My First Blog Post. Ever.

by dr. Saby Labor in Blog, Resources, Standard

April 16, 2016 • 4 comments

Do you ever talk yourself out of things at an obnoxiously high rate? I mean over and over and over again? You debate the pros, the cons, the exceptions, the hypothetical situations, and what do you come up with in the end? You stay the course; refraining from doing that thing that scares the **** out of you! For me, that thing is blogging.

In recent years, I have felt increasing concerns about privacy and the implications for our increasingly public lives with social media platforms. So, here we are. I am writing something for the world to see (at the very least, my mom and spouse will read this) and you are here consuming this information.

For those of you who know me, I take things on fearlessly and with integrity. That is the journey that has brought me to you today. I had a great big epiphany (are there small ones?):

“If blogging scares the living daylights out of me, then I should do it!”

Let me explain. I am not some thrill-seeking fanatic. In fact, I get so scared watching horror flicks that even the mention of Freddy Kreuger makes me cringe and want to run into a nearby closet (this is a great “coming out” joke opportunity, but that is for a later giggle). The truth of the matter is that things that make us slightly to extremely uncomfortable can often be those things that we absolutely need to do for the following reasons:

1. The only way is through.
Living with regret and “what if” scenarios running in my head is so much worse than doing that thing that makes me queasy and looking back to say “Meh. That wasn’t that scary.”
2. Practice what you preach.
As someone whose behavior is emulated by students, peers and mentors, I can’t stand with integrity and admit to these people I respect that “I’m scared of a tiny little blog post”
3. The purpose outweighs the costs.
The stakes are fairly low and the purpose is bigger than me. I have built a community of people I respect and that have respect for me and what I stand for.
4. It aligns with my values and vision.
I value the free exchange of information and share a vision with many others that technology is transforming the ways we disseminate and acquire knowledge.

You are reading this because I took the leap and overcame my fear and clicked “Post”. Which fear will you overcome today? This week? This year? My challenge to you is to take action. Implement.

I am launching Resilient Campus, a coaching and consulting business, this summer. Blogging is one of the platforms in which I hope to share current topics, stories, and resources related to college leadership, equity, and inclusion. I will begin coaching professionals in the summer, developing leadership programs for student interns, and launch my campus speaking tour in the fall. Thanks for coming along with me on this journey. It’s bound to be a wild ride.

Saby Labor
Founder of Resilient Campus

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