YOU ARE A FEARLESS BUFFALO...ATTACK LIKE LIFE IT!

One day on the plains of Africa, a young buffalo approached his dad and asked if there was anything that he should be afraid of.

 “Only lions my son,” his dad responded. “Oh yes, if I ever see one I’ll turn and run as fast as I can, so they won’t try to kill me” said the son.

 The dad replied, “No that’s the worst thing you could do, the lions will chase you, catch you, jump on your unprotected back, and bring you down.” “So, what should I do?” asked the young buffalo.

 The dad replied, “If you ever see a lion, stand your ground to show him you’re not afraid. If he doesn’t move away, show your sharp horns and stomp the ground with your hooves. If that doesn’t work, move slowly towards him. If that doesn’t work, charge him – head down…horns up…and hit him with EVERYTHING YOU’VE GOT!”

 “That’s crazy, I’ll be too scared to do that. What if he attacks me back?” said the startled young buffalo. The dad replied, “Look around, what do you see?” There were 200 massive buffalos with sharp horns.

 “If ever you’re afraid, know that we are here. If you panic and run from your fears, we can’t save you. But if you charge towards them, we’ll be right behind you.”

FEAR IS AN ILLUSION

There are so many things I’ve been afraid of. One of my biggest fears I ran away from for years was becoming a lifestyle influencer and blogger. I dreamed about it constantly, admired the phenomenal women I followed that were crushing it, but I was scared as heck to begin putting my most loving and challenging life experiences out there for the lions of social media and the internet to rip me a brand new hole (and I’m not talking an earlobe piercing).

 I wrecked my brain around fearful self-doubt questions like:

 What if people don’t like the way I look when I gain weight again and can’t hide it?

What if I tell people about my setbacks and heartbreaks like having a heart attack at 23, and the tears I cry on a weekly basis from the rigors I go through in being a special needs Mom…and what if nobody gives AF?

What if I fail in one of my life pursuits, and the “petty waps” of the world drag me for it?

 But the only reality I’ve found in these doubts is the fact that FEAR IS AN ILLUSION. Will Smith said, “THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR.” #FACTS! The last 18 months since I jumped off the “stay-at-home mom” cliff and took that terrifying leap of faith to becoming a lifestyle blogger has been the most transformational and powerful years of my life. I’ve learned to overcome the anxiety, bubble guts, sweaty palms and emotional stress that comes with LIVING OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. And guess what I learned during that time? How to MANIFEST MY DREAMS & MAKE THEM REALITY!

 During this time, I went from 5K followers to almost 50K followers on Instagram, with a poppin’ blog website of thousands of subscribers and content for days – sharing my “Lovestyles” of fitness, cooking, beauty, travel, motivation, special needs parenting, and all things motherhood and wifeyhood as the one and only Sara Hood haha! Who would’ve thoughteth? 18 months ago, I just knew that was impossible!

But forget the numbers and scale as an Influencer, what drives me to knowing this is a part of my calling is almost every day a mother or woman DMs me about how a video, post, or blog I shared about my story touched them in a special way to make them pursue overcoming the enormous life challenges in their lives to pursue their dreams. What if I hadn’t come out of my shell? It would’ve been CRIMINAL. Because I would’ve stolen countless opportunities to change another beautiful soul’s life in a special way that God built only me to do. I’m living out my purpose, my calling and my WHY!

FEARS CAN ONLY LIVE WHEN FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD

Please believe, I’m not the Terminator or some indestructible force! I’m still a woman, very vulnerable, and still scared as heck. One of my fears still to this day is public speaking. I almost get a nervous breakdown just thinking about it. Matter of fact, I’m the moderator on a major Mommy Entrepreneur panel with celebrities and influencers for the Boss Woman of the Year Awards in Dallas next Saturday 9/21. And to be honest, I’m scared as all get out to stand on stage in front of hundreds of women who will be looking to little ole me for insight and advice.

So, guess what I did. I PRACTICED & I PREPARED! I’ve been reviewing over and over the questions I want to ask, I researched the phenomenal women who are going to be on the panel, and I have gathered my most powerful insights to what I want to share so that every woman I speak to is empowered and inspired to take their career to another level in making their dreams a reality.

Any of my team of influencers, family, close friends, and boss baes I continue to meet at women empowerment events like this are all a part of my squad of buffalos with sharp horns surrounding me, giving me all the energy and support I need to charge through life – head down, horns up – to continue knocking down goals and crushing big dreams!

Sure, I get rejections when I go for big pitches and deals, and I’m shooting for some BIG STUFF! It hurts to hear wayyyyy more NOs than YES. But I know SOMEDAY…ONE DAY…my biggest dreams will happen…in front of millions…on TV…hopefully next to OPRAH! (LOL/PRAISE HANDS/LOL/PRAISE HANDS XOXO). Ya girl has even hired an acting coach, because I want to be PREPARED for this moment when it happens!

So, I’m running and gunning for that scary lion in front of my goals - and I won’t stop until I run through it! I know I’m gonna kill it, I’m built for it!

And you know what…SO ARE YOU! Anything that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. And through it all YOU’RE ALIVE, which means YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE & STRONGER THAN EVER! I’m simply one of the buffalos in a herd of supporters here to cheer you on with YO BAD BOSS BAE SELF! CAN’T NOBODY STOP YOU BUT YOU! So, get out of your own way and out of your own head. Erase those fears with what Floyd Mayweather frequently chants “HARDWORK & DEDICATION.” Preparation is the key!

Come on LOVESTYLE WARRIORS, this is not a dress rehearsal. We only get one shot at this thing called life, so OWN IT! Be that fearless buffalo that ferociously charges through anything in the way of our dreams, hitting it with EVERYTHING WE GOT!