Living Over Existing: Push past fear, defeat self-doubt and unleash your God-given gift

By Alisha Robertson

On the journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur, many women assume that the biggest hurdle they will have to jump over is figuring out the next, best strategy. How do I create a product people actually want? How do I find new customers? How do I begin marketing myself? While all these concerns can make or break a business, strategy isn't th

• Language: English
• Publisher: Made Intentionally, LLC
• Release date: Sep 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088146859

Alisha Robertson

Alisha Robertson is an author, community builder, and the founder of Mind Body Brand-a wellness newsletter created to encourage women entrepreneurs to prioritize rest over hustle.After experiencing severe burnout, Alisha tore down everything she knew about becoming a successful entrepreneur and decided to build a company that would help new and established women entrepreneurs defeat overwhelm and gain confidence in their God-given gifts. Alisha aims to help women entrepreneurs achieve intentional alignment between their life and business and provide support through a like-minded community.Alisha currently resides in Raleigh, NC with her husband, daughter, and beagle.Learn more about Alisha at www.alisharobertson.com.

Book preview

Living Over Existing

Living Over Existing

Push past fear, defeat self-doubt, and unleash your God-given gift.

Alisha Robertson

Copyright © 2023 by Alisha Robertson

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No parts of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief questions embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First Edition: 2023

ISBN: 979-8-218-20893-6

Made Intentionally LLC

930 W Chatham Street

Suite 110, Cary, NC 27511

[e-mail]

Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

This book is dedicated to the women and girls who currently feel stuck in their own heads—those who are misunderstood, the voiceless, the bruised, the introverts, and those with broken faith.

I hear you. I see you. I am you.

Contents

Prefaceix

Introductionxiii

You Have to Be Willing to Change

What Does It Look Like to Live on Purpose?1

Are You Willing to Change?9

Purpose

Lack of Purpose29

Uncovering Your Purpose35

Pursuing Your Purpose45

The Mental Barriers

Battling Fear Head On51

Dealing with Your Inner Critic61

Comparison is the Thief of Joy71

Releasing Anxiety83

Breaking Through Disappointment97

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome107

Faith & Action

Building Your Faith119

Push Past Your Excuses and Take Action129

Acknowledgments149

Book Notes & Resources153

About the Author155

Join the Community157

Preface

The first time I wrote this book, I had no clue what I was being called to do; I had limited awareness of the impact that it was going to make in my life and in the lives of others. I did know, however, that there were words inside of me that needed to be written and shared with others. I was obedient to the call, and this book was born.

To date, the launch of the first version of this book remains one of my most successful business accomplishments with hundreds of copies being sent to homes all around the world. Since its release date years ago, this book has opened so many doors for me; the success of this work was a clear sign to me that this book NEEDED to happen, allowing God to push me into my next season. I learned that obedience will always bring abundance, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be obstacles along the way. Years after this book was originally released, I realized that doing the work once wasn’t enough and that it takes consistency. As I slipped back into old habits, I discovered new tools and felt called to rewrite it.

Somewhere between managing a book launch, creating a waiting list of coaching clients, and building a new business, I went from being extremely sure of what God wanted me to do with my life to doing all things in opposition to that belief. I was overwhelmed with fear, shrinking, burning out, and saying yes to what was easy and no to what He was pushing me to do. In sharing this

I know you are probably asking yourself how am I supposed to help you push past your mental barriers when I’m still struggling with my own? Well, over the past few years and since writing this book, I’ve learned that we cannot stop doing the work.

Back then, I thought I was fine. I thought that I had finally conquered the fear beast and had kicked anxiety to the curb. By believing I had arrived, I let up and stopped doing the work to ensure that I stayed in a good place mentally. As a result, I allowed some of those same mental barriers that I struggled with before, to rear their ugly heads and bring some new friends along with them. To name a few, I went from being ready to write my second book almost immediately after launching this one, to not picking up a pen and paper for well over a year. I went from including God in all my desires to ignoring His call, and staying where I was comfortable. But I quickly learned that at the end of the day, He wins. Period.

The work I found comfort in had begun to frustrate me. The projects I put my energy into had failed. I knew good and well that those projects were not aligned with what He wanted for me. In the end, I found myself completely burned out and unsatisfied with how my life was going. I was begging for clarity and understanding until I had an epiphany; I realized that what I had been missing was standing right in front of me the entire time. Each time I would beg and ask God for what was next, He would remind me of the call that I was ignoring. His voice was so loud and so clear that I’d be dumb to think that I was just making it up.

When I finally made the decision to completely surrender, I knew that my first step needed to be revamping this book one final time. I had learned and experienced so much over the past few years that this book began to feel incomplete. As a result, I’ve

taken my time to update all the original chapters, rearranging and editing them for more clarity. I’ve also added new chapters on dealing with disappointment, changing your thinking, embracing failure, recognizing the excuses we make, and more. For a little extra support, you will also be given action steps and affirmations at the end of each chapter.

