In this season of strong opinions, it can be easy to allow all the noise to influence who we are and what we think about ourselves.  Can I encourage you today to cast a vote for YOU!  I’m always surprised when someone tells me they can’t do something because their friends don’t think they should.  The notion that you are waiting for someone else to give you permission to pursue your dreams makes me crazier than election season.  Can I give you my honest opinion?  Yes, unsolicited advice is my campaign slogan today!

Here goes:

YOU CAN PURSUE YOUR DREAMS.
YOU SHOULD TAKE A CHANCE ON YOU.
YOU DESERVE TO BE EXCITED ABOUT YOUR LIFE.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY.
YOU ARE QUALIFIED FOR YOUR DREAMS.
YOUR GOALS ARE WORTHY.
YOU ARE WORTHY.
YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE.
YOU HAVE TO TRUST YOUR INSTINCT OVER THE NOISE OF THE NAYSAYERS.
YOU ARE CAPABLE.
YOU CAN DO IT.

GOD HAS BIG PLANS FOR YOU, ARE YOU WILLING TO PURSUE THEM?

I know what you’re thinking, “Jessica, why are you yelling at me?” Well, I need you to know how serious I am about this!

Ladies, we have to stop worrying about what other people are thinking.  Actually, people aren’t thinking about you as much as you think they are. Truth!  And, if they are thinking anything but “you go girl,” then you don’t need to know about it.  Don’t worry about the critics. Everyone has critics. If all the successful people in the world listened to the naysayers, we wouldn’t have the pool noodle and Spanx wouldn’t exist.  Y’all know I love my Spanx, and how did we float in a pool before the noodle?

When is the last time you really thought about what you would like your life to look like?  When have you taken the time to evaluate how things are going?  Are you living the life you are meant to live?

Here’s a realization I had one day when I was running from what I knew God was asking me to do. When I really felt a calling on my life and it was scary. I didn’t want to “put myself out there” and feel vulnerable.  I don’t like to feel vulnerable but more scary than that was this thought:  I don’t want to get to 80 years old and think “I wonder what it would have been like if I tried to do (blank).”  More than I hate feeling vulnerable, I hate the thought of living a mediocre life.

Here’s the deal friend.  Maybe you look at my life now and think it’s always been this way.  But let me clue you in on a few things.  Every successful venture I’ve had has come with more mistakes along the way than one human should be allowed.  I’ve got a list of failed businesses way longer than my list of successful ones.  I started all of those ventures completely under qualified.  If I had listened to my closest allies, I would still be working a “normal” 9 to 5 job, trading my time for money and being absolutely miserable.  Now, don’t hear what I’m not saying.  If you love your corporate America job, keep it and be the best at it.  It may not be changing jobs or starting a business that you are dreaming of, but whatever it is, stop telling yourself you can’t do it.

As we go into the last two months of the year, can I encourage you to do a life audit?  How are things going?  When you get to 80 are you going to look back and think, “what an amazing ride”?  Can I encourage you to take a chance on you?  Maybe you feel like the most unlikely candidate, but if you are willing to put your name on the ballot, I have a feeling you would get more votes then you can imagine.  Start with you, you VOTE for YOU.  You decide what it is you should be pursuing and then trust that the right people will come along to support you.

I believe in you, and if you tell me you’re ready, I’m writing you in as my choice and I’ll be right here cheering you along the entire way!

I’d love to hear what you’re dreaming about. Send me a note or comment on the blog so we can all be cheering for your success.  I’ve got great ladies in my corner and I promise you nothing makes us happier than to see others chase their dreams!

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