Picture yourself playing at a new professional level; the stakes are higher, your scope of responsibility is broader, and the pressure is palpable. It's a unique blend of excitement and nerves, especially for people of color, who are navigating spaces that might not always feel welcoming. This is fear and it can be paralyzing. The conventional response in this situation is fighting back or getting curious. But here's the thing: I've got a different approach for you—an unexplored option that's like a secret weapon. Join me for a down-to-earth conversation with practical insights and a fresh perspective on embracing fear in a way that feels authentic and manageable. GEMS DROPPED “As long as you're growing, you're gonna keep hitting these growth edges. And these growth edges are meant to scare the shit out of you…. Like, that's the whole point. Otherwise, big growth is not happening. Because big growth entails a lot of ripping away, re-confronting, and that stuff is hard y'all. It's hard. It's scary. It does not feel good. And it can feel very confusing, very illogical, because it's like, when I look back over my story, I see how I got here. So why am I feeling this way?” “There's usually an internal voice, if not several, that says something like, Who do you think you are?  If you can identify that voice and put shape and form around that voice so that it is not this faceless, formless, mystical thing that is just in the atmosphere around you, and then give yourself a bit of space to actually face it, the more that you have power to actually address it. It puts you back in a seat of power. It puts you back in a position of agency and it helps you rewrite this story”. “Our scary voices, those, those things that are, that are trying to speak fear into us, oftentimes are coming from a place of caution, which is coming from a place of protection. And sometimes that same voice, or some version of that voice is still showing up in us when we reach these new heights. And it is asking us to turn to it and say we're safe. We're okay”. STAY IN TOUCH Come and follow me on Instagram @moniquershields and I would love your feedback so send an email to [email protected].