Fake it until you believe it!

We all have to start somewhere with things we're not familiar with or when we're venturing into unknown territory. I have many experiences to share where I've pushed the envelope beyond what I thought I was capable of.

For example, after completing my undergraduate degree which itself was way beyond the expectations of my family and the working-class community I was born into, I asked the university where I studied if there was any work. I expected nothing to come of it and wasn't quite sure if I needed to be very careful about what I asked for fear of getting it! 

I was immediately thrown in at the deep end given a job as a regular visiting lecturing teaching the next generation of graduates, only a year or two below me. I was teaching subjects I had only recently completed myself and marking student essays. It was mind-blowing to even consider I could be in this position. However, I had to rise to the occasion and learn to adapt to now being on the other side of the educational fence. 

Did I come unstuck and feel very nervous at times, potentially getting out of my depths? Of course, I did. Did I have moments of doubt and insecurity? For sure.  But did it stop me from pursuing my desire to earn some money doing a meaningful and well-respected job? No way!

We get out of life what we put in and if all we do is what we've always done, we'll get what we've always got. 

Sir Richard Branson is renowned for saying "If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity, but you are not sure you can do it, say yes, then learn how to do it later!"

Being visibly different and living with chronic conditions, especially if one has had some significant negative experiences in the past, can prevent us from pursuing our passions and achieving our goals. Faking it may not feel comfortable but that's a sign that it's pushing our boundaries of what you can tolerate at the moment. If we've done it once, we can do it again, creating a higher threshold than the last.

This is what builds resilience and our ability to not only cope but thrive on overcoming challenges and seeking out new opportunities despite perhaps not yet believing we're worthy of them!