Growth often means stepping into what once scared us. The things we resist can become the very paths we’re meant to take. We asked some of the best and brightest in the community: what are you being called to do now that you once feared? Their answers reveal the courage it takes to move past fear and into purpose.
Benjamin Howard
What I’m being called toward now is intentionality. I’ve always been prolific and productive, but I haven’t always steered that output toward a sustained, directional body of work. Now, I’m more confident and organizationally aware in how I build a cohesive practice. Read more>>
Jamielynn De Leon
For a long time, my mission has been to impact the beauty industry in a meaningful, systemic way—not just behind the chair, but through education, leadership, and innovation. I’ve realized that to truly create that level of change, I can’t stay small or quiet. I need to build a massive audience and allow my brand to be seen globally. Read more>>
Mariah Aurora
When I was working as a makeup artist in Hollywood, I kept finding that my clients really appreciated my calm and grounded energy. I discovered that they were in need of guidance and a safe space to heal their energy and emotions. I felt strongly that the next step for me was to help women heal, but feared I wasn’t ‘enough’ to guide others. Read more>>
Makena Schmidt
I’m ready to enter a new stage of my life, one where I grow and trust more than I ever have before. When I first landed my full-time job at a media production company in North Carolina, it wasn’t something I had planned or expected. Read more>>
SHAYNE
Being laid off right before the holidays forced a moment of stillness I didn’t ask for but probably needed. Overnight, the structure and security of a corporate role disappeared, and with it, the illusion that stability always comes from a title or a company. Read more>>
Brianna Barrett
My calling is writing and ministering to those with chronic illnesses. When I was in high school, one English teacher told me I’d never be a writer. For decades, I never wrote anything other than in a journal. After her comment, I always second-guessed letters, emails or any correspondence that I wrote. Read more>>
Nelli Kamaeva
I’m being called—more like nudged repeatedly, the way a very insistent idea taps you on the shoulder until you finally stop pretending you don’t notice—to make the zines I’ve been avoiding for years. Not because they’re terrifying in a mythic sense, but because they demand the kind of personal honesty that product design rarely asks for. For a long time I let ideas pile up. Read more>>
Trenton Abernathy
Over the last year I’ve been called to be more vulnerable with my art. In it’s essence, and also by letting go and releasing it out into the world for others to perceive. I’ve begun to perform in front of live audiences, collaborate, and invest in myself and my brand by taking more actionable steps to make my dreams come true. Read more>>
Ellen Monen
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work on a lot of what I’d consider “dream” projects. I’ve designed one of the most comprehensive brands I’ve ever seen for a restaurant, which wound up gaining a cult following – Milk & Honey, and of course my favorite little cowbee. Read more>>
Oliver Caspersen
I have long carried a quiet aspiration to lead in the realm of technology, a pursuit that once seemed distant and unknowable. For years I considered it, drawn to its potential yet uncertain how to begin. Read more>>
Danny Machado
What I’m being called to do now is step in front of the camera in a way I’ve always been hesitant about. For years, I was more comfortable behind the lens. Writing, producing, and creating. But in this new season with my YouTube channel, I feel God pushing me out of that comfort zone. Read more>>
