Happy New Year! As we start the New Year I thought I’d share a bit more of my story with you. For some of you, I know you have made resolves to never make resolutions. There’s something tremendously scary about making goals, letting the world know, and then feeling like a failure for not achieving these goals.Can I tell you something? I’ve been there too.

I was someone who for years I just stopped. I didn’t stop living life, but if you asked me where I was going or what I was doing with my life I couldn’t even begin to tell you. On the surface I looked like a confused twenty-something, but just below the skinny jeans and slouchy beanie I was terrified. For years, I was the overachiever, on the fast-track, driven, hyper type A person. For a decade I had dedicated my life to a cause. I went to school for it, invested in a costly college degree, and had entered a job in my field. 14 months later that job opportunity was done. I was devastated. Was I wrong? I had just built 10 years of my life on a dream that fell through within a year and a half. I moved back home, lived with my parents, and for the next 10 months found myself unemployed. To be honest, I didn’t know how to dream anymore and I was scared of them. If following my last dream lead me here, where would the next dream take me? Because of this I made a vow to stop dreaming. If people would ask, I wouldn’t have an answer and life would just take me wherever it lead.

And what did I discover? I was miserable. The very things, hopes, and aspirations that moved me forward and brought me joy in life, I no longer permitted myself. It was too scary, too unknown, and what if I failed again…my heart couldn’t bear the thought.

So I stayed in gridlock.

For years.

Then one day, years later, I was reminded that dreams were important. I permitted myself to dream again. Hope was no longer deferred. The more I dreamed the more I found myself coming alive.

For those of you who find yourself stuck, may you have the courage to dream again. May this year find you brave.

Bravery to fight for restoration, to love others well, to be an extravagant giver, to stand in the gap for the unfortunate, to be a hope-bringer, adventurer, and pioneer. Bravery to put plans to the dreams that are on your heart, to start the business, to start a family, or to commit to a community.

Where do you need to be brave? Join the conversation on Instagram with the hashtags #G&G #startnow.