I think it's time I follow my intuition

I've always prided myself on listening to and following my intuition. It seems my intuition never steers me wrong- that is, when I listen to it. (Hey, I'm not perfect!)

But one thing I have always been reluctant about following my intuition on is writing my own book. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always had a passion for writing and sharing my stories. I always thought it would be fun to write my own book, but something always seems to get in the way. Whether it be the fear of failing or the fear of wasting time on something that others might not deem productive, FEAR has always stopped me from pursuing this dream. I realize these are all just fears of never being good enough which I have to fight on a daily basis.

You see, your brain is a tricky thing. It likes to do the least amount of work possible even though it has the capacity to do amazing things. My brain tricks me into thinking that doing the bare minimum in life is good enough and that if I try to do more, I could most certainly fall flat on my face. I mean no one likes being judged right? But then, that shouldn't stop us from pursuing our dreams, should it?

Today is a new day my friends. I finally made the decision to write a book. I will work on it in my spare time but I will make sure to put in the effort instead of talking myself out of it. I want to share stories that I know could help others in their journey through life. I've been through so much that I almost feel an obligation to share instead of hiding my experiences due to the fear of being judged. Because in all honesty, I know I am not the only one who has been through the things I have been through.

I know in just sharing a few of my experiences on my blog that the things we feel shame for can have profound impacts on others. It's time I stop letting shame control so much of me that yearns to be free. Today is a new day....won't you join me and follow a dream of yours and leave the fear behind? What have you got to lose?

I'm copying these rules I found today because I believe these can help you too! (courtesy of zenhabits!) Check 'em out below!

1. Show up. If you need to write, the main thing you need to do is just to sit down in front of your text editor. If you start cleaning the house, or watch some videos, or read stuff online, to put off the moment when you have to start to write, then you’re never going to write. Instead, show up. The rest will come.
2. Think about who you’re helping. Sure, there’s a lot of fear involved in doing hard work. But when you look at the fear you’re only looking at the downside. What about the upside? By showing up and working, you’re going to help someone. I think about readers who might need what I have learned. But sometimes you’re just helping yourself, building a new career or business. And that’s OK — you’re a person deserving of that help, and that’s a worthy endeavor.
3. Ruthlessly carve out the space. You’re too busy? Bullshit. Make the time if it’s important. Stop watching TV, reading news, browsing things online, looking at social media, saying yes to other people’s requests, going to lunches, get out of being the head of those committees, whatever. Carve out the time. Put it on your calendar daily and make it happen. Make that time sacred, and don’t let anything interfere. You have to be incredibly ruthless to make this happen, but you can do it.
4. Do the smallest possible step. Yes, I mean smallest possible. That doesn’t mean, “Write the first section of that report” … it means, “Go to your computer and open a document”. Or “Get up off the couch”. Or “Write one word”. Call that a success. Trust me, if you can take that first tiny step, the next step is a little easier. Get over the initial hurdle by making that hurdle as low as possible, and then keep clearing really easy hurdles until you’re an unstoppable force of nature.
5. Let yourself feel the fear. We tend to not want to be afraid, and so we think about anything else. We don’t admit the fear to ourselves until we have to. Well, it’s time — you have to. Admit that you’re afraid, and see that that’s OK. We’re all afraid. I certainly am, all the time. It’s perfectly OK to be afraid — let yourself feel it. Be open to the feeling of fear, be present with it, really experience it. See where it’s coming from. What scenarios have you imagined that cause you to be afraid? Are those scenarios real? What would you do if they happened? Could you survive? I bet you could.
6. Commit to others. Social motivation is probably the most powerful motivation there is. If you’re having trouble, ask a friend for help. Ask for some accountability. Give yourself a consequence if you fail. Don’t fail.