I am an imposter.

On my About page, I call myself your adventure pal. But the truth is that I’m a fearful, anxiety-ridden person. I’ve spent a lot of time hiding from life. I talk a lot about stepping out and not being afraid to try new things, but inside I also have to preach that to myself.

At the ripe old age of seven, I asked my mom to write out a story I told her.<

The story tells of a little girl with a dog named Pepper. Mom wrote down every word, and we gave it a title. Then she wrote by Tammie Fickas under the title.

That young girl took a brave step to put words on paper. Over the years, life happened, and with it, my belief in my dream of being a writer dimmed. It didn’t seem possible. I knew I didn’t have what it takes to be a writer.

You see, I’d never use the word adventure to describe myself, but that tag came from a friend.

And I squirmed at putting it out there on my website. I don’t want people to think I’m trying to be something I’m not.

“But look at all you’ve done, Tammie,” my friend grinned at me.“You went to Ecuador, got a tattoo, traveled alone, and like to try new things.”

So he had a point. I pondered that and realized I didn’t need to put myself in danger or pull crazy stunts to embrace new things. I likely won’t ever jump a motorcycle across the Grand Canyon, but I may climb the Manitou Incline.

Stepping out and trying something new can be scary.

I know. Many things I’ve done have created a lot of anxiety, but I’ve learned to let go of my need to be perfect. I’ve found that trying and failing aren’t all that bad. I love telling people about my experiences, even those that look like failures.

Some of the best adventures come from just letting go, enjoying yourself, and not worrying about the outcome. Don’t let being an imposter stop you.

Let’s chat: What would you do if it didn’t matter the outcome?

Photo courtesy of Jamie Forster on Pixabay