A Reframe on Taking a Leap of Faith
Why it’s not always a full-body yes for me.
I heard this quote, If you’re unwilling to sit with uncertainty, you will kill possibility, from career coach Keren Eldad, author of the incredible book Gilded. It stopped me dead in my tracks. The last few years have consisted of events that have made me question the degree to which I can tolerate uncertainty.
Nobody likes uncertainty, but the truth is, certainty is a fallacy, and we believe we can control our fate. As more uncertainty enters, we desperately cling to control, assuming it’s the antidote to the discomfort that arises when we experience uncertainty.
What COVID revealed
COVID certainly brought this to light. At first, it felt like someone had turned down the volume of my life, which was desperately needed. My husband, Sam, and I were in the parenting phase where we felt like our kids’ Uber drivers, working a full day in the office and then driving our kids from one activity to the next. The pace was unsustainable, but we insisted that it’s just the stage of life we’re in.
During the shutdown, we were all filled with uncertainty and left wondering, “Would life ever go back to normal?” And then I realized that was the wrong question. I didn’t want to return to my old normal; I liked the quiet and the slow pace. The real question was, how much uncertainty could I tolerate to welcome new possibilities?
Embracing uncertainty is a call to exercise our faith. It's a call to trust, especially when the path ahead seems unclear. If we can’t sit with uncertainty, we don’t leave room for faith to enter and reveal new possibilities. If our only hope is to return to what was, we miss the chance to make space for something new.
Taking a leap of faith
To take a leap of faith, we must accept that life is uncertain, despite how much we try to control it. With that, I realized my response to uncertainty, or taking a leap of faith, doesn’t resemble many others.
For me, it never starts as a full-body yes. Instead, it’s a full-body maybe.
Whether it was my career changes throughout the years, deciding to start posting videos on TikTok at the age of 43, sending my oldest off to college during a pandemic, or trying to resolve a problem that doesn’t have a clear solution, I needed to rely on my faith. But how do you know when it’s the right time to take a leap of faith?
A full-body yes makes sense to me; it’s just not where I start. I wouldn't have welcomed new opportunities if I had waited for the full-body yes moment. When I began posting on TikTok, I was terrified. I didn’t know what I was doing, and quite honestly, I still don’t. However, somehow, I managed to grow an audience of 300,000, which expanded my podcast, and I created a beautiful community here on Substack. When I look back, I’m grateful that I didn’t wait for the full body yes. I would probably still be waiting.
Career changes
It was not a full-body yes when I considered leaving my job as a teacher of 12 years (and I loved teaching). When the intuitive nudges started to visit me (these are the whispers that usually say, "Look over here, it’s time to move on"), I resisted. Leave me alone, I thought. I like my life the way it is. It’s safe and predictable, and I don’t have it in me right now to step into the unknown.
But as life would have it, the nudges kept bugging me. They would say, "It’s time to keep growing and evolving," which is code for facing changes, stepping into the unknown, and learning to embrace the inevitable fear that comes with it. This is why it’s rarely a full-body yes for me. Getting to maybe is even a challenge.
By listening and allowing for the 'maybe', we can take the next right step. So, armed with this understanding, I began to say 'maybe' to the nudges. Even this simple act of saying 'maybe' opened the door wider, and suddenly, new possibilities began to emerge.
Don’t wait for the full body yes
If you’re waiting for the full body yes, ask yourself to embrace the feeling of maybe. Start there, and by allowing yourself to simply peek in a new direction, you may start to see a new reality full of possibilities, opportunities, and a richness you had never considered. With time, if you’re like me, the full body yes will come. And when it does, you will be so rooted and anchored in your faith and trusting of your intuition, it will no longer feel like a scary leap. Instead, you’ll see it as a welcomed opportunity with the complete confidence that you can manage whatever comes your way. This self-trust and confidence in your intuition is empowering and liberating.
When you reach this point in your evolution, you’ll start to seek uncertainty, inviting it in because you’re ready for whatever comes next. This is the ultimate experience in learning to trust yourself and the universe. It won't always be easy, but you'll find ease and joy in the process.
Take Aways
If you’re feeling the nudges and whispers saying, "Look over here," allow yourself to explore. Where is it pointing you? What is it saying? What part of you has sat dormant and is trying to awaken? Is fear the only thing stopping you? Can you take one small step and just peek at this new possibility? Can you say maybe?
Taking a leap of faith requires you to parent yourself through this process. If this resonates with you, and you’re feeling the nudges, just know I support clients through this process, utilizing my unique inner parenting process. No, parenting is not only about raising your kids; it’s about continuing to parent and grow yourself. Trust me, when you live your life in your essence, your kids will thank you. It is a service to them to see you honor your gifts and the light you hold within. Feel free to reply to this email and share your story with me.
When we know this and trust this process, the journey becomes more than we could have ever imagined. Take the leap of faith, trust your nudges, and start by saying maybe.