David Bowie was an incredible music legend. He also had some great quotes. One of my favorites from him is “You can neither win nor lose if you don’t run the race.”
Think about this for a second. How can we ever achieve our goals if we don’t take the first step? Fear itself stops us from pursuing things even before we start. It is human nature to allow fear and what-ifs cloud our judgement and keep us from achieving our goals. It’s self-sabotage. Before we even begin working towards our dream, we have doubts that could keep us from trying new adventures or doing what we love. I remember when I first thought about blogging. I used every reason in the book not to start – the time commitment, the uphill climb to grow followers, the competition against seasoned and emerging bloggers. How could I possibly start my goal when it looked like there was so much stacked against me?
/ WHAT FEAR LOOKS LIKE /
Fear is awful. It will always get in the way and prevent us from success. Do you know what it looks like? It’s sneaky and comes up in a few different ways…
1. Excuses – There are plenty of excuses to be made. We’ve all heard them: timing is wrong, I’m too old, it’ll take too long, it’s too much work, there’s others who could do it better, I don’t have time, etc. It’s easy for your mind to play tricks on keep you in your comfort zone and routine. Get rid of these thoughts because if you allow yourself to believe in them you will never see your dreams come true.
2. Failure – We are all afraid to fail. But change your perspective on failure. It is actually a gift, a lesson to be learned, a necessary step to achieving success. If you keep working towards your goals you will see progress.
3. Perfection – There is something to be said for wanting everything to be perfect, but sometimes waiting for everything to fall into place or be absolutely perfect will stop you from reaching even the first step.
4. Impatience – Don’t be impatient to quickly reach your end goal because this can keep you dejected and unmotivated if you don’t get there soon enough. If you work hard and enjoy the process you will eventually reach your goal.
5. Consistency -If you don’t work towards your goal a little every day, you won’t see progress nor success.
/ HOW TO OVERCOME FEAR /
Now that you know what types of “fears” can prevent you from achieving your goals, how can you overcome those hindrances?
1. Root cause – Identify your main fear. If you realize what setting you back, you can acknowledge it and overcome it.
2. Regret – The only thing worse than fear is having regret. You never want to say to yourself, “What if I had done this…”
3. Move Forward – Take action and don’t let minor setbacks get in the way. Deal with the disappointment but don’t wallow in it. Move forward.
4. Trust – Trust in yourself. There is a reason you wanted to do this in the first place. Go with it.
5. Expectations – Don’t have false expectations. Of course your journey will have uphill climbs, valleys, rain, but also sunshine. Setting expectations will let you achieve your goals confidently.
Whatever your goal may be whether it is to lose weight, get a promotion, to quit your current job, to start a company, etc. go and run the race, see where it takes you. Of course when I started blogging I was scared. I didn’t know what I was doing and I didn’t have anyone to show me the ropes. A year and a half later I look at how far I’ve come, how many relationships I’ve made, and how much I’ve learned in the process and I can’t imagine my life if I never took that first step. Cast your fears and doubts aside and walk up to that starting line. Chances are that once you start running the race you will be a lot closer to your goal than if you never started trying to begin with.
Outfit details from Lulu’s provided below.
Tee | Lulu’s similar styles here and here
Denim Jacket | Lulu’s similar styles here and here
Shorts | Lulu’s similar styles here and here
Boots | Lulu’s
Sunglasses | Gentle Monster similar styles here and here
Bag | Mobovida (new product launching soon)
79 comments
This is very true, dreams will go nowhere if we do not take those leaps. Bowie was one person who as an artist took a lot of great leaps. We can learn a lot from that!
xx Jenelle
http://www.inspiringwit.com
We totally can. If we could all let go of our fears we can accomplish so much more! Have a great weekend Jenelle.
you look so chic!
liz
http://www.liznroad.com
Thank you Liz, I appreciate it!
I love this look!! Especially those patterned boots!
Enclothed Cognition
Hi Keri, thank you! I love anything snakeskin. =)
Gorgeous look. I love your style. And those boots – just wow!
Thank you Ashley, I appreciate it. These boots are so comfy and I love the snakeskin print.
This kind of brought tears to my eyes. There are a million ways to say “just do it. Leap and the net will appear” but I love Bowie’s best of all. Run the race. If you do that, you’ve already won. So proud of your journey mama! Sending you love!❤️
Awww, Michelle! I know you understand this as well from mommy to mommy. We have so much on our plates already and then add blogging to the mix because it also fulfills us. We are in this together and gonna race it till the end!
