85 | [Rewind] Unpacking Uncertainty And Taking Risks

⚡️Click Here To Text Monique!In this encore episode, Monique tackles the complex relationship between risk and ambition, especially for women of color. Through personal stories, she explores the emotions that come with pursuing dreams and why it’s important to acknowledge and work through those feelings. She also shares how self-awareness and creativity can help you face fear and find clarity when things seem chaotic.Join in to discover how to change your perspective on risk and make progress on your own terms.GEMS DROPPED“We ​will ​use ​the ​past ​to ​try ​to ​predict ​the ​future. ​Right. ​Because ​this ​is ​the ​thing ​with ​the ​women ​that ​I ​work ​with, ​they're ​not ​just ​saying, ‘​well, ​I'm ​scared ​of ​taking ​risks, ​so ​I ​don't ​even ​consider ​it’. You ​keep ​approaching ​the ​idea ​of ​taking ​those ​risks, ​but ​it's ​kind ​of ​torturing ​you ​because ​you ​keep ​approaching ​it, ​and ​then ​you ​keep ​hitting ​a ​wall. ​Everything ​feels ​too ​scary and ​so ​you're ​like, ​well, ​let ​me ​kind ​of ​think ​through my ​past–right? ​So ​there's ​this ​formula, ​and ​it ​feels ​like ​an ​airtight ​formula, ​and ​that's ​where ​we ​kind ​of ​get ​trapped, because if one or ​two ​of ​those ​variables ​feel ​off, you’re like ‘​ooh, ​the ​risk ​of ​failure ​is ​now ​high’. That ​automatically ​shuts ​us ​down.”“Where ​do ​you ​have ​space ​to ​actually ​stop ​and ​feel? ​​You ​typically ​don't. And ​things ​are ​often ​happening ​fast. ​So ​you're ​trying ​to ​react, ​you're ​trying ​to ​think. ​You ​haven't ​gotten ​yourself ​any ​space, ​any ​room ​to ​feel ​what ​you're ​actually ​feeling. ​And ​that ​is ​what's ​keeping ​you ​trapped ​in ​that ​merry ​go ​round. ​There's ​no ​creativity ​available ​to ​you ​in that ​space because ​you're ​just ​trapped ​in ​cyclical, ​fear ​based ​thinking.”“​I ​challenge ​you, if ​you're ​sitting ​with ​this ​kind ​of ​indecision, ​this ​fear ​around ​risk ​and ​this ​story, ​ ​to ​take ​a ​moment ​and ​see ​if ​you ​can, ​​which ​I ​know ​you ​can, ​​embrace ​the ​belief ​that ​I ​am ​someone ​who ​takes ​incredible ​risk ​​and ​finds ​success. ​I ​am ​the ​great ​I ​am. ​I ​am ​someone ​​who ​takes ​incredible ​risks ​and ​finds ​great ​success. ​ ​What ​would ​it ​be ​like ​to ​embrace ​that? ​​What ​are ​your ​earliest ​memories ​where ​that ​is ​true?”“Remembering the ​truth ​of ​our ​resources, ​remembering ​the ​truth ​of ​our ​history, ​of ​our ​strengths, ​of ​our ​access, ​of ​our ​instincts, ​ ​remembering ​​the ​fullness ​of ​that ​truth, ​it ​changes ​how ​we ​sit ​with ​things ​that ​feel ​like ​risk, ​that ​are ​important ​to ​us, ​that ​we ​want ​to ​move ​through, ​that ​we ​are ​tired ​of ​approaching ​​once ​a ​quarter ​and ​not ​knowing ​how ​to ​push ​ourselves ​through.”“You ​cannot ​access creativity ​if ​the conditions ​that ​you ​have ​created ​for ​yourself ​to ​be ​creative ​have ​not ​been ​set.”“Sometimes ​the ​way ​that ​we ​protect ​our ​imaginations is with our ​creativity, ​right? ​That's ​where ​it ​all ​flows ​from ​by ​allowing ​what ​is ​​arising ​in ​us that ​is ​keeping ​us ​stuck…​allowing ​it ​to ​flow ​through ​us ​and ​to ​inform ​us ​about ​any ​limitations ​that ​we're ​placing ​on ​ourselves, ​​any ​lies ​that ​we're ​telling ​ourselves, ​any ​old ​stories ​that ​are ​coming ​up ​and ​distorting how ​we ​believe, ​how ​we ​believe ​we ​can ​exist ​and ​what ​we ​believe ​that ​we ​can ​have. ​That's ​another ​way ​of ​protecting ​our ​imaginations.”STAY IN TOUCHCome and follow me on Instagram @moniquershields and I would love your feedback so send an email to [email protected].