By 25 it appeared that I had it all. I had the high paying corperate career I'd always wanted, was a home owner and happily engaged to my fiancée. I was also bored out of my mind.
I remember sitting in my cubicle on the 23rd floor of the tallest building in Phoenix and thinking how I've worked so hard to get to this point…yet I wasn't happy. Looking out through the giant glass window, I would think 'There is a whole world out there and I'm not a part of it. I'm sitting here wasting my time.' I felt like a fish in a bowl. Stuck. It made me very sad. None of my true skills were being leveraged and I was not living my life to its fullest. I reflected on how happy I was in college because I was deeply involved in many organizations (holding leadership posts, etc) and got to interact with interesting people on a daily basis. It was a time in my life that I felt happy, alive and free and I needed to get back to that feeling.
It was then that I realized that I had to take the plunge and quit my job, career and life as I knew it. At 25, this was a tough choice. What would happen if I failed? I had to shed all the preconceived notions I had of success and begin my life's true work. It was one of the scariest and the most exhilarating moments of my life. Shutting out the negative self-talk, not worrying about what my family would think, and believing in myself was very tough and scary.
I remember telling a friend "this is it...it's either sink or swim" and she said "Gelie, you're going to fly."
I am flying. And the fact that I can help thousands of other people while I'm doing it is one of the greatest feelings of accomplishment. I've learned that fearlessness is a gift, because where it exists, all things are possible. A few years ago, I would never have dreamed that I would be doing something like this and I know there is a long road ahead of me. There will be more scary moments, but I'm ready for them. I have learned to associate fear with growth and whenever I feel 'afraid,' I know that I'm growing. Both fear and growth are an essential part of our lives and I welcome both because only then can true self-fulfillment take place.
Where fearlessness exists, all things are possible and I'm ready for those things!
- Share |
- Gelie's Blog
- Login or register to post comments
- Send to a Friend












Gelie,
I can totally relate to this, as I have taken many risks in my life. Both professionally and personally. But I do not want to look back and "wish" I had done something. No way! So I applaud you for "living your life the way YOU WANT!"
Hi Gelie. If you haven't had a chance to read Seth Godin's book "Lynchpin", run out (or mouse over) and pick up a copy. You are a Lynchpin of the first order and this book has everything to do with facing fears.
Will have to check it out!
"BOO-YAH!"