Put Your Fears Aside and Take A Leap of Faith

My senior year of college I started Emma’s Edition.

I had no
idea how to build an audience (which I’m still figuring out), how to pose in
front of a camera, or how to create a cohesive aesthetic. But I wanted fashion
to be a part of my life even if I didn’t choose it as a profession. So I took a
leap of faith and made #emmasedition.

At the end of my senior year of college, I had my sights on
moving to Southern California. I got an offer to work in the CPG industry as a
saleswoman in south Orange County and I accepted. I graduated from college in
June, ended a 6 year long relationship with my high school/college sweetheart,
and packed 3 suitcases of clothes to start a new chapter of my life. I was
terrified, excited, and I took that leap of faith because I needed that next
chapter of my life.

Last January I decided to go to New York Fashion Week for
the first time. I had never been to NYFW. I didn’t know how to get tickets. But
I put my intentions out there, found a friend to help me get tickets, and
decided to go to shows by myself. Even though my flight was delayed 2 days
because of a blizzard, I took that leap of faith and made my way to NYFW.

My ordinary choices of intention, action, and putting my
fears aside led to extraordinary experiences. I had no idea what would result of creating a blog or moving to California, but I knew I had to create different chapters in my life.

If you hear your inner voice inside your head and soul is calling you to embark on a new journey or chapter, listen to it! There is a reason why you are being called to a direction or path. So I’m here today to encourage you to take your next leap of faith.

Here are 5 tips to help you take your next leap of faith:

1. Dare to dream, believe in your intentions, and put it out in
the universe.

No matter what state you are in your life, I encourage you
to dream. Whether its traveling the world or getting your dream job, dream
about it and believe that you can achieve it. As cliché as that sounds, your
mindset is your first step in taking a leap of faith.

I’d encourage you to share your hopes, dreams and intentions
with your family and friends. Or if you want to keep them more private, write
it down so you see your dreams for yourself. This practice of sharing or writing down your goals builds some
accountability between you and yourself.

2. Allow yourself to put time and energy towards your goals.

Aside from allowing yourself to dream, you should allow
yourself to invest time in achieving your goals. Whatever your goals may be,
think about the first step you need to do to get closer to your goal.

If you want to move to New York, either look for new jobs or
see if your company will let you transfer. If you want to get into make-up,
start watching YouTube videos of your favorite YouTube make up stars. Then
start with your own set of makeup, recording yourself with an iphone, and
getting comfortable talking in front of a camera.

3. Be persistent & be consistent

If your goals and dreams are important to you, treat them like a priority. Be
persistent and consistent with your efforts.

I’m not saying to throw your full
time job out of the way to pursue being an artist (but if you financially can
do that, then do it!). What I’m saying is sometimes you have to treat your side
hustle like a full time hustle if you want to make it happen. What I’m saying
is that sometimes you have to read more books, listen to podcasts, and watch
TED talks to learn how to get to your next step.

4. Build your network

I’ve learned how powerful a network can be to helping you
take the next leap of faith in your life. If you’re looking to make a career
change, look to your network to help connect you with others who made the
change before you. Use your network to schedule informational interviews or
coffee dates. Learn from your peers about how they made a move or a change.

5. Finally when the opportunity comes, take it!

Whether you’ve waited days, months, or years, when your
opportunity comes, take it! Remember that the only thing to fear is fear
itself. I encourage you to take the opportunities that feels right, that takes
you out of your comfort zone, and that challenges you.

Sometimes the opportunity may not look like what we
envisioned, but it helps get us closer to our dreams. I’d advise to not dismiss
opportunities just because they aren’t the exact dream you envisioned. If an
opportunity helps develop you or gets you in proximity of your dreams, it may
be worth taking.

We take our leaps of faith in life to bring meaning and
growth into our lives.

Remember that you always know what home is like – and it
will always be there. So don’t be afraid to venture outside your career, your
hometown, and comfort zone. The world is out there just waiting for you to make your own mark and make it an even better place.