The Startup Sessions

November 18, 2016

Why Fear?

A couple of reasons I wrote just to remind myself why am I doing this:

Fear keeps me from enjoying life
Fear will keep me from achieving success
I want to live courageously
Life starts at the end of your comfort zone
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
NYC is not made for the fearful
Fear just doesn't make sense
If I don't do it now, then, when?

Instagram: @100dayswithoutfear

When I read those words from @brenebrown 🙌🏼 it all clicked:
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I used to think that by saying “yes” to favors I didn’t want to do, “looking good!” to things I didn’t really like, or “I’ll be there!” to plans that I didn’t enjoy, I was being kind — I was NOT. In fact, I was lying not helping 🤥💔
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I realized that my relationships changed 😳 the moment I decided to be clear with the people I care about ⤵️
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Last month I had a very honest conversation with my mom where I told her what are some of my real needs, feelings and expectations, as a way to work on our relationship and improve moving forward.
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Last night I had a 4-hour dinner conversation with Adam about the way we’d like to raise our kids in the future. We discussed the things we appreciate from each other but also each other’s weaknesses and what we can do about it.
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And even my friends come up to me when they need an honest opinion, because they know I’m not afraid to say things as they are 🤷🏼‍♀️
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Honesty is the base of healthy relationships and this is what being assertive is all about.
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If you care about having meaningful, long-lasting relationships and being a trustworthy person, start by practicing your assertiveness and having those tough conversations.
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This is a topic that my friend, and therapist @therapyuntangled is deeply passionate about. So, I asked her to give away free 30-min sessions (via Skype) to the first 10 people from the @hellofears community that reaches out to her (she is based in Miami and speaks 🇺🇸 and 🇪🇸)! ♥️🙌🏼 Follow her and DM her about this. It will be 100% confidential.
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From 1 to 5 how hard is it for you to be clear?
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#cleariskind #brenebrown #assertiveness #kindness #honesty #therapy #daretolead

Sending a message to our *future* selves ⤵️
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Last year, during our 6th Anniversary, we shot a 20-min video of ourselves talking straight to camera about a few things we wanted to express and forever capture.
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Yesterday, on our 7th Anniversary, we woke up and the first thing we did was to watch last year’s video 🤪
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The feeling was quite amazing! 🤯
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Some things we mentioned really surprised us and made us reflect on what we’ve done and accomplished this year 👊🏼♥️
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If you want to try this, as a couple during your Anniversary, with a friend or by yourself on your birthday, these are some things you can take into consideration:
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⚡️Describe where you are in that moment (physically, mentally and spiritually). You can even add details that matter to you, a few facts about yourself: your age, your weight, number of followers, salary, current obsession...
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⚡️Describe briefly what your year looked like. Highlight special things that happened in your life and in the world this year (good and bad) — that, will give context to your future self
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⚡️Now, share your deepest hopes, dreams and fears. Tell yourself the things you would like to accomplish in the next year and what are some of your concerns
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⚡️Wish yourself a happy Anniversary or birthday ♥️ Send much love and good vibes to end the video on a high, positive note!
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Try to keep your video at 25 min or less. Be as HONEST as possible. Be real and descriptive. Be vulnerable 🙏🏼 Only you will watch this video 👀
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Tag the person you want to do this with!
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Also, swipe to see our photo at that same beach 7 years later!

PSA: Stop scrolling 🙃👊🏼♥️
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Comment: 🙋🏻‍♀️ — if you’re #guilty (I am)
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@marloesdevee you are 🙌🏼

I celebrate the #dayofthegirl because I believe the future is female. That strong girls can change the world and that if we set the right example and empower the next generation we will get to see a better tomorrow. Keep reading 👇🏼
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S W I P E ➡️ That is the reason I do what I do. My nieces, my friends’ daughters and the girls I get to share my message with. They give me hope, joy and purpose ☺️🙏🏼
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My message to girls out there:
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👊🏼 Help each other grow, life is not a competition is a collaboration. There is space for each one of you.
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👊🏼 Stand up for those who need it now, don’t keep quiet for the sake of belonging to a group #noonedeservestobeforgotten
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👊🏼 Be part of a tribe, not a clique. A tribe that welcomes you as you are and encourages you to become the best version of yourself.
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👊🏼 Don’t look to be perfect, look to be real. No one can relate to perfect. You can only impact others when you’re real #Ownyourtruth
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👊🏼 Finally, before you try to make others happy ➡️ Make yourself happy. Seek to make yourself proud.
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Who would YOU like to become one day? Start now. TAG A GIRL you care about ⤵️ 🙌🏼⚡️#hellofears #bravegirlsdoitbest #weallgrow

