As I was running, I was catching up on Cara Alwill Leyba’s Podcast, Style Your Mind. If you don’t know who Cara is, she is the author of Girl Code (which I highly recommend) along with a few other books. I love listening to Cara’s podcast. She is full of inspiration and keeps it real. #totalgirlboss.
Anyway, during one of her podcasts she talks about how your confidence and success may make others feel uncomfortable, but don’t let that stop you from sharing it. Often times we don’t celebrate our successes with people because we worry about how it will make others feel. I know there are many times where I have lots of exciting things going on, but I’ve had a friend that’s just shared all of the negative things that are happening in their life, and when they ask me how I’m doing, I just say, “I’m doing well” and that’s it. No sharing, no bragging on myself, just same old same old. Why do I do that?! I was just so excited about my life, but then I felt like I should keep my success to myself to make them not feel so bad that their life is miserable. I need to stop thinking that my success shouldn’t be shared. I need to believe that when I share good news that it will help inspire others and who knows, it could help my negative friend refocus and know that good things will happen for them too. And they may even actually be happy for me and want to celebrate my success – shocking!
Listening to Cara’s podcast helped me to know that I shouldn’t apologize for my life, but it also made me realize that wanting approval from others has been stopping me from living a life that I truly want to live. I’ve often struggled with goal setting because of doubt. I’ve always been a high achiever and will bend over backwards to help other people, but when it comes to my personal goals, I slip. I’m afraid to set goals because of my lack of belief. It’s so much easier for me when I’m given a task by someone else to do whatever it takes to complete it. They asked me to do something, I know it needs to get done and I believe it can get done because they believed it too. But with myself, I set a goal and doubt I can get it done. I feel the need to have someone else approve of my goal, tell me I can do it, tell me it’s not an outrageous goal and then I would be able to take action.
I have big ideas and big goals, but I hardly tell anyone about my goals. I’m worried they sound dumb, I’m worried if I fail and I’m worried about what people will think. Because of all of this worry, I get excited about my goals, but then I don’t take any action. I’ve found myself in a nasty cycle of needing approval of my goal, but being too scared to talk about my goal, then I don’t believe in myself and don’t pursue my goal.
What a horrible cycle to be in! No one needs to approve of my goal! This goal was placed in my heart for a reason. My goal might sound wild and crazy, but who cares?! If I don’t take action on my goal, then I will never know if it was possible. Shoot for the moon and land among the stars, right?
There is no right or wrong to a goal. Your goal is personal. It’s for you to accomplish. Decide on your goal. Own your goal and fully believe that your goal is possible. Focus on your goal. Make it happen. You don’t need anyone else to approve of your goal but you.
In her podcast, Cara also says to be your own permission slip. 
I love this! You don’t need anyone’s permission to go after your dreams. Give yourself permission to live the life that you want to live and chase after your dreams.
And I’m not saying that you can’t tell people about your goals, because it is nice to have a support system. But you also have to guard your heart and not share your goal with everyone. There will be people in your life that love you and mean well, but they may not approve of your goals because they want to protect you and they don’t understand how to dream big.
Have you been waiting for someone’s approval to take action on your goal? Stop waiting and take action!
Be you. Be*YOU*tiful.