Desire & Doubt
- Dr. C
- Nov 12
- 2 min read
By Dr. C | RiseSurviveThrive™
There's a strange quiet that comes when what we've wanted begins to take shape. The interview goes well. The door opens. The call comes through. And suddenly, right alongside the excitement, something tightens.
The same opportunity that once felt like finally now feels like maybe not.
It's not that we don't want it. We do. But the moment we start moving closer, desire entangles with doubt.
Why Doubt Shows Up When We're Ready to Rise
When possibility (or disruption) brings us to the edge of change, several quiet forces arise:
The Fear of Loss (your emotional truth)
Even before we decide, we start to grieve. The comfort of the known. The identity we built. The imagined "better" future that might not unfold the way we planned.
Ask: What am I letting go of?
The Body's Question (your somatic truth)
Your body is asking, "Are we safe enough for this next level?" When the external world feels unstable, our inner world looks for footing.
Ask: What part of me needs safety before it can take the next step?
The Identity Stretch (your existential truth)
A new beginning, whether chosen or forced, asks something of who we are. And the self that succeeded in one season may not yet know how to belong in the next.
Ask: Who am I willing to become?
The Ontological Reframe
Instead of asking, "What should I do?"Try asking, "Who am I being at this threshold?"
Are you being fearful or faithful? Rigid or receptive? Exhausted or open to renewal?
When we root in being, not just doing, our actions start to align with a deeper truth. We stop forcing control and start allowing clarity.
Practice the Pause
Before you rush to decide, try this:
Name the Threshold: What transition or uncertainty are you standing in right now? Name it clearly.
Notice the Body: Where does expansion meet resistance? Breathe there.
Ask the Fear What It's ProtectingIt may not be the job itself—it may be belonging, identity, or the safety of the familiar.
Choose a Way of Being: Grounded. Curious. Faithful. Free. Let that way of being shape your next move.
Becoming the One Who Can Say Yes
Every rise begins at a threshold. Sometimes that threshold looks like a promotion. Other times, it looks like a pause, or even a return.
Whether you're stepping forward, sideways, or circling back, remember: You're not lost. You're realigning. You're standing in the sacred pause before the next version of you begins.
Fuel for the Rise.
Because every expansion—especially in uncertain times—deserves a moment of grace.
— Dr. C
Ontological Coach | Founder, RiseSurviveThrive™ Coaching for women choosing harmony over hustle.
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