I'm going to ask you a very real and maybe slightly offense question. Ready for it? 

What if it never happens?

That career that you're dreaming about. That marriage you're hoping for. The vacation you've had on your vision board for years. What if it never actually happens?

Hey, I warned you it was slightly offensive. And you're probably thinking, 'Jess, you're all about making things happen and taking control of your life. Now you're coming at me with this?'

Yes, I am. 

Because I know what it feels like to be so enthralled with what will happen one day, that i have forgotten about what's right in front of me. I know you have big, wonderful dreams that are worthy of chasing. And I fully believe you should be chasing after them, but don't forget to live and enjoy the now.

What better time to talk about this as we went into the final four months of the year? Trust me, there are going to be a lot of thing to look forward to in the next few months. Just like there are a lot of things to look forward to in your life. 

Please, don't miss out on now because you were so focused on what could or will be. We're not promised another second on this Earth. Don't waste it waiting to live later. 

Can I ask you something? And before I do, I want to you to know that I am fully aware that I'm overstepping. I'm getting into your business. I'm poking into places I don't belong. I am out of line.

Ok, now that I've made you aware of what has been going through my mind, can I ask the question? Cool.

Here it goes... Are you holding yourself back?

It's unfair. I don't know you. I don't know what you've been through or what you're going through now. I'm clueless to your situation.

But I know from my own personal experience there have been many times I was making excuses for my own personal issues. I was not being honest with myself as to why I wasn't stepping into my calling or purpose. I could say it was XYZ, but at the end of the day, it was me.

See, we can shed clutter in our environment and even narrow down our social circle, but if we don't work on ourselves, we'll still be left on the bench wondering why we never got into the game. 

So, wanna dive into the personal things we should let go of? Here we go!

Ok, "dropping people" sounds a little extreme, but we had to keep with the theme of this series.

Truth be told, there are things in our lives that are weighing us down and keeping us from pursuing our purpose. And sometimes those things are people. 

Perhaps there are some names coming to mind. People who are toxic or abusive. People who can't seem to support us no matter how much they claim they're in our corner. People who, when we're around them, we turn into a version of ourselves that we don't like. 

I would even rope ourselves into this group. Lord knows we can self-savotage like no one's business. 

And let's not forget the people we follow or engage with on social media. 

It sounds terrible, but we've got to be selective with who we let in - and how far we let them in - to our inner circles. While some may need to exit our lives others we may need to set hard boundaries with.

After all, people can sometimes weigh us down, stifle our growth and hinder our pursuit of purpose. 

Why are you holding onto that? 

Perhaps that question made you think about something - something specific. Maybe it's an old outfit you can't seem to donate even though you'll never wear it again. Or a chipped coffee mug that is one of the 20 that you own, but you refuse to toss it in the trash. Perhaps it's a streaming service you never use and yet, you've convinced yourself that eventually you'll find something to watch on it. 

Y'all, we're holding onto things we don't need anymore... Things that don't fit, broken things, things we don't even use. 

Saying it out loud - in that way - makes the behavior sound ridiculous, doesn't it? And yet, I think if we took inventory of our homes, offices or garages, we'd find plenty of items we haven't seen or used in years. Or ever. 

It's time to let those things go. Sell them, donate them, trash them. In all honesty, these things are weighing us down. 

Sometimes we have to get rid of things to make room for our purpose. 

Would you do something with me real quick? Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine yourself at 99 years old, rocking in your rocking chair on the front porch of your house (which might be on another planet in your future vision). Your family is gathered around you and your grandchild asks you to share a story from when you were their age. 

What story are you telling?

Now, you're probably thinking, I have no story to tell because it hasn't happened yet. That's fair. 

But what kind of story do you want to tell? Is it the one about how you binge-watched all of Stranger Things in one weekend? Or how you got a really funny TikTok from your bestie? Oh, how about that one weekend you managed to sit in the same spot for 36 hours straight?

I know, it sounds silly. And yet, it's scarily accurate to how you're living your life right now. 