No matter how much I have grown or how much this book has changed, the mission remains the same. After you read this book, it is my hope that you will truly embrace the life of living over existing. That you, above all else, will pursue the purpose that has been placed over your life and that you find peace in knowing that there is so much for you to learn in the process.

Introduction

Living in the moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. It means living your life consciously, aware that each moment you breathe is a gift.

- Oprah Winfrey

Fearful, voiceless, and self -c onscious , I walked with my head down and my shoulders pointing to the ground; I was afraid to speak up and concerned about what others would think. I would pretend that I wasn’t smart to avoid being perceived as a know - i t -a ll , and I acted as if I did not enjoy being in the spotlight when, deep down, all I really wanted was to be seen and heard. I spent the first 25 years of my life fading back into the shadows, standing behind everyone else and crippled with fear. I behaved this way instead of standing up for myself, voicing my opinion, and pursuing the amazing, creative gifts God had blessed me with. Essentially, I had conformed to what others thought I should be while feeling completely disconnected from my true self. I was exis ting.

I was wishing I had the courage to do something I loved–something that fulfilled me and that would help me escape the cubicle life that made me feel like I was dying slowly. I sat on the sidelines for years–in jobs I hated–and watched everyone else take leaps of faith, go after the careers of their dreams, and live life

on their terms. I was settling for whatever was handed to me and constantly apologizing for what I truly wanted to say and do. I allowed fear to stop me, self-doubt to constantly tell me I wasn’t good enough and used comparison to ignore the good that was going on in my life. After all, my good did not look like this person’s great or that person’s picture-perfect Instagram feed.

I was a mess, both physically and mentally. Full of ideas and creative talent, I was wasting these gifts as I struggled to push past my own issues. That was until I decided to surrender and allow God to use the abilities He had given me. At a minimum, however, I knew that I could not fix myself; I needed to turn to the One who had the power to heal me. With this level of clarity, I decided to take a leap of faith. I began turning one of my many ideas into a real business that I’ll share more about later in this book. The first, utterly terrifying step wasn’t as painful as I had been telling myself it would be, and I decided to take another step, another one after that, and so on until I had built a brand that allowed me to share my purpose with the world. I decided to live despite the odds, my fears, and the opinions of others. I was living on purpose and for me.

Fast forward to today, the online platform I have built has allowed me to uncover the purpose God has set for my life. And has given me the hope and the voice that I longed for. The young girl who was merely existing and going about her day-to-day life with no real purpose is now a woman with confidence in who she is, what she wants, and what she’s worth. To all who are reading this book, I want you to know that my journey hasn’t been easy, but pushing past the fears, self-doubt, and worry, has made it all worth it.

Now, I assume you picked up this book because you’re ready to make a deep change in your life. You may even be ready to take

a shot at entrepreneurship. Maybe you already run your own business and today, you’re ready to take your plans a step further. No matter where you are on your journey, you have made the decision that this year, or at this moment, you will take a chance on yourself and leap. Perhaps the goal for you is that you truly begin living your life to the fullest instead of just going through the motions, day after day.

For many of you, the idea to pursue entrepreneurship has already come to you. If that is the case, let me ask you something. What would your life look like if you finally put action behind all those big ideas and built an actual, money-making business around your gifts? Would you finally wake up overjoyed because you knew you were about to spend the day working on what you love? Would you have more time and money to spend for the benefit of those you love the most?

Seriously take a moment to close your eyes, and picture yourself living in your dream. Visualize the work you will be creating. Fill your mind with the happiness and appreciation you will feel for all of the amazing opportunities God will provide. Focus on the fact that He not only blessed you with an incredible purpose but also with the ability needed to ensure your purpose will financially support you and your family. Now reflect and ask what’s stopping you from making your dreams a reality. What’s stopping you from living out your purpose and making a greater impact and bigger income? I ask this seriously. What is holding you back?

Don’t say that you don’t know how to get started. We currently live in a world that is powered by Google, allowing us to search for practical answers. Everything you can possibly need can now be found at your fingertips. Once you have the knowledge through

online resources, there are tons of instructors, coaches, and mentors who can show you the how.

Next, let’s look beyond getting started. What stops most creative women from digging deeper, uncovering their purpose, and turning it into a truly profitable business, isn’t the lack of know-how. I’ve found that what holds most women back are various internal obstacles like fear, comparison, and self-doubt. Because of this, many women never make it past the idea stage. You become so trapped into thinking that staying in your comfort zone is normal and safe that you end up walking through life aimlessly, wishing you had the guts to do

Reviews for Living Over Existing

[Jadeverett Mayhorn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I got a lot out of this book. I felt like I was reading about myself and the thoughts that typically run through my head when I'm attempt to step out of my comfort zone. Although my story is very different, I can identify with the negative thought patterns described that cause me to often give into fear. This book offers practical advice, reminders of things you probably already know but often forget when fear creeps up and good questions to ponder on to help push past fear. Its exactly what I was looking for. God sent it my way.