Let me start by saying this: I dislike being uncomfortable. I am a self-proclaimed creature of habit and the queen of “what if something bad happens?” I am not a risk taker, and I do just fine with a manageable day. The idea of doing something uncomfortable and intimidating is usually enough to send me into a miniature tailspin.

Rewind to eleven months ago when I joined a direct sales company selling makeup and skin care products. First off, I knew nothing about sales. I am a nurse practitioner, and my last sales job was in college working at a now defunct retail store. But I have always loved makeup and the idea of making women feel good about themselves, and when I found out it was no-risk (see, there I go again), I took the leap.

I had some minor success in the beginning, but then I learned something that stopped me in my tracks. A large part of the marketing aspect of this business is live video on social media. I thought to myself at that moment “well, it was a fun three weeks, but I’m not doing that. What if I look like an idiot?” The “what ifs” were going to end this venture before it started, but I was not taking the chance on making a fool of myself on live internet.

You can probably guess what happened next. Things slowed down. I wasn’t getting much response and I was getting frustrated. I followed a few related groups and heard a fellow woman in the field say something that resonated with me to this day…”do it scared, but do it.” I forced myself to have an uncomfortable conversation with myself, and I came up with the only question that made sense, which was “what is the worst thing that can happen?”

I went over the “what ifs” in my head. “What if I make a mistake?” I have made hundreds already, and I’m still alive. “What if people judge me?” Some are doing that anyway, if I am being honest. “What if it doesn’t change anything?” Well, it will change my mindset of fear to one of accomplishment!

So, I did it. And I did it again. And again. Were mistakes made? Of course. Did people judge me? Most likely. But did it change anything? Heck to the yes! I am not afraid of it anymore.

I realize this is a minor victory in this thing we call life. But it is my victory. I did something I thought I would never do, and I now do it regularly. I got comfortable with being uncomfortable, and it laid the foundation for all of the future uneasy moments we will all inevitably experience.

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” -Eleanor Roosevelt