If you want to tell stories on the front porch of your life that are filled with wonder and courage and curiosity, I hate to break it to you, but you're gonna have to actually live that life. Not just watch someone else do it on a screen.

And you know what? You can! But you gotta get to work. Ready? Let's dive in!

Say that title five times fast. Did you do it? Me too and dang, it's a bit of a tongue twister!

As the final installment of our Begin Again series, I thought I'd share the most important element to success. If you're chasing down a big dream - be it a passion project, a world-changing business idea or just a new way of living your life - it can be intimidating.

And when we finally muster up the courage to take on this new challenge, often times things fizzle out a week or two later.

Why?

Because we are relying on motivation to carry us through the thick and thin. I hate to break it to you, but motivatin is a fickle friend. Sure, it looks good on paper, but it doesn't always show up when you need it to, it can strand you in the middle of fight and - more often than not - it will ghost you.

To be successful in anything, you're going to need motivation's younger, slightly less attractive brother... discipline. Discipline is dependable, steadfast and strong. Discipline is ready for the long-term, committed relationship. 

In this episode we'll talk about how you can gamify discipline to work to your advantage. It's not easy, but if we're honest with ourselves and hold ourselves accountable, we can win the day!

Ready to dive in?

When it comes to your dream life, this is by far the biggest secret to achieving what you want. And your dream is begging you to do it! Now, before I reveal it, you're going to think it is too elementary to be real, but this is the one thing that seems to never get done in our dream pursuit. I'd say nine times out of ten, we avoid it at all costs. Are you ready for it?

You have to do the thing.

If you want to write the book, you have to write the book. If you want to change your health, you're going to have to change your health. If you want to go skydiving, you're gonna have to jump out of a plane!

It's so easy and yet so many of us are still back at the brainstorming table. And hey, I get it. The brainstorming table is comfortable and easy because it's perfect. Everything this is meticulously drafted and curated, but it's not real until you get moving. Eventually, you're gonna have to put yourself out there and try. 

In this episode, we'll navigate a three-step process that will help you get the ball rolling on your dream. It's all about leaving the starting line and getting your sea legs. 

Ready to fire the gun? Let's do it!

Why is it that when we get older, we get more boring? Remember the imagination you had as a child? You could create an entire world with vibrant characters and captivating storylines in a matter of minutes in your backyard. 

Can we channel that little boy or girl inside of you for just a moment? That imagination is going to come in handy this week.

In this episode we're start with a few questions to ask yourself as you chase your dreams, crush your goals or simply pick up that thing that, for whatever reason, you let fall to the wayside. We'll talk about how to date your dream before making a lifelong commitment to it.

This will be the most fun part of the entire Begin Again series, so don't breeze through it. 

So you've decided you're going to make a change and chase that big, beautiful dream of yours. You're all in and you're ready to hit that start button. Great! Do it! 

But don't be surprised if you meet opposition before you even get started.

Don't worry, it's all a part of the process and you should expect it. This is especially true if you're pursuing something you believe God has placed on your heart. A little pushback or some spiritual attacks shouldn't surprise you.

On this episode we'll dive into why getting started or beginning again on those goals you set for yourself can be so dang hard! We'll use Sir Isaac Newton's 3 Laws of Motion as a compass to better understand these forces acting against (and even for) our precious dreams.

Grab my hand and let's get a little nerdy, shall we?

Uh oh, did you start something and never finish it? Perhaps you set some resolutions for the year and yet again you find yourself six months down the road with no progress and no successes to hang your hat on saying the same old thing, "next year will be my year." 

What if this year we didn't wait unil next year? What if we decided to pick up that dream or hobby and begin again... now? See we don't need a big starting date or the perfect environment to be successful in our goals. 

We just need to get moving again.

Let's drop the shame, forget about what people will think about us, and get to work. And let's actually use the failure as a learning tool to propel us forward. 

Special thanks to the following contributors...

Music: Tidal Wav Studios

Artwork: Lauren Ligon Fine Art

Photography: Capture by JC Robertson