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My first kiss had to have been one of the most awkward moments in history.

I always say I ‘peaked’ in 5th grade. Cause that’s when I was part of the coolest cool-people crowd.

And with that, came the perk of dating the prettiest girls in the school.

My girlfriend (KK was her nickname) was at the top of the 5th-grade social ladder no doubt. And because we had most of our classes together, she got to witness all of my boyish charm. Needless to say, after passing a few love notes in class she became my girlfriend. The gates of heaven shined down on me. 🙌

Now mind you, 5th-grade dating wasn’t much of anything outside of spending more time together at school and maybe talking on the wall-mounted family phone on an occasional evening.

Once a month on Friday nights, our local YMCA held something called Pre-Teen Night.

That's where all the action was. You can’t miss it. Especially when you’re dating the coolest girl in school.

We’d been bf/gf for maybe a couple of weeks and the next pre-teen night was right around the corner. Chatter began among our classmates on whether I’d finally make ‘the move’ and go in for the kiss. Word got back around to me that if I made the move, she’d gladly accept. 😏

God, I was nervous.

When would be the right time?

What do I say beforehand?

How do I actually do it?

For how long?

What do I do with my hands?

I’m laughing out loud writing this cause all those nerves just re-awoke from 20+ years ago.

Haha Megan, my wife, is gonna love this…

Things were beginning to wind down at the YMCA that Friday night so it was now or never.

The gymnasium had a big lofted indoor running track that had railing all around looking down over the rest of the gym floor. KK and I were up there and we both knew what was gonna happen next…

We sat down on a bench in the corner of the track.

I was nearly shaking.

A minute of small talk goes by.

I was so nervous, I couldn’t even look at her!.. What was happening?!

She hesitantly looks over to me and says, “um... Can I kiss you?”

And what did your boy Evan do??

With her on my right, I leaned forward on the bench, looking straight ahead, no eye contact whatsoever…

I took a deep breath, calmly nodded my head, and uttered these words like it was a Tom Cruise scene…

“Go for it.”

If she had been taking a drink, she’d of spit it out. Instead, she chuckled in a confused, annoyed tone, gave me a peck on the cheek, and ran off.

What an idiot.

“Go For It!?” Really Evan??! 😩

I collapsed inside.

Needless to say, we didn’t last much longer after that and neither did my cool guy status. Remember I said I peaked in 5th grade? That’s partly why I’d imagine…

Spoiler Alert, in 8th grade, we had another exchange playing truth or dare at a friend's house…

You wouldn’t be proud of me for that one either.

It was equally embarrassing and in front of a lot more people.

Let me know if you want me to tell that story sometime in the future.

As sad and embarrassing as the story of my first kiss is…

*(*I know, I know. It wasn’t really a first kiss… 🤥)

If you want something you gotta go for it.

Some choose to pursue their dreams regardless of how difficult the path gets,

while some don’t even try.

Here are two encouragements to keep in mind when you’re hesitating to try something new.

Give Yourself a Break

As a solopreneur, you are ‘going for it’ with no guarantees that any of it will work out.

In fact, total failure is statistically more likely… We’re all underdogs out here.

It’s important to remember that it takes time to build a successful business. You should focus on the progress you’ve made and the skills you’ve developed, rather than on the things that haven’t worked. It’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to take risks.

Allowing yourself the time to make mistakes and learn from them without beating yourself up is essential for success. It’s not just about trying new things and taking risks, it’s also about having the patience to give yourself time to adjust and grow.

If you’re nervous, doubtful, hesitant, insecure, or unsure…

So is everyone else! We’re all wrestling with these things too.

So give yourself a break.

Also, keep in mind that…

Nothing Beats Experience

Repeating the process of taking risks, trying new things, and pushing your limits will help you expand your comfort zone and open up more opportunities for yourself. You'll build confidence as you get more experience in taking risks, and you'll also form a habit of taking risks.

Oftentimes, the risks we take as solopreneurs can be difficult and intimidating, but it's important to take the time to think about what you’ll gain along the way. Things usually aren't as scary as they may seem at first, so it's important to go out and find out for yourself!

I would not be where I’m at today if I didn’t force myself down the path of freelancing and learning each new skill as it became required to do the job.

It's always a good idea to take the time to reflect on experiences and learn from them. After my first kiss, I realized what’s at stake when you’re not willing to take risks.

I still kick myself for being such a coward… Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!

‘Going for it’ can be intimidating, but it's always worth it in the long run.

It's a great way to grow and experience new things, and it's also a great way to build self-confidence and resilience.

Don’t you wanna see what could truly happen for you!?

Don’t you want to prove to all the nay-sayers that you can make it happen!?

Don’t you wanna stop dreaming it and start living it!?

And if not for you… then for your mate, your kids, your parents, your legacy.

You’re closer than you were yesterday and you’re better because of it already.

Keep going for it. 😚

Until Next Time ✌️🙂
- Ev