What if I told you there's a way to turn your biggest fears into the most exciting bucket list you'll ever create ? I know you're probably thinking this is going to be another list of you shoulds , but this isn't that . This is about creating your own personal adventure challenge . But more than that , it's about facing your anxiety in the best way possible . If you're tired of anxiety making all your decisions for you , if you're ready to stop watching life happen to other people while you stay on the sidelines , this is how to get back in the game . Back in the game . Hi and
welcome .
Jessica DavisTo Block Out the Noise a space for teens and young adults to quiet the noise of anxiety , self-doubt and overthinking and start building a life filled with confidence , courage and purpose . I'm Jessica Davis , a licensed therapist , mindset coach and the creator of the Courage Method . But before we dive in , I want to share with you that this podcast is here to support and guide you , but it is not a replacement for talking to someone in real life . If you're struggling with your mental health , please reach out to a therapist , and if you're in crisis , contact emergency services or a local helpline . You don't have to go through it alone . All right , let's cut through the noise and get started .
First , let me tell you why I know this works Because I had to use it myself when I was terrified to start my own practice . As a therapist , I help people overcome fear all day long , but when it came to starting my own business , I was afraid . I had never dreamed of owning my own business . I hadn't even taken a single business class and I was completely out of my depth . The anxiety was overwhelming . What if I failed ? What if I would make huge mistakes ? What if I wasn't cut out for this ? Every single day , my brain was giving me a thousand reasons to play it safe and just stay where I was . But I realized if I let fear and worry take over , I'd never grow . Making mistakes was going to be inevitable anyway . The question was did I want to make mistakes while building something I cared about , or did I want to stay stuck wondering what if ? So I kind of created my first courage challenge , and now I'm constantly pushing myself to do things that scare me so that I can stretch myself to grow more and more . That terrifying leap to start my practice led to everything I have today , and that's exactly what I want for you .
Here's what's really happening when anxiety is in charge . It's not just keeping you safe , it's stealing your adventures . Your comfort zone is like your bedroom . At first it feels like everything you need is in arm's reach , but eventually that room starts to feel small , almost like you're in a prison . You can hear life happening outside , but anxiety keeps whispering . What if something goes wrong out there ? What if I'm not ready ? What if I fail ? So you stay , and every day you stay . Your world gets a little smaller . The things you used to dream about start feeling impossible , no-transcript . But what if I told you those feelings , that racing heart , those sweaty poems , that voice saying I can't do that ? What if those aren't warning signs ? What if they're actually your internal compass pointing you toward everything you're meant to become excited about , something you wanted to try
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Jessica DavisThis is where the courage challenge list comes in . This isn't your typical bucket list where you write down a bunch of things and forget about them . This is a strategic adventure plan . It's designed to help you reclaim your life from anxiety . Here's what makes this different you get to pick your own levels . Maybe for you , ordering your own food at a restaurant is a level one challenge . For someone else , that might not even be on their list . Maybe your level five is starting a YouTube channel , while someone else's level five is asking someone out on a date . Just to give you an idea , here's what some courage challenges might look like . Just to give you an idea , here's what some courage challenges might look like . It could be social adventures , like starting the conversation first , asking someone to hang out one-on-one , sharing an unpopular opinion respectfully , or hosting a gathering at your place , joining a club where you don't know anyone . Someone else's list could be posting something they created online , performing at an open mic night , auditioning for a new role , starting that project that they've been thinking about , or taking a class in something they've always wanted to try .
The goal isn't to eliminate fear . The goal is to prove to yourself that you can feel afraid and do the thing anyway . That's where real confidence comes from . What do these major hearts keep it be ? What are you thinking about now that's leading to you to feel excited and scared at the same time ? Let's go over some strategies to help .
Jessica DavisStrategy one start where you are , dream where you're going . Strategy one is about building your personal ladder . You get to decide what level one looks like for you and you get to decide what your ultimate level 10 adventure might be . Think of it like training for a marathon . You don't start running 26 miles . You start with one mile , then two , then five and for some people you honestly start with walking , walk , running and building from there . Each level builds the confidence and skills you need for the next one . What's something you always wanted to do but felt too scared to try ? That's your North Star . Now work backwards . What would level one look like ? What tiny step could you take this week that moves you in that direction ? If you knew you couldn't fail , what would be on your list ?
Strategy two the Friday challenge rule . Strategy two is about creating momentum . Without a timeline , your courage list becomes every other goal , something you'll get to someday . Here's what I want you to try Every Friday . Attempt one thing from your list . It doesn't have to be perfect , it doesn't even have to go exactly as planned . You just have to try . Friday is perfect , because if it goes well , you'll feel proud all weekend . If it doesn't go according to plan , you have the weekend to process and plan your next . Attempt Win-win . And here's the important thing If Friday doesn't happen , try Saturday . If Saturday doesn't happen , attempt on Sunday . Make it smaller for yourself if you feel as if you're avoiding what's on the list . The rule is no zero weeks .
Strategy three is about visibility . Your courage list can't live hidden in your phone , especially if you want to actually make progress . I've learned this the hard way . I have created so many lists that end up being buried and not gone through for months , out of sight , out of mind , out of action . So put your list where you can't ignore it . It could be a bathroom mirror , it could be a planner that you go through every day . It could be on a vision board . Whatever you do , just make sure it reminds you of what you're working towards and who you're becoming , this abstract thing you might do someday and becomes part of your identity . You start seeing yourself as someone who wants to take on challenges , someone who grows , someone who doesn't let fear make all the decisions .
Strategy four celebrate the attempts , not just the wins . Attempts build identity . Strategy four might be the most important , in all honesty , but you already know this if you've heard my episodes before . Celebrate the courage to try , not just the outcomes . For example , someone could put on their list speaking up in a meeting when maybe they finally do . Their voice comes out as barely a whisper and they feel embarrassed . Most people would call that a failure . I would call it a victory , because they spoke instead of staying silent . They proved to themselves they could survive the discomfort of being seen your courage
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Jessica DavisChallenges aren't about becoming fearless Honestly . Nothing is about being seen your courage . Challenges aren't about becoming fearless Honestly . Nothing is about being fearless . It's about becoming someone who feels the fear and acts anyway . That's really the definition of courage . What would you attempt this week if you knew that just trying made you successful ? So here's my challenge to you Before you do anything else , before you scroll to the next thing , take a few minutes and write down three things that make your heart race just thinking about them .
Pick the one that scares you the least . That's probably closer to your level one . Put it on your calendar for this Friday , not next Friday , this Friday . And if you want to do it sooner , do it sooner . Your anxiety has been writing your story for too long . It's time for you to pick up the pen . It's time for you to stop being a spectator in your own life and start being the person you are meant to be . You don't need to feel ready . You don't need to have it all figured out , you just need to be willing to try the confidence you're waiting for . It's on the other side of action you've been avoiding . And if you're wanting to try this out , I would love for you to try our 90 day courage challenge .
The whole idea is to take this format and actually create it so that you take action . It will start October 3rd . If this is something you're interested in , please look at the show notes and you can sign up for that . But if you don't want to wait , then don't Start now . Start building your list , start taking action . Remember , you're not broken , you're not behind . You're just getting started . Your comfort zone might feel safe right now , but your dreams are waiting . Time to step outside and see what you're really capable of . I can't wait to see it . Thank you so much for listening . Until next time , keep moving forward , trust yourself and never forget you have what it takes to block out the noise .