61 | Unpacking Uncertainty And Taking Risks

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In this week's episode, Monique tackles the complex relationship between risk and ambition, especially for women of color. Through compelling stories she illustrates the emotional turmoil that can accompany the pursuit of dreams and the importance of acknowledging and processing those feelings. She also emphasizes the power of self-awareness and creativity in overcoming fear and finding clarity in uncertain times. 

Join in to discover how to redefine your understanding of risk and unlock your true potential. 

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?”

“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.”

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