I love the rugged shorts but the best part of this look is the denim jacket.I have always loved a great denim jacket.
http://sophieatieno.com
I have a thing for distressed pieces if you couldn’t tell. =) I do love a great denim jacket and this one has a raw hem which I love and it is so affordable!
Thank you for sharing such a great content and inspiring post! I enjoyed reading it and it really helped me to focus on things that are truly important and to let go of those that no longer hold value. Also, I love the quote at the beginning of the post. I adore this outfit, especially the boots and t-shirt! You are always so stylish, Christine!!
xx. Gina
Thanks Gina! I definitely think we all have doubts and fears on our journey but we have to trust in ourselves and do what makes us happy.
You’re definitely running the race in this fabulous look. I love the inspiring words.
Keep on rocking!
http://www.fashionradi.com
Thank you Radi. I appreciate the kind words and hope to keep on rocking it!
I’m loving this post. I was so scared to start blogging and still am today. Some days I think I should quit because I think “I won’t be good enough”, but then I keep going. Would love to see more posts like these.
P.S. White denim and blue denim is looking stunning!
– Jasmine K
http://www.myeunoia.com
Hi Jasmine. I totally feel you and you are not alone. We all have doubts and fears and think we aren’t good enough, but guess what? Remember why you started this in the first place. For you, not for anyone else. And whether you see it or not, you are inspiring others and doing what you love. Keep up the amazing content babe!
This post is so true and inspiring! I love how you described what fear looks like.
http://www.myclusterofthoughts.com/
It warms my heart to hear this Katherine! I am so grateful for the thoughtful comments and I really enjoyed writing this. I will try and add more personal posts to the blog.
Your photos and style is amazing! Love this outfit on you!
– http://www.youthofthesun.com
Love love love love this. Fear is often the biggest thing holding us back. It’s so important to try and do and not let fear stop us from seeing what could happen… really believe that anything is possible. You continue to inspire me everyday Christine!
xx, Amy
http://www.theluxilook.com
Thank you Amy! Can you imagine what the world would be like if we all put aside our fears and pursued our dreams and goals?! It would be INSANE! I too believe anything is possible and I love that we are achieving our goals!
Christine, you nailed this post. Everything you mention on this post are so true, I can relate to every point you wrote. Excuses, fear, regret, failing all this were my set backs when I wanted to start my blog. I thought I am too old, I don’t have a professional photographer, I have no time, I work full time and so on. I am glad I did as I met so many incredible women like yourself who love fashion and are chasing their dreams. You are you doing amazing! Keep inspiring girl!
Aurela xoxo
I think we all think the same things and it’s nice to hear others go through all the doubts and fears we share. We are here to support each other and inspire each other babe and I think you are NOT too old, your photos are amazing and so beautiful, and somehow you manage to pull it all off so effortlessly!
I love how you styled this casual look with those python boots! So cool and reminiscent of the 90s, but also at the same time, very modern.
I love this post Christine! It’s so encouraging and you’re most definitely right on all these points. For me, fear of the unknown is such a scary thing, but like you mentioned, regret is worse. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve regretted something because I didn’t have the courage to pursue that dream. Thanks for this inspirational reminder that we have to at least begin to run the race first.
xoxo,
Maggie S.
❤Clothestomidnight.com
Hi Maggie! We are all scared to fail and even to head into the unknown, but once we do it and give it our best shot, we won’t have regrets, we’ll know we tried and we can learn and move on. We can run this race together babe!
I love this post – thank you so much! The fear is so real as a new blogger, and it’s so true: if I’m not consistent, if I keep making excuses, etc., I’m never going to see my blog flourish to what I want it to look like. Thanks so much for the suggestions, and for recommending that people identify what their fear is. That’s often the first step, and one I’m trying to take!
Also – these photos looks amazing! I love your outfit and the whole look!
Joanne | https://fung-shui.com
Hi Joanne. Trust me I had my doubts starting out too. I still do at times. We just have to power through them and remember why we wanted to do this in the first place. =)
Love your positivity and words of wisdom Christine!
You perfectly sum up how our fears lead into that snowball effect of self-doubt, regret and sabotage we try so desperately to avoid but yet come out never knowing if this is all true to begin with simply because of the question “what if.”
Keep inspiring us like your great outfits 😀
Xx
Siree
The Hidden Thimble
http://www.thehiddenthimble.com
Thank you Siree! Self sabotage is the worst and the crazy thing is that we do it to ourselves (no one else is responsible). We definitely have to rise above those doubts and fears and do what makes us happy!
