How to Stop Playing Small

Welcome to the joyful journey podcast. If you're looking for more clarity in your life, clarity of purpose, or how to activate that purpose, and you are someone who wants to operate from your highest self, to be a force for good, you know this world craves, then this is the show for you. I'm Anita Adams, your host and guide to finding clarity and creating a life you love. Let's tap into our inner wisdom, access our highest self, and unleash joy. As we do this, we raise our vibration and heighten the collective consciousness. And that, my friend, is the joyful journey. Let's dive in. Hey, joyful journey are Anita Adams here, your host. And today I want to talk about how to stop playing small and start playing big in your life. Have you ever had a dream or even just an idea about what you want your life to look like, but shut yourself down by saying things like, I can't do that that's too big. I'm not capable enough or talented enough to do that. Perhaps there has been some point in your life where you've done this, maybe you are doing it right now, playing small by not believing in yourself and your true potential. I've been there. I've played small, more times than I can care to admit. I've also learned how to work my way out of those feelings of not enoughness. And if I can do that, so can you when the idea first came to me as a whisper of my soul to teach people how to tap into inner wisdom, for instance, I pushed it away. Although I liked the idea of being someone who can teach others this skill, the idea of it also felt too big and out of my league. Who am I to do that? I told myself, I'm no guru. And I kept pushing the notion away for a solid year. I did have a few curious and brave moments when I explored what that would look like. How would I teach people how to tap into inner wisdom? I asked myself, the first idea that popped into my mind was creating a wellness and spiritual center. Whoa, that's big, either way too big. How would I do that? Where would I find the money to do that? That would cost like millions of dollars, maybe billions of dollars? Wow. No, just That's No, I can't do that. Nope, nope, not mine to do. Then unbidden, more images flooded in hosting a podcast, running retreats, writing a book? Well, I don't know, I thought, who would listen to what I had to say. I mean, really, who am I to teach anyone anything. All of these ideas were hugely out of my comfort zone. And yet the feeling that they were and our mind to do all of these things host a podcast, run retreat retreats, write a book and open a wellness and spiritual center. These feelings just kept growing in me. I knew I should listen to that inner voice. But the idea of what it was telling me to do was just too darn scary. So I kept pushing it down and shrinking away. Then one day after one of my God walks in the forest, where these ideas kept persisting, and creeping into my thoughts. I came home, got on Facebook, and saw a Nelson Mandela quote posted by one of my friends, it read, there is no passion to be found playing small and settling for a life that is less than the one you're capable of living. The universe is toying with me, I thought I knew I was meant to see that quote and question if I'm playing small. And of course I was. Anytime you say Who am I to do that you are playing small. Anytime you doubt your ability to create a big and beautiful life for yourself. You are playing small. If you recognize yourself in this story in any way, then Let this serve as a little nudge from the universe, to stop playing small and to lean in to what you are truly capable of. And you are capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for. First, you must recognize that your dreams are one way in which your soul communicates with you. Your soul is whispering to you about your potential and guiding you to the best version of you and the greatest version of your life. You would not have these dreams and desires If you were not meant to go after them. So how do you move into action with a vision that feels out of your reach? It's easier than you may think. Here's the secret. Once you have that vision in your mind of the future you want to create, let it go. I don't mean forget about it, just stop focusing on the final outcome. Instead, focus on the single next step that you need to take to move you forward. Focus on that one thing exclusively until you've done it, then figure out the next step and focus on that one thing. When you focus on the final outcome, your goal may feel too big and intimidating. And it has the potential to keep you stuck like your feet are set in quick drying cement. When you break down the actions into baby steps, however, the things you need to do begin to feel attainable, and you're able to move forward. With each step you take, your confidence grows. And when the time comes that you need to take a big step forward, you will have built that confidence and belief in yourself to do it. When I finally decided to listen to the whispers of my soul to teach people how to tap into inner wisdom, I decided to start with offering retreats and hosting this podcast. I didn't know the first thing about doing either. So the first baby step I took was to find people who have successfully done these things to give me some insights. That's precisely when the perfect person appeared in my life who happened to be doing both of these things. And she became an invaluable resource that guided me on my path. Was it a coincidence that I met this woman exactly when I needed to figure out how to move forward? No, it was not. I want you to recognize this key point. When you are in action, doing the work to move forward with your goals. The universe will conspire to guide your steps. You have to be in motion though, taking action, even just the smallest baby step. In order to get that support from the universe. Every step forward will lead you to discovering the next step to take this is all you need to focus on that single next step. Stop worrying about all the things you have to do to create that life you want. Just focus on the single next step. That's it. And don't try to do 10 things all at the same time. One step at a time, get laser focused on that one step. If you listen to the whispers of your soul, those whispers will guide you are on your path forward. You can even ask your higher self. What is mine to do now? I love asking this question as I go on my nature walks. What is mine to do now? What is my single next step to take to move me forward with my vision? Ask this question of yourself and listen to what bubbles up. The answers are there for you that single next step will be revealed. I know I'm repeating myself here. But this is a message you must understand you do not need to have the whole path mapped out in front of you. Just understand your neck next step and take it this is how you build your confidence and belief in your ability one step at a time. I have a little prayer that I often say when I'm trying to figure out the next step. It's inspired by the Serenity Prayer and it goes like this helped me to see what is mine to see. Understand what is mine to do, and have the courage to do it.