Why is traveling ☁️✈️ SO important?
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Traveling is when we get the furthest away from our comfort zone because we face “the unknown” 😖🛫
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But it is only when we dare to experience a new culture, a new side of the world, a new language and a new way of thinking that we gain perspective on what we have and the way we do things.
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Perspective is what allows us to think outside of the box and reconsider what we thought was possible. It challenges our status quo and gives depth to our monotonous lives.
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So whatever fear is keeping you from traveling: is NOT worth it. Is it the fear of taking time off, the fear of flying, of spending your savings, or the fear of the unknown? Are these real fears that can significantly damage your life in the long run, or just excuses?
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If you could go ANYWHERE, where would you travel? Let me know 👇🏼☁️
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Excited to fly to South Korea in a few hours to speak at @branksome_hall_asia 🙌🏼! If you’ve been to 🇰🇷 , we need to talk! 🙏🏼♥️ #hellofears #comfortzone #roomforteanyc #outsideofthebox #travel

Yesterday I had the honor to speak to a group of 500 certified Emergency Nurses. And I thought: fearless! The things they see everyday 😱 I could not be able to handle it. They have to deal with loss, tragedy, blood and pain (emotional and physical) day after day 🚨
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What can I teach them? I thought 😳
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For some people it takes courage and intention to be at least 10% “selfish” and take care of themselves, for once. These people spend their lives caring for others, so much, that they forget to find the time for themselves. So THAT was my mission yesterday: to challenge them to do something for themselves and not feel guilty about it.
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Same goes for entrepreneurs and their work. So many hours working to make it, saving all of our money and investing it back into the business. But, what about us?
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When was the last time you got yourself a message at a spa? Or took a night off to do something by yourself that you LOVE to do? Or splurged at a restaurant that you’ve always wanted to go? Or bought tickets to see a show or a concert?
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It is OK to do these things once in a while. Spoil yourself, you deserve it. You worked for it. #noguilt
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When we take care of ourselves we feel happy, we bring our best selves to the world and then we will be able to help others, because happiness is contagious ♥️🙏🏼 #selfcarefirst #courageis #hellofears #mentalhealth #behappy

This happened 🤭
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In 1 word this is: SURREAL.
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It took me an entire day to share the news with you guys because I needed time to process 😂
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We’ve been working on this deal for months but seeing it out there shook me 😭♥️
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So if you liked the 100 Days Without Fear project.... I bet you’ll enjoy the TV show 😳✨
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Humbled to see how my message and my story will reach more people at a whole new level 🙏🏼
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I hope you are as excited as I am ☺️☺️☺️!!! This is still early stages... but... let me know in the comments who you think should play ME and who should play ADAM’s role 👇🏼😂 #100dayswithoutfear

Last chance to get your ticket for tonight’s event! ✨
Who’s coming?
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⏰ 7:00pm
📍 8000 Northwest 21st St (Doral)
🇻🇪 En Español
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Edades: 11+
💵 $30 adultos $20 estudiantes
💙 A beneficio de @discapacidad0
🙌🏼 Organizado por @engranart
🗣 Presentado por @elibravooficial
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Los veo pronto gente!!! Lleguen puntual 😬✨🙏🏼 #MenosMiedoMasAccion #hellofears #miami #doral

The Law of Attraction ( @lifeisgoodco )
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Have you heard about it? How often do you practice it?
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Me? Daily. And I’ve been wanting to talk about it for awhile!
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Ever since my BFF in college told me all about “The Secret” 🤫, I started implementing those kinds of thoughts into my world and what’s fascinating is that I became REALLY good at it, really fast. This is what optimism is all about! 😅
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It’s about envisioning your FUTURE as if it’s your PRESENT. The key is to actually believe it ✨. Because if deep down you don’t think achieving something is possible, your actions will not be aligned with your vision and it’ll never come to you that way. When you envision it, try to vividly imagine every aspect of it, get into the details on what you dream to accomplish. It’ll make it seem more real, more doable, and it will send the right energy into the universe while you continue to work towards it.
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Since today is Positive Thinking Day, @lifeisgoodco and I want to challenge you to practice the law of attraction with one thing you know deep inside is for you — it could even be a small thing, like a parking space in a full garage. That’s how I started 😆 #OnePositiveThought
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Congrats @r8nita for visualizing yourself winning the @lifeisgoodco sweatshirt, you did it!!! Please DM me your address :) ✨
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If you already practice the law of attraction, let me know in the comments what kind of things have you attracted and what does your process look like 🙌🏼🔥🖤#thisisoptimism #goodvibestribe #positivethinkingday #september13th #hellofears #positiveenergy #ad

