Ever wonder why change feels like you're about to dive into the middle of the ocean while being preyed on by hungry sharks?

Yeah you, me, and millions of others LOL...

The growing pains that come with stepping into new evolved versions of yourself is something that will always be there but it doesn't have to make the experience grueling.

“The only constant in life is change” - Heraclitus of Ephesus

Although you can never escape change, you can become proficient at navigating uncharted waters!

When you begin to build a new identity or a new "version" of yourself, you are required to step into the unknown.

Stepping into the unknown means you are stepping outside of your comfort zone, outside of all things that have become familiar because what got you here, cannot get you there.

You have to make new choices and take new actions. Actions which you have never taken before.

Think about it, if you continue to make the same choices and act in the same way you are going to continue to create the same outcomes. So it only makes sense that you must make new choices and take new actions to create new outcomes - or in other words to become an evolved and expanded version of yourself.

But WHY does it feel so scary to make a new choice and practice a new behavior?

One word: ego

And may I start off by saying that the ego is NOT bad, the ego is very misunderstood.

The egos number one job is self preservation so it ultimately prioritizes the feeling of safety. So you can imagine that means it wants to keep you in the middle of your comfort zone where you are familiar with everything, where things are "COMFORTABLE" and appear to be "SAFE."

When you are starting to explore new versions of yourself or ways to create a new version of yourself, you have to step outside of your comfort zone, into that uncharted territory... the "unknown."

The moment you think about leaving the comforts of all things familiar your ego starts to wave a giant red flag yelling, "DO NOT STEP OVER THAT LINE... because we could get rejected, we could fail, we could get hurt..."

(enter all fear based thoughts here)

Your ego will try to spook you into going back to your old patterns and habitual ways of being by using scare tactics. They will fill your mind with distasteful projections that induce fear all so you don't take those initial steps that are catalysts for change.

Again your ego deep down is coming from a place of preservation, your ego doesn't want you to feel:

• rejection
• discomfort
• displacement

But this is your reminder that those feelings are normal.

Change is meant to feel unfamiliar, thats how you know you are going in the right direction. You are like a toddler walking for the first time all over again. 

"Okay so i'll just be in a state of fear for the rest of my life?"

The best way to become comfortable with navigating uncharted territories is by giving yourself permission to have a beginner mindset.

Give yourself the literal permission to:

• Feel silly
• Feel weird
• Feel awkward
• Try new things

Repeat after me:

1. "I give myself permission to feel silly."
2. "I give myself permission to feel weird."
3. "I give myself permission to feel awkward."
4. "I give myself permission to try new things."
5. "I am safe to try new things."

The ego is always worried about feeling like the odd man out so when it comes to trying new things the fear of being judged by others comes to the surface. You'll notice that when you are having negative thoughts about yourself it is actually your ego trying to avoid rejection from others by rejecting yourself first.

You can either be your biggest cheerleader or biggest critic.

That choice is solely up to you.

Celebrate who you are and who you have been just as much as who you are becoming. One day you're going to look back on this time and thank this version of yourself for setting the stage and not giving up. For not settling. For having the courage to create the unthinkable. For crafting your deepest dreams into reality. For stepping outside of your comfort zone. For not letting fear stop you from moving forward.

No matter the trial or tribulation, fear is going to come up. But fear is only fear, and the moment you start to take action the fear is going to go away. Action brings clarity!

So have FUN.

Be playful.

Remind yourself it is okay to try new things and IT IS OKAY TO NOT KNOW HOW TO DO EVERYTHING.

IT IS OKAY to not know how to be this new version of yourself yet.

You are learning new skills and ways of being so be gentle with yourself <333