We could have all the ambition, the energy, and the plans to create something meaningful, but sometimes what keeps us from reaching our full potential are the fears and beliefs that we’ve picked up and allow to affect us subconsciously. Those blockages can hold us back for months, even years, making us feel like we just can’t seem to make progress. I was there for years: I had the passion, the ideas, the budget, and the plans in place to make things happen, but the opportunities I wanted just weren’t coming to me. The things I tried just fell apart. It wasn’t until this year that I realized: I didn’t think I was worthy of those opportunities and I didn’t believe I could make them real because the fears were still plaguing me in the back of my mind. When I decided to face those fears and pick them apart, I was able to build a healthy mindset for myself. I told myself I was deserving of success, and I was no longer afraid of that safety.

And today I’m going to get a little bit more into those fears and experiences, but first - I’m Julia, and I guide others to live in their authenticity and, in this case, to break through any fears holding them back. And in part of doing the things that we feel called to authentically, we have to challenge certain beliefs and ideas of ourselves that we’ve collected over time. There are lots of things we’ve been taught are “possible” or “impossible”, “practical” or “impractical”, in order to keep us small and distracted - to throw us off course and off our path. Those things we’ve been taught about life are just that: teachings from others who lived life in their own beliefs, whether they were healthy or not. What I’ve experienced a lot of are subtle jabs and small moments where my ambition and skills were downplayed because of what others around me were told was possible from the people around them. And if you’ve been watching me for a while, you’ll know that a lot of that opposition comes from the people I’ve been close to. I went to design school and was told I wouldn’t make anything of myself; I’ve been told to get a real job; that no one would buy what I’m making; and that “of course” I wouldn’t have daily sales (which my dad actually said to me last week). Every decision I’ve made for myself felt like it was a direct attack on the people who were raised to think that their ambitions weren’t realistic, just because I’ve followed my ambitions with determination - there’s no other option for me. And if there’s anything I’ve learned from building a jewelry brand (and this channel) from the ground up without anyone around me effectively helping in a supportive way: your dreams are meant for you to bring to life, regardless of what others say. Gather your power and your strength, and charge forward with determination every single day. The fears are meant to keep you back, and they will if you let them, but fight them every chance you get. Fight them to the point that they no longer have power.

Just because one person has decided to allow their fears to keep them from trying, that doesn’t mean you have to, too. You can decide if “impossible” exists for you. You get to choose the parameters of your skill set. But when those doubts start to creep in and you start to say things like “I can’t”, “it won’t”, or “they won’t” out of fear that something won’t work out for you, recognize those thoughts and challenge them. It can even help to say those limiting thoughts out loud to give yourself some perspective of how often you think them and how they subconsciously affect your decision-making, that way you can re-shape them to be more healthy. When you see those blocks appear in your way, face them head on to remove them.

And when you find yourself thinking that you can’t start a business because “no one will care”, or you shouldn’t start posting your work because it’ll be “cringe”, know that those are just your fears getting in the way. Your audience is out there waiting for you to start sharing. Every successful person who’s built the platform they have now has started with zero followers. The people you admire started with nothing and grew simply by committing to themselves. So if you want to be a chef or an engineer, go be a chef or an engineer. Study and practice and build on your skills to make your passion a reality. Your dream life can become your reality when you focus and take that chance on yourself while letting things build over time. And taking that chance begins with shutting down the fears that tell you something’s too good for you, or that you’re not worthy. Because those fears are not fact. You get to decide what’s fact in your life by how you think of yourself and what you believe to be true. Speak your desires as if they are fact, and take action towards them every single day. Because, before you know it, your actions and your words will align to create the life you’ve been dreaming of. It won’t be a dream anymore, it’ll just be your lifestyle. The supporters will be there for you; the sales will be consistently rolling in every day; and you’ll be excited to take on each day because you didn’t let the fears win.

Your day-to-day life might be what someone else said was impossible or just too far out of your reach, but it’ll actually be your testimony. What you’ve built for yourself will be what others will look up to. The same people who denied you or downplayed you will ask you how you did it. All because you didn’t let the blockages control you, because you took that power into your own hands and decided what you wanted to believe about yourself. The only person who can tell you what you’re capable of is you - your image of yourself is all that matters. So hold onto your passions, your ambitions, and charge forward with determination and excitement for what you want to build. The limit doesn’t have to exist if you don’t want to.

- JS

Watch the accompanying YouTube video here https://youtu.be/VcPtU8Ac6-w