I've been sitting on ideas for a while now — workshops I want to run, podcast guests I want to invite on, one-to-one business conversations I'd love to offer. They're things that genuinely excite me, but every time I think about actually making them happen, I hesitate.

It's taken me some time to recognise what's really been holding me back: fear.

So, in this episode, I'm sharing what I'm learning about moving forward anyway — without needing all the answers first, and without letting fear make the decision for me.

If you've been holding back on something you really want to do, I hope this episode feels like a gentle permission slip to begin.

Welcome to Seasons in Business, a podcast for creative business owners who want to build something thoughtful and sustainable, at a pace that actually feels good. I'm your host, designer and printmaker Sarah Phelps, and if, like me, you're craving a slower, more spacious way to grow, with a little gentle encouragement along the way, you're in the right place. So turn off your notifications, grab a cup of tea or coffee, and get cosy.
Hi, and welcome back to Seasons in Business. I wanted to record something a little bit more vulnerable this week, something I'm working through rather than a fully resolved thought, a bit more of a work in progress.
And I'm wondering if you've ever found yourself holding back on something you really want to do in your business because you started overthinking how it might look, how it might feel, or whether it will actually be worth it. I'm talking about those ideas that light you up, but then immediately make you hesitate. Because I've been feeling that a lot lately, and it's taken me a while to figure out what's been going on.
I have a few ideas that have been on my mind for a while now. Things I've talked about, started, stepped away from, and just never quite fully brought to life. It's not about workload because I'm used to being busy. At the moment I'm juggling client work, which is always the priority, alongside my own day to day work. So there's nothing unusual there. And it's not procrastination either, because these are things I actually really want to do, ideas I'm genuinely excited about. But I'm just not really moving on them.
In thinking about this episode, I realised I'm running into the same resistance each time. And that resistance is fear.
I think it'll probably make sense if I share a few examples of what's been happening.
Now, if you know me and we've had a conversation at any point in the last couple of years, I've probably mentioned that I'd love to run print workshops. For years space was my barrier to getting started, because I work from home and our old house just didn't have enough room. But since we've moved, we actually have a lot more space, and I've realised the barrier now is fear. Or maybe it always was, and the space was just a convenient excuse. Either way, every time I think about how I could make workshops happen, I find myself coming back to the same questions: Will I be a good teacher? Will people enjoy the sessions? And actually, will I enjoy them? And the process stops right there because I can't answer those questions.
Then there are guest episodes for the podcast. They've been part of the plan from the very beginning, but I wanted to focus on solo episodes first so I could get comfortable with the process and find my voice. But if I'm really honest with myself, I didn't expect to take quite this long to start inviting guests. I think again, fear has played a part here because I want to have cosy, engaging chats with lovely, creative people, and it feels like a natural next step. But the moment I actually think about making it happen, the worries creep in. Will people want to be involved? Will I be able to ask the right questions? Will I be a good host?
And there's also something I haven't really spoken about yet at all to anyone, so I'll say it quietly. I've been thinking about creating space for one to one conversations with business owners — around seasonal planning and slow business — for people who feel a bit stuck, overwhelmed, or like something in their business needs to shift. But again, as soon as I start to think about how this could look and how it could work, fear really blocks the path. I have years of experience, but I still find myself asking: How could I really help people? Or why would somebody come to me?
I know exactly what I need to do — stop delaying and doubting, and get on with it. But at the same time, I realise that wanting to do something doesn't mean it has to happen right now. There are only so many hours in the day, and trying to push everything forward at once would probably just tip me from fear into overwhelm, and leave me not really moving on anything at all.
So instead, I'm trying to be a bit more intentional about it. I'm making space to work on these things without the pressure of needing to know the how, what, why, and when. Because who needs pressure when something already feels scary?
With workshops, I've realised I don't need to have everything figured out right now. It might look like running a few pilot sessions later in the year, seeing what works and getting some feedback. If it feels good, I can maybe have something more established ready for January, and even workshop gift vouchers available for Christmas.
For the podcast, I have my first few guests ready and willing to chat, so I just need to do some trial runs to make sure my tech is working and set some dates for recording. I'm telling myself that once I've recorded the first conversation, I'll probably wonder why I was so worried and wish I'd done it sooner.
And as far as the one to one business chats, that's still floating around in the air at the moment. I might try offering some taster sessions to see how it feels and go from there. Because sometimes we have to just try things out to see how they feel before we get caught up in the details.
I'm realising that feeling fear isn't always a signal to stop, sometimes it's just part of doing something that matters. And I know from experience that you can work with that feeling, channel it, and even turn it into energy or momentum rather than letting it hold you back.
It really does come down to one simple thing: feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
And that's exactly what I'm trying to embrace right now. So wish me luck!
I'd love to hear how you work through fear when it shows up, especially when you know you want to do something, but fear or hesitation gets in the way.
Let me know your thoughts. Come and say hello over on Instagram or Threads @sarahandmaude, or drop me an email at podcast@sarahandmaude.com. I’d love to hear from you!
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Thanks so much for listening, and I'll see you next time.

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