What a great post!! I cannot agree with you more that our fear of failure and uncertainty is a huge hinder on success and I can relate to so many points (maybe all) you’ve mentioned. I think my weakness is impatience and perfection. I am such a Type A and want things done exactly to the T and I lose site of the bigger picture. And tying with impatience is comparing myself with others. Seeing how quickly and how much other bloggers grow as opposed to my own speed is sometimes hard to swallow. But I need to see how much I have come and what I have accomplished as a motivation to keep going. Great post and so inspiring Christine!
~ xo Sheree
Posh Classy Mom
Instagram
Hi Sheree! I too am Type A but have learned to let things go a bit. We can’t do every single thing and there is a lot that is out of our control, but we do our best and do what makes us happy. It’s hard not to compare ourselves to other bloggers, especially with giveaways going on and other stuff, but just focus on our own game and improve and meet your own milestones and that’s all that matters. You’re doing an amazing job girl so look back at your photos from the beginning and compare them to now and see for yourself that you have come leaps and bounds!
I admire your personal style so much! You look absolutely bo$$ with this outfit x
Blog | Bits of Reg
Thank you Regina! I love a casual but chic look!
I love these posts Christine, thanks for my daily dose of inspo and drive 🙂
xx
Lauren
http://www.shoesandsashimi.com
You are so sweet Lauren! I always appreciate your comments!
OBSESSED with this denim on denim look babe! Hope you have an amazing week hun! 🙂
XO Jessi,
http://www.mywhitet.com/closet-essentials/
Hi Jessi! Thank you so much. Denim on denim is always a winner in my book!
Fear is definitely one of our big enemies. Thanks for helping us to spot it and coaching us to overcome it. I definitely need to work on it for some of the departments. What a great and inspiring post! Thanks for sharing Christine!
xx, Jessie
http://4evajessie.com/self-reflecting-journey-in-iceland/
This post beautiful! Fear definitely hold us back. Every day I try to do something that scares me and with time I can overcome it!
Have a great start of the week girl!
XoXo,
Tamara – LoveofMode.com
I love this casual look Christine, beautiful as always!! I agree fear is hard but thanks so much for the inspo to overcome it!! Have an amazing day!!
xo-Nina
http://www.ninalnguyen.com/2017/05/black-white.html
Wow, what a beautiful and inspiring article! It is so important to remind yourself of this! I also really love your outfit and your photos are always the prettiest! Xx Susanne – http://bagatyou.com
Fear has always been my worst enemy. I often wish I wasn’t such a big chicken in my youth. As I age I care less about what others think and don’t worry so much about the small stuff. BTW totally obsessing over your casual rocker chic vibe! Love it from head to toe! So fresh for spring!
XO
http://www.lehoarder.com
you are an inspiration to me and many other girls. I love the post and giving all this great tips. I am glad that I wasn’t scared and started to blog and run fashion magazine without having an education for it. But I learn everything myself very quickly~
http://www.queenhorsfall.com/
Amen to this inspirational post and I absolutely love that quote from David Bowie. In the end you realize that time is the most important commodity so you cut off all the noise in your life. Not sure if you have read “when breath becomes air”, but I would highly recommend it. I also want to say your outfit is super cool and chic. I love a knotted tee. Spring perfection! xo shalini http://www.styledevotee.com
Wow girl! Don’t even know where to start! Lets just say that I think you look amazing, this look is so rad and chic and I love the photos! Oh, and how gorgeous are you?
And about what you said about fear..? I mean, I needed to read this! You have no idea how bad.. I’ve been self sabotaging myself for months now with my blog and with a new project I want to start. I should get an award for the amount of excuses I’ve said to myself and others!
This is so inspiring and I’m definitely coming back to give it another read to keep myself on track and motivated! Thank you so much for sharing!
XO
Aimara
http://www.waysofstyle.com
In love with this look! Gorgeous and chic!
xx, Cinthy Kwok
What a lovely and inspiring post! Besides that you’re sharing a wonderful look. The message implied in your post is beautiful. That quote from David Bowie is brilliant! Fear is awful as you mentioned and I think one of my weaknesses is perfection and I know it’s not always the best choice but you know, nobody is perfect and we always have to deal with our weknesses in life to become a better person. Thanks for sharing! and I absolutely adore the boots , they are the perfect complement to add visual interest to your entire look!
Have a nice day!
Vanessa
http://thefashionstatement.net
Babe!!! I absolutely love this!!! So many amazing points! You are spot on there babe. My motto is “you only live one!” So it’s pretty much what I ask my self if I should do something or not. Hahaha should I buy them shoes??….. mmm YES!!! Hahahaha no but this goes to all aspects of life. Thank you for sharing such an inspirational post babe!!! Xxx
Ashley
http://www.missgunner.com
Hey Beautiful,
Such an Inspiring Post:) ohhh Loved so much.
