What happens after a goal becomes a reality
Recently I achieved a goal I’d been working towards for a few years. 🥳
I was invited to be the keynote speaker on stress management at a corporate networking event—one of the larger speaking engagements I’ve done and something that once felt very far away.
Leading up to it, I was so excited! There was clarity, focus, and an energy that felt surprisingly steady and calm.
After all the preparation, I expected that once it was over, I’d feel a deep sense of relief and accomplishment An ability to just settle into the contentment of having “done it.”
What surprised me was how quickly my attention shifted to what came next, instead of basking in the glow of what I had achieved.
I didn’t have another event lined up. Nothing to put my energy toward or begin preparing for, so there was a bit of uncertainty about "what now?".
I noticed fear and doubt quickly creeping in, causing me to respond in familiar ways:
A desire to work harder.
To organize every facet of my life.
To figure out a big-picture plan.
To "fix things" through more self-care.
Basically it was my mind wanting to feel certainty anywhere I could.
The more I paid attention, the more I realized that none of those things were actually creating clarity, or certainty. Instead, they were creating a lot of tension and overwhelm—both in my mind and my body.
Since then, I’ve been slowing down so that I can notice the moments when I’m slipping into trying to force an answer...
Or rush the process....
Or looking for certainty outside of myself instead of returning to self-trust.
Because the truth is, this speaking opportunity didn’t appear overnight.
It was built through hundreds of small decisions, small actions, and small moments of courage and commitment over time.
At some point along the way, I stopped hoping it would happen and started expecting that it would.
Because I trusted the process (and myself) enough to keep taking the next step.
I may not know exactly what comes next, but the process is still the same.
And perhaps self-trust is believing that I can do it again—even before I know exactly what "it" is or what comes next.
