Safe Sally

Dear Enchantress, 

I have all the things I could ask for. I own my house, I have a family I love, I go on dates, and while dating is not an awesome area of my life, it’s alright. I am taking a cooking class and recently signed up for pottery classes. I play it pretty safe in my world. I don’t take risks with dressing up or speaking up and there are times I do want to say something, and I don’t. It could be in a friend’s circle at dinner or at work when they ask if anyone has good ideas. Even with my family, sometimes I stay quiet when I really want to speak up. Got any advice for me? 

Thank you 

Dear Safe Sally, 

Taking risks can be scary but it’s often worth the reward! When you take risks, you push yourself outside of your comfort zone, so when you’re nervous about saying something, do it anyway, and know you may stutter, you may even get ignored. Being messy means being alive. You will find yourself growing both mentally and emotionally because taking a risk means that you realize life is an adventure and something to be explored. Not only will risk teach you more about yourself, but it can also lead you to amazing opportunities. You could even make important connections with new people and find support for ideas that could help further your success as well as bring greater meaning to your life. So, if you’re ever faced with fear of taking risks, remember that there is so much out there that awaits exploration. Don’t be afraid to take the jump in order to reach higher heights! Life starts at the edge of your comfort zone, so don’t be afraid to dive in headfirst – no dreams or goals have ever been achieved without a little risk-taking!

I say all that and then say, being scared is normal. We are not skipping over that part. My biggest tip is to share that you’re scared before you say what you want. That will not only get people’s attention, but it will also strike up their compassion and there is a greater chance that they will listen to you.