Start before you’re ready

About a month ago – or “BTP” (before the pandemic) – I created a YouTube video called Start Before You’re Ready.

Given the climate at the time, the video was light and encouraging. It was meant to inspire you to overcome your fear of imperfection, failure/success, or procrastination.

To do the very thing you love. No matter what.

And to do it now.

Before you’re ready.

Since that time the whole world has shifted. But I’ve come to realize that those words “start before you’re ready” couldn’t be more relevant. Or more true.

Or more important than they are at this time.

The Universe needs (is asking) us to step up and help one another.

It wants us to share our gifts.

RIGHT NOW.

Without delay.

To move through our fear and limiting beliefs. Of imperfection, procrastination, overthinking, over-analyzing, comparison to others, etc!

To push aside all those tricky little reasons we tell ourselves why we can’t do the very thing – whether big or small – that deep down we know we want to.

That right now, perhaps more than ever, we ought to.

To do the very thing that could lead us to live a more purpose-driven life.

One of authenticity. And in the end, more meaning and more joy.

For example, a girlfriend of mine who’s been a therapist for 25+ years, has been wanting to make a shift in her career for some time. She’s contemplated leaving her full-time position to start her own part-time practice. She’s even considered doing online e-therapy.

But being rather anti-techy, the prospect of doing anything online was a bit daunting for her. So earlier this year, after much debate, she decided to take an e-therapy course and to work through it slowly. At her own pace.

Then COVID-19 hit.

And guess what?

My friend had to start before she was ready.

Her office shut down and sent her home with her computer. Before she even had a millisecond to think about it (and let her fear sabotage her progress) she was conducting e-therapy sessions online.

And she’s doing great! Her clients, all families in distress, are being served at a time when they most need it. And in a form (Zoom videos) that they may, at one time, have resisted.

My friend is sharing her incredible counseling gift and making a huge difference in her clients’ lives.

Another friend of mine, a coach, works at family drop-in centers supporting parents with young children.

When the pandemic hit she suddenly found herself working from home.

But how could she serve the families now?

When the drop-in centers were closed and she, and the families, were all stuck at home?

Her employer asked her to start creating singalong videos to share with the families in a private Facebook group.

My friend had never shared online videos before, so she had to figure it out. And fast.

She was forced to push through her fear of doing things imperfectly.

And to start before she was ready.

Her videos – which are very uplifting – are now being watched by hundreds of families. She’s sharing her comforting presence and singing gift. And making an important difference in her community.

My friends are not alone. There are many others right now who are pushing past their comfort zones and finding creative ways to help others. It’s been beautiful to witness.

As for me?

What am I being pushed (or as I like to believe, nudged) by the Universe to do differently during this pandemic?

Well the answer has become quite clear.

Coaching. More coaching.

I had already started my YouTube channel (videos offering weekly coaching tips) earlier this year…and definitely before I was ready.

Trust me, if you watch my very first video: Moving Through My Fear you’ll see how scared shitless I was to put myself out there.

But in doing so – taking that first bold action step – my confidence grew immensely.

And I was able to keep moving forward with them.

But what about now?

What else am I being called to do?

During the last few weeks, as I’ve watched many around me grow increasingly anxious and afraid, I’ve had a growing sense that I’m meant to step things up a notch.

To start one more thing before I’m ready.

To embrace more fully my role as a life coach.

And to really own it.

Something I’ve been afraid of doing for quite some time.

As some of you know, my day job is online-bookkeeping. It’s a great home-based business which has served me well for the past 2 1/2 years.

But even so, bookkeeping is not my calling. And I’ve always known that.

Coaching – inspiring, uplifting, empowering others – is. And everyone who knows me and really gets me, understands that, too.

But like many of you, I’ve let my fear hold me back. My inner critic/saboteur often whispers in my ear: “who do you think you are?”

Well I’m here to tell you now…I’m a life coach.

You know it. I know it. And the Universe (based on all the little clues I’ve been getting these past few weeks) sure as hell knows it, too.

So like my two friends above, the pandemic is inviting me to face that part of myself.

To face my fear.

And to push through it. So I can finally start doing what I came here to do.

It’s time.

The world as we know it has changed.

And it’ll never be quite the same again.

Old paradigms are falling away.

And new ones are emerging.

We are being called to share our innate gifts – our divine light – with one another.

There’s simply no excuse not to now.

The world needs more kindness and compassion.

More hope.

And I have lots of it to share.

So in the next few weeks I’m going to be offering some free coaching sessions. To people who may need my help moving forward at this difficult time.

It’s the least I can do.

We’re all being invited to find ways to help one another. In any way we can.

My way – my gift – is through coaching others.

So what about you? What’s your gift? The one the Universe is gently nudging you to share with the world?

Or with your family? Your friends? Community? Your pet?

The gift you share doesn’t need to be big!

It just needs to be authentic. And real. And coming from your heart.

It has to feel good when you do it. Because that’s what a gift is all about.  You share it with others. In whatever capacity you can.

There’s no right or wrong here. Nor too big or too small.

As we’ve seen on the news and social media, gifts from the heart come in all shapes and sizes.

Singing, listening, sharing jokes and videos, cooking, blogging, gardening, coaching, counselling, parenting, creating, dog-walking, helping, nurturing, sewing, dancing, photographing, banging pots, writing, grocery shopping, care-taking, advocating, painting, building, food delivering, driving, playing music, making others laugh, encouraging, and loving.

And there’s plenty more.

I truly believe that each of us is being called to do our part. To lift this beautiful planet of ours up in its greatest time of need.

To share with others the gifts – the light – that we were all born with.

And to start doing that now.

Before we’re ready.