Good News: You're Not Going to Die

Well, actually, to be fair, you are.

At some point.

But it's probably not going to happen today and it's definitely not going to happen because you have decided to put your work out into the world.  

Let me explain.

Last week my daughter had an art project that she had to do for one of her classes.  She decided to an interactive exhibit where she was the art.  She dressed in a white paint suit and as she walked around campus, she gave people the opportunity to "make their mark" with paint or marker on her "canvas."

I got a text from her that morning.  It read:  I have knots in my stomach..is this a dumb idea?

I assured it her it was a brilliant idea.  I reminded her that her brain was just freaking out because it thought it was going to die.  

Later in the week, I published my first Facebook ad campaign.  I had knots in my stomach and I told myself that this was a very dumb idea.

Then I remembered what I told my daughter.

Everything is fine.  Your brain just thinks it's going to die.  It's not.  Everything is going to be fine.

Whenever we put ourselves "out there,"—out there outside our comfort zone, out there where we can get hurt, out there where people can disappoint or criticize or question us—our brain panics.  A lot.  Cause it thinks it's gonna die.

But the truth is, we aren't going to die.  The very, very worst thing that can happen is a negative emotion.

And you can handle that.

I promise.