tell you, but it was big. You can watch the reel of it here. It’s funny.
It was an exhilarating experience! But you know what made it so special and worth writing about? It’s because I overcame my fear and stepped out of my comfort zone.
The video is doing really well on YouTube, with over 4k views so far.
But that experience taught me that is how we should often step out in business. Seeing what we want and simply going for it with no hesitation, ignoring those negative voices and questions in our head, and instead listening to our hearts’ desires. Skip the pep-talks and just go, because if you wait too long, you may miss the moment.
However, I also think that perhaps if you miss the moment, it was not yours, to begin with, but that’s for another time, and some things are for us. We have to stop thinking that the best things in life are always for others, excluding ourselves.
And sometimes, we need to tap into our inner child, the one who was unafraid and curious, who took risks without a care in the world because they did not even know risks existed.
That’s what I did at that moment, and it reminded me how I need to do the same in business more frequently.
For another fear of mine is talking with others. I am usually one of those, “I talk to you if you talk to me” types of people. Y’all know I’m introverted, but for who I want to be, I am learning to come out of my shell. And this weekend made me see how to do that more clearly. I’m excited!
When was the last time you conquered one of your fears, and what did you learn? Did it inspire anything?
If you would like to overcome your fear of being the face of your business, I can assist you with that. I strategically execute brand and press campaigns for Black businesswomen, coaches, and authors so that they can receive more visibility and establish themselves as an authority.
