Don’t be scared just be awesome!

Lisa T.

It was said full-hearted and with intention, after a long discussion about having the courage to follow our dreams. Good friends for many years, Erika and I met at an art gallery where we thought we would be hosting a fine crowd for the opening of a much-anticipated vernissage.

What our job actually entailed was sitting in the gallery basement, preparing the invitations meant for that fine crowd.

There, as perfect strangers, we sat for hours, stuffing envelopes. What if we didn’t get along? The thought had crossed our minds. Instead, like all precious friendships, ours blossomed from the get-go.

Erika and I became roommates and found ourselves in a transition phase of life. We were both graduates of a prestigious university and had completed a few preliminary employment opportunities. But at this juncture, we were ready to spread our wings and take off into creative pursuits that felt closer to our hearts. Of course, going out on our own felt scary.

Many conversations ensued about what it meant to find your passion; your purpose. Did it have to translate into the thing you do for work? And as much as we cared about our purpose, would it resonate with others as well? 

We were working through big dreams, and with them, big fears. Dedicating ourselves to our passions came with a healthy dose of anxiety and negative self-talk: “Will this work?” “Am I good enough?” At some point in our brainstorming, I exclaimed enthusiastically that we can’t be scared, we just have to be awesome!

I didn’t realize it at the time, but it left such an impression that it became Erika’s mantra. Years later, on the heels of another move — this time to a different country where the unknown factor was high, Erika gifted me a little token, a paint chip with the following stamped into it: Don’t be scared just be awesome.

While I hadn’t remembered saying these words, they were clearly still relevant. I’ve carried that gift in my wallet ever since. A friendly reminder that no matter the undertaking, big or small, you have what it takes!

Lisa T. is guest author of this week’s WOOM blog.