Doing Things That Scare You Is Worth It

The Nigerian author gave a Ted Talk called "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable." Luvvie is a New York Times best-selling author and a podcast host of her own show: Professional Troublemaker. She is also the co-founder of The Red Pump Project, a national nonprofit organization that raises awareness about HIV/AIDS's impact on young girls and women.

The author, speaker, and digital strategist realized that fear has the power of keeping us from doing the things that are aligned with our purpose. She assures that some incredible things will start to happen if you don't let fear dictate what you do. Anything that scares you, actually pursue it.

For example, Luvvie didn't like being submerged in water, but she went to Mexico and swam with dolphins underwater. As she started stepping out of her comfort zone, Luvvie decided to write her book, "I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual."

One of the things that made her most afraid was skydiving, but she did it. After jumping from a plane, Luvvie realized that the experience she was living was the best thing she could have done.

The author warns, "keeping things the way they've been is comfortable," and that's the problem. Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable is being able to speak hard truths when they're necessary.

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People are so afraid of the consequences that there are many times that they don't allow themselves to disrupt what's happening and enjoy life more spontaneously.

The author says that one of the most challenging roles in life is to be the domino: the first person that speaks up and encourages others to step in and change something. She assures that "people and systems count on our silence to keep us exactly where we are."

According to Luvvie, being the domino sometimes means being who you are. The author reveals that "being yourself can be a revolutionary act."

When it's time to say hard things, Luvvie asks herself three questions: Did you mean it? Can you defend it? And did you say it with love?

If the answer to all of them is yes, she moves on bravely and prepares herself for what's next to come. Living this way has made her life so much easier, even if that sometimes means sacrificing job opportunities for speaking up about topics that anyone else doesn't dare to talk about.

The day she jumped from a plane, Luvvie promised herself to keep that feeling of freedom and love for life. Speaking up requires bravery and courage. Getting out of our comfort zone will demand a change from us, a new perspective, and a willingness to grow.

Start with small things allowing yourself to try something you've never done before. Even if you end up not like it, don't lose the opportunity to get to know a new version of yourself at the end of the day. In the case of Luvvie Ajayi Jones, she found her purpose to inspire others through her word and actions. How will you challenge yourself from now on to step out of your comfort zone?