David Bowie Was one of my Favorite and that quote is sooo True.
People Have so much Fears:(
I am doing many “Being More Positive” exercises and helped me a lot to avoid Fears and Bad Habits.
The other what I learned that we Need to Believe in ourselves First to Take any First Steps:)
You are sooo Positive and Inspiring:)
Loved the Outfit too:) Denim is always a Good Choice:)
Love Kisses
Open Kloset By Karina
Happy Tuesday
I love this quote from Bowie. It’s so meaningful. I totally agree with your points. I think the most common one I’ve seen is ‘excuses’. I admire your positivity and you are inspiring all of us. You look gorgeous BTW. Really like your skirt.
xo, Maryam
http://www.glamandposh.com
Loving this denim on denim look! Love your style.
Ann-Marie | http://facetocurls.com
I love how you added not just what fear is but how to overcome it! Also I love your outfit, Lulu’s has the best pieces!
Briana
http://beyoutifulbrunette.blogspot.com/
Love this post! I think that taking risks is definitely worth it, no matter how scary it may seem at first. I absolutely love this double denim outfit. The vintage wash tee breaks it up wonderfully and it all looks so effortlessly stylish.
Rachel xx
http://www.thedailyluxe.net
Dear Christine,
I am truly glad I visited your blog today. I have always been inspired by your innate style and your sincere, trustworthy reflections and advice. I love this David Bowie quote and really it’s so true that we are in control of our destiny and need to make the sincere effort to overcome fears of failure and imperfection.
I like what you said about being consistent and I do believe that is a key factor.
Your look here is sheer perfection as always and you’ve inspired me to style a band tee I haven’t worn in a while.
Thank you so much!
Jennifer
Thank you for this inspirational post! It was a refreshing read, and I agree with your point: You gotta be in it to win it! If you don’t so much as start, that end goal is just a distant want, not something you can actually obtain. All of your tips were spot on, and I’m now officially ready to tackle the rest of my day because of your words. Hope you have a great day beb
xo Lani | http://www.withlovefromlani.com
PS – I’m also digging the way you are all Lulu’ed out! Super cute outfit 🙂
I loved reading this Christine and I could honestly relate to every single word. I first thought about starting a Blog in 2012, but somehow I would always make excuses not to start. At the same time I had this passion in me that was driving me to start a blog and create content (something that I knew would bring me happiness). One of my biggest excuses was coming up with a Blog Name, I just couldn’t get the formula right, but a year ago I took the leap too and I am so glad I did. I honestly thought to myself to screw the Blog name and just start with my own name, I knew that once I would start I would be able to commit to my Blog. I am so glad we both took that leap of faith and began our journey :). I am totally saving these tips for later, I have a lot of my plate this year with a country move. I need to stay positive and achieve my goals :), On another note, I am loving your outfit, your shorts, tee and denim jacket look so perfect. I also adore your sunnies, I need to invest in a pair from gentle monster too.
Thank you for inspiring us and reminding us not to give up.
xxx
Sarah
http://sarahatiq.com/
That is so true. Fear and procrastination are stopping us all the time. Always doubts and insecurities, always a lot of excuses… But I found out how to overcome all of these things. Some of these tips you already mentioned here. We have to believe in ourselves. If we don’t believe in ourselves, no one else does. Yes, we have to work hard, but the final result is always so sweet – “it’s sweeter than the wildest dream”.
Great article, babe, and some useful tips! And your look is as always on point!
Cheers, Eliza | http://www.fashion-confession.com
Loved going through your post and I could relate to so many of those situations. I was also afraid of starting my website and I used all the possible excuses to launch it as late as possible, now I regret not starting earlier. Fear stops us from doing great things and it can eat us up slowly, so we should work on never being afraid of anything. As for your outfit, I adore the all white attire! The distressed shorts are such a summer staple and they look even cuter paired with that graphic tee and snake booties. Wishing you a great day! xx
Andreea,
http://couturezilla.com/
This outfit is beautiful! I love your shorts!
