Be Brave, Kelly

If I could give one gift to my girls, it would be to live by the phrase, “be brave”. Be Brave to follow your dreams, Be Brave enough to live authentically in who you are, Be Brave enough to chase whatever dreams you have, and Be Brave enough to know you deserve all of it. 

This is something that I think I’ve said to myself over the last several years of my life because my actions might follow that statement, but I know I never consciously said it…until now (maybe it’s all the Brene Brown I’m consuming). So here’s what happened, I decided to start a new business and I have no idea how I am going to do it. 

One of my BIGGEST dreams (in addition to having my kids be the bravest of all) is to give the gift of therapy to all who want it. My partners in this dream (the Via Dream Team) also feel this way, and we spend hours trying to figure out what this looks like and makes sense in all the right places. I think we might have found something. It’s called Via at Work and we’re trying to bring what we do in therapy to the workplace. Things like developing confidence, healing, self understanding, and communication. If we can take it to the place where people spend most of their time, then surely those skills can translate to the whole person. Then, if this is supported by their work, we get buy-in from all angles. I mean, we’ll see if this works, but first I have to see if the community even wants this, and that’s where I find myself audibly saying, “Be brave, Kelly”.

I have never had to put myself out there to “sell” what I do. I literally put my name on a few insurance panels and it was like turning on a water faucet that was so overworked it couldn’t be turned off. I had clients on waitlists trying to get in (trust me, I am honest enough with myself to know it’s not me, it's that the people finally had access to something that is so desperately needed). So, no need to sell myself, they came to me. Until now, and I am terrified. 

I decided to start saying “yes” to anything that was in line with this new venture I was headed on. So, that meant my first networking event. I had a total pit in my stomach, I forgot my business cards (which meant I had to put my contact info on the back of a name tag sticker that immediately smeared when I wrote my name), I signed into the event twice, and I was definitely sweaty. Thank goodness when I walked in a lady said to me, “Hi” and she instantly became my wingwoman the whole night. So much so that everyone thought we were lifelong buddies! And there I was, chatting it up with other women in business, telling them my plan, and gathering all the business cards one could ask for. I did it! I put myself out there in a space I had never been before, not graceful, probably sweaty and a little stumbly over my words, but I went, and it was all because I pushed myself to do the thing I promised I would teach my kids. I was brave enough to chase a dream, then tell people about it. 

Now, we’ll see what happens. I have a couple meetings, a few planning sessions, and a heck of a lot of motivation to see where this project can go. I truly believe this is something that we all need. We just need to keep building it and see where this takes us. So, wish me luck! Or better yet, to BE BRAVE!! 

And I hope you are too, because I truly believe we all bring something special to the table - it’s a matter of having the confidence to act on it.