Anything is possible if you've got enough nerve - JK Rowling.

"Anything is possible if you've got enough nerve..." - JK Rowling.

I read this quote and it reminded me of a few things that forced me to muster up enough nerve to push through my insecurities this past year. I'm sharing 5 things that pushed me out of my comfort zone, but required the nerve and courage to make things happen in my life.

#1 - Opening myself up on this blog and on social media. I have always have been one to worry about what people thought, and in all honesty, it has held me back from doing a lot of what I love, including blogging. I struggled with finding the right things to say, what an outfit or photos would look like to others, etc. Feeling like I wasn't good enough, knowledgeable enough, you name it. I thought of any and everything that would lead me to just shrug this thing off totally.

However, thanks to a lot of the ladies that have inspired me, their messages were clear. Just start, do, make mistakes, look crazy, or whatever. As Maya Angelou said, "nothing will work unless you do".

Look at me now, the Nerve to create this post!

(Blazer, Satin Pants, & Clutch - Forever21, Tank - A New Day for Target, Sunnies - Betsy Johnson)

#2 - Putting my health and wellness at the forefront of my priorities. There are a few illnesses that run in my family: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and colon cancer. Making being and staying well a priority motivated me to get the proper screenings that I needed to create a plan for good health.

I didn't stop there though, I also committed to eating right and becoming more active. Taking these small steps got me on the right track. All of my levels stayed in check and I also lost 10lbs lost. Can you believe that?

**Side note: I couldn't fit this jacket before - The Nerve!!

#3 - Focused on advancing in my career. One of the tools to continue to trend upward was to sit for the Senior Human Resources Professional Certification Exam (SPHR). I tried two times a few years back and failed. I have to say, it was a bruise to the ego, as I thought I was at the top of my game even though the pass rate was really low. After those two failures, I vowed that I was done. The money, time, and added stress weren't worth for me, it was but I was hurt. Fast forward to May, I reassessed the materials, created a new plan, studied for 3 months straight, and passed in August 2019.

The Nerve!!

#4 - Forgave myself  - I decided to forgive myself for all of the mistakes that I made in my past. I also, let go of the guilt and shame that was a result of letting down and hurting people that I cared for. For me, it was important that I committed to getting rid of all of the energy that I carried around as a result of these things. It was not only important for me and my wellbeing but to ensure that my current and future relationships were not weighed down as a result of the baggage that I was carrying.

The Nerve to forgive!

#5 - Put in the work to create the life that I desire -  In my 20's the ideal life was living it up, living on my terms, being free! Oh and boy did I have a good time! I didn't care about anything but myself. Not the best way to live, but I lived it to the fullest.

In my 30's it was about settling down and creating the ideal life. You know the get married, buy a house, and try to have those 2.5 kids ideal?  Low and behold that didn't work, something about the right things with the absolute wrong person?

Now that I'm in my 40's,  I will say that the life that I desire is all about what's best for me not in the way of the '20s, but a healthy productive all about me phase. The one that comes with kindness and care, ensuring that I'm focusing on what brings peace and pure joy to my heart.

The Nerve to just create joy?!

In all honesty, this is just the beginning. I am so excited to keep building up the nerve to tackle my fears and push my limits. How about you, what are some of the things that you had enough nerve to accomplish this past year?

As always, thank you for stopping by and taking the time out to read this post. Have a fabulous day!