Bella x
https://bellasfashionjournal.com
I actually just had the conversation about fear today in one of my women’s groups. It’s such an easy thing to slip into and really affects all aspects of our lives if we allow it to! I heard a quote, and I don’t remember the exact phrasing, but it was something to the effect of go after your dreams everyday and even in the smallest form because time will pass regardless! I truly feel like that eliminates fear! Time is going to pass regardless of what you are doing so why not work toward doing what you love! I think sometimes we have to Google Earth out and focus on the big picture and how those small movements make such an impact over your entire life, whatever they are. I love your shirt BTW and those shorts have me wanting to do some denim shopping! Such a great thought provoking post love!
Manda | http://EvocativelyChosen.com
I love this and needed this today! It’s so true. We’re always making excuses out of fear. I know I do at times. I’ve taken it upon myself today to tackle my fears and just go for things. You’ve come such a long way and I hope I can be as far along in a year as well! David Bowie was seriously a legend who will forever be missed.
Fears truly can hold us back, but dealing with them is so worth it. I’ve dealt with my fears both in therapy, but also through life experience and have faced most of them. The things that still hold me back are perfection and impatience though and I just have to accept the fact that everything does not have to be perfect (including me as a person) and that everything won’t happen right this second, despite I basically want everything to be done like yesterday. So I still work on those parts, but have gotten a lot better on both. You’re my role model in making blogging into a career and I’ll follow in your footsteps taking in every bit of advice you give me! 🙂
xoxo
Thomas
http://thomasfalkenstedt.com
I love this post! The first step is always the hardest part. Fear is what stops most people for achieving their goals and I totally get it. Who isn’t afraid of failing? And who doesn’t always want to be perfect? I know I do! But at the end of the day, I have faith in myself and I know that if I try my hardest, everything will work out in the end!
I also love this outfit! I saw it on Instagram earlier this week and I’m obsesses!
XO Tandya
Obsessed* 🙂
Such a powerful post! As someone who have gone through a great deal of fear after losing my daughter, I know that everything you wrote here is true and necessary for so many people to read! Thank you for sharing your heart and your wisdom. xo, Jessica
Hi Christine!
Thank you so much for writing this about fear. this is exactly what I’m going thru right now and I can’t help but let my fear take over the best in me. I need to re-read this again later tonight. Than you for inspiring me and can I just how I am a huge fan of yours!
xxxx
http://www.thenewgirl.me
Thank you for your advice that you have given me to go ahead and to be successful. Of course, even since I started the blog (before I was afraid of it all), after a year and a half I also felt more realized I would never have thought of having this So much work and I’m happy. Surely I still need so much, but so much to improve in all directions, I think I’m on the right track especially because I love what I do. I like your looks especially because they are always young, easy and handy. Your glasses are always spectacular I would like to try one like 🙂
Xx
Eva
http://www.themermaidfashion.com
i love david bowie and this is such an inspiring quote! always so inspirational my love, fear is one of our worst enemies, and i love the tips you shared here. i’m so in love with this look, wish NYC was warm enough for shorts weather! so gorgeous as always
xx Melis
http://fashionmews.com
This is such an important topic, and I’m glad you were able to share your personal experience with us! I’m very much the same way in terms of making excuses and always waiting for the absolutely perfect conditions or the result. But like some of the great suggestions you made, I realized it’s better to just move forward and trust in my own abilities. Through this I think we can discover more about ourselves as well. Fear is truly the only thing that holds any of us back from pursuing our goals 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing! And of course, I have to take a moment to talk about your chic outfit. I adore your look, especially those snake print booties! Will definitely have to spend time shopping on Lulus tonight!
xo Soo | http://www.BrownEyedToast.com
I loved, LOVEd this post. It’s so genuine and so well written..and so necessary for us in the creative world. Well, I should say, for us who WANT to get into the creative world but haven’t taken the step or FEEL like we are yet. And these days with Instagram and all that shadow ban business, it’s crossed my mind that I’d just drop this and pretend it never happened. But that would be the equivalent of not running the race, right? And all we need to do is to show up…and keep running the race, and at least we get somewhere by doing that!
Jessica || Cubicle Chic
http://www.mycubiclechic.com/blog
I love this edgy but chic outfit on you!
Abby of Life in the Fash Lane
This edgy chic look is amazing on you!
Jessica | notjessfashion.com
Thank you for sharing this inspirational post! I loved reading it 🙂
http://www.thecharmingolive.com
xx, Adelina
I love how you’ve broken it down so its easier for us to assess whats wrong, and to overcome our fears easier xx
https://www.bunnybernice.com/single-post/2017/05/10/Peachy-Keen-Sweater-Review-with-Inu-Inu
Totally agree with your thoughts on fear! If I hadn’t overcome my fear of failure, I wouldn’t have started my blog 🙂
Akshaya
http://www.theiyerorder.com
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