A while back, I wrote a post about the Pennsylvania Governor’s Conference for Women, an event I had the pleasure of attending last October (for free!).  While it was overwhelming to be surrounded by so many accomplished women, it was inspiring to hear their stories.

One of these women, Jen Groover, has become a role model to me in these past few months.  Creator of the Butler Bag, Jen is known for her innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.  I heart that woman (so much that I Facebooked her).

I am a fan of Ms. Groover not only because of her many accomplishments, but also because of an excellent quote she shared during one of the seminars:

“Only when we fear regret more than failure is our greatness allowed to truly emerge.”

As I stand in the midst of unemployment and attempt to list the options before me, I find myself faced with dreams I would regret not pursuing.  I must admit, however, I’m a tad bit terrified of the vulnerability involved with these pursuits and the risk of failure.  Take my love for writing, for example.  I could either use this time off to pour myself into writing or I could let the fear of “putting myself out there” get the best of me and watch soap operas all day long.

While Days of Our Lives sounds tempting, I know I’d much rather pursue my passion.  I am a twenty-four year old who’s just been laid off from a job that, despite the paycheck, added more misery to each day than joy (ask Boyfriend if you don’t believe me).  I awkwardly entertain the thought of risk-taking, knowing that I don’t have much left to lose. My ego has been shot, but I can think of no better remedy than to write the pain away.  I cannot deny my desire to serve others and write about it and to someday convince someone to pay me to serve other and write about it.   If I don’t try to make this dream a reality…if I don’t try right now…I won’t be able to sleep at night.

And this is a BIG problem.  Because I like my sleep.

What about you?  What dreams have you been salivating over, as fears of failure loom over you?  What’s scarier for you: regret or failure?

Related Posts, for Your Reading Enjoyment: