I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve looked back at decisions I’ve made, often the frightening or difficult ones, and had an incredible amount of gratitude wash over me.

Gratefulness for the person who had the guts to take a leap; my past self.  

Risk taking was not my thing for a long time, it’s only been the last 5 years that I’ve been doing it. Not the base-jumping, adrenaline junkie type of risks; although I do admire their bravery! I mean the everyday risks that every person comes up against in life.

I reflect, and I feel proud of myself for taking certain risks, so that I could end up where I am and who I am in this moment.
 

Risks like moving somewhere new, standing up for myself against toxic people, travelling solo somewhere, trying something different, sharing my talents, going out to meet with new people, or applying for jobs I believed I’d have no chance of getting.

The more risks I took, the less I found I was being rejected or feeling down about my life.

Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of loneliness, pessimism, and nervousness. Risks are incredibly scary and difficult to take! It’s just that the feelings of joy, fulfillment, and content overwhelming exceeded everything else.

What I’ve now found out, was that all the risks I took had something in common:

It’s about being completely open to opportunities, despite your fears.

How do you take that risk?

Channel your fears

It may seem more comfortable to stay in the same place. Stay in the job. Stay in the relationship. Stay in the city. Stay at home and not meet with new people. It is incredibly scary to do things that are uncomfortable. It is also incredibly brave; and this is the defining factor.

Bravery increases confidence in ourselves, and that confidence leads to strength. We need to have periods of fear to do anything powerful for ourselves and to change our lives for the better. We have so much potential! I’ve always believed that life is what you make it - only you have that power.

Seize every opportunity

The only way you will ever notice opportunities arise in life, is if you are willing to look at life as a river with boats full of chances passing you by. You need to be the one to jump from the shore straight onto those opportunity boats, because if you hesitate, you’ll miss out on what could be a life changer!

So why should you take risks in life?

Enormous inner growth

It’s in the uncertainty after a risk has been taken, that personal growth is at its highest. We learn how to be content with our decisions, how to encourage ourselves to be optimistic about what the risk could contribute to the future, and how to adapt to big changes.

We also learn how to be alone, and how to trust our instincts. Not to mention our confidence skyrockets!

All of these factors are integral to increasing our self-love and strength to combat difficulties that are inevitable in life.

I truly believe that making scary decisions and taking everyday risks is the best thing you can do for your confidence, to increase contentment with your life, and build your self-love. As the African proverb goes, smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.

The next time you come up against a tricky decision, think about whether you want to let that chance pass you by, or whether you want to take a leap into the unknown. It could be the best risk you’ve ever taken!

 

About Isabella Andersen
As the Office Manager at Project Happiness, Isabella oversees day-to-day activities and uses her organisational skills to provide an efficient, and happy office environment. Born and bred Aussie, Isabella moved to the Bay Area in 2017 to experience what it’s like to work and live in the United States. Isabella is passionate about human rights, art, wellness and brunch. 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabella-andersen-6a524b123/
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