Throughout my journey, I’ve been presented with opportunities that I have turned down and have said “it’s not for me”. It’s not that I felt too good for this opportunity; I felt like the opportunity was too good for me. Does this situation sound familiar? Many of us have gone through this before, and we miss out on experiences that can help us learn and grow. Fear, lack of confidence, and feeling like we don’t check off every box; can stop us from taking on a new opportunity.
News flash- you are fully deserving of new opportunities and you shouldn’t shy away from them.
Challenging ourselves can be difficult, but we need to build confidence in ourselves and start asking “Why not me?” We all bring something unique to the table, and most of the time when opportunities are presented to us, it’s because we have done something right and people believe in us. Whenever you come across a new opportunity, look at the bigger picture and take a moment to reflect on what this would mean to you.
Write your thoughts as you ask yourself these questions:
- Will I feel regretful if I turn down this opportunity?
- Will this opportunity make me feel like I am moving forward in my journey?
- What are the obstacles that I may face during this journey?
- Do I have resources and people I can rely on for this new experience?
- Will I be okay if this opportunity does not work out?
Use this exercise to think deeper about whether this new opportunity motivates and excites you. Remember that fear is completely normal, even good sometimes because it causes you to pause and reflect. But with any opportunity that causes fear, you need to look at it for what it is and not allow fear to make the decision for you. Use fear as a catalyst to push you forward toward new experiences. So, are you ready for the next challenge in your journey?