A week ago I woke up to this message (swipe ➡️)
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That same day I went to watch @dearevanhansen — a remarkable play on Broadway, and it all clicked.
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I cried during the entire play. Not because I could relate to suicide as a teenager, but because I wasn’t there for those around me who did.
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I realized that I never, for one second, stopped to think about what other people in my class may had been going through. I was so satisfied with my life (comfort zone and all) that I assumed everybody was happy. They weren’t.
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I cried because it took me over 10 years to realize that. And I cried because I felt guilt and regret. I should’ve been there for those who needed to be found, to be heard, to be seen. But I was too immature to realize that then.
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Then, I thought about the message I received that morning, and how without me realizing it, I’m there now for other students who need me, who need to hear my message and know that we all struggle in one way or another. And that there is hope. And that it is in our own hands.
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So, I’m sorry if you were in my class and I was not there for you. I hope I can raise kids one day that will be there for others. And I promise to continue speaking at schools and being a light for those who feel in the dark. That is my commitment and my purpose.
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Beautiful image by @sera.takata for #suicidepreventionawareness campaign — nonprofit movement by @twloha and @goodtype #tomorrowneedsyou #youwillbefound #dearevanhansen

Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Years and today we celebrate just that. Happy 5779 y’all! I wish you an “umami” kind of year ⤵️
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In the Jewish tradition, to celebrate the new year we must eat something sweet, and what’s sweeter than honey? 🍯 So yeah, for two days we put honey on everything — apples, bread, cake, chicken, ok, maybe not chicken 🍗😳
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And yes, I do want sweetness in my life this year. But if we only had sweet, we would stop craving it after awhile, our palate would get tired and bored, we could get used to it and not value it as much as we should.
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You know when sweet tastes the best? Right after eating something salty, sour or spicy. It’s a matter of balance, like everything in life.
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So my wish this year to all of you, regardless if you celebrate this tradition or not, is to have enough salty moments so when the sweet ones come, you enjoy those to the max. I wish that your sour moments are not as sour, but enough to serve as a good reminder to be appreciative of we have. And that your spicy moments go by fast, and the burn only last for a little while.
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It wouldn’t be life without its ups and downs after all. So what if this year, we have an “umami” kind of year? Full of different flavors, but fulfilling and highly enjoyable after all 🙌🏼 Who’s up for the challenge?
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Shana Tova peeps! 🍜
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#roshhashana #umami #honey #shanatova #hellofears

Who else freaked out the first time they got their period??? Hello @Always_products 😂🙌🏼
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After reading your answers on my story (swipe ➡️) I can assume you all did!
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I just shared every detail of my own #periodstory at hellofears.com — 🙈 it was as uncomfortable to talk about it as it was to get it at 14 while traveling solo.
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The only reason I shared that story was to highlight the fact that 1 in 5 American girls are currently missing school because of a lack of period
products and that cannot keep happening 💔. So I joined forces with @always_brand to spark conversations around this issue and #EndPeriodPoverty ASAP!
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If you want to help (and I hope you do) purchase Always products at @dollargeneral stores. Every purchase made until September 8th will trigger a donation to girls in need. Always, aims to donate 15 million period products via Feeding America. So if you’re going to buy a box anyway, why not do it at Dollar General?
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Now, if you’re feeling courageous, share with us your #PeriodStory here👇🏽
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PS: I do not work / support many brands on my social media as you know. If I chose to partner is because I deeply believe in their mission 🙏🏼 Like my friend @garyware told me: Are you being part of the problem, or the solution?
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#ad #courageis #hellofears

The girl that changed our perspective of death, died. If you haven’t heard of Claire Wineland google her now. She will make you appreciate life, challenge you to get the most out of it and make you understand we are all going to die, some people just die sooner.
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Sad to see her leave, but happy because she existed and revolutionized the idea of life and death. Grateful for her ♥️ and the lessons she taught us.
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Are you proud of the life your living?
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#RIP @claire.wineland ☁️ #clairewineland

Partnering with @Always_brand is something I dreamed of ever since I saw their campaign ➡️ #LikeAGirl 🙋🏼‍♀️
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Finally, I got their attention! But this time to fight an even bigger issue #EndPeriodPoverty
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@Always_brand partnered with @DollarGeneral to donate period products to American girls who need it. Did you know that 1 in 5 girls miss school because of a lack of period products? 😱💔
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This cannot keep happening! And we can all help just by buying Always products at Dollar General stores from now until September 8th, so you better hurry! 🏃🏽‍♀️ Seriously, #RunLikeAGirl 👀 to make a difference 👊🏼 #ad
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Go to my stories for more info on this!