The unbeaten path

Because Guts&Glory Underwear means much more to me than your favourite sports underwear, I'd like to share with you more about themes that fit with G&G and that you and I can relate to. In this blog, I'll share with you about my experience in doing things differently, making different choices, walking the unbeaten path. In my previous blog I already mentioned that showing myself and my dreams out there is difficult for me. And I think many people feel the same way. Sometimes it feels like we are programmed in our society to live a low risk life, to choose comfortable and familiar instead of adventures and the unknown.

Two years ago, I finished my studies in Psychomotor Therapy and Sports & Exercise Education. At that time I knew that I was going to launch Guts&Glory Underwear, but also that G&G couldn't provide me with an income immediately. I struggled with thoughts about how I would want to live my working life. A question that really came from my heart is: how do I want to live? In any case, I was sure that I don't want to live to work. I want to spend time in nature a lot, live conscious and relaxed and spend time with my animals and loved ones. I want to feel free. I do feel free when I work very hard, but I want to work on my own terms, in a way that suits the way I want to live.

This feeling was so deep within me that, after struggling for a while, I decided to deviate from (in my experience) the beaten path. On January 1st 2022, I started my career as an independent psychomotor therapist in mental healthcare as a 23-year-old. A few months later I launched G&G. I decided to become comfortable with the uncomfortable and uncertain feelings that experience in entrepreneurship. Because I feel this way of working fits my way of life. And feeling that I'm living the life I WANT to live is so important to me. And you know what? Since I made this choice, I experience less stress from fear of failure than I did during my childhood and college days. I think that's because I feel the possibility to choose what suits me and that I've surrounded myself (work and private) with people who let me walk my own unbeaten path freely.

Feeling insecure some days is also part of my unbeaten path, especially when I'm tired. "Am I capable enough to do this?", but I know I can do it. I'll give in to my insecurity sometimes by taking a step back, tomorrow is another day. But sometimes, I have to give myself a kick in the butt, do whatever I can to improve, create a good atmosphere and energy around me and get to work on the things that I'm scared of. And ofcourse, that unbeaten path does requires discipline. Dare to trust the fire you feel inside, and be comfortable with the uncomfortable.

I hope there's somebody reading this, and feels this blog is an encouragement and call to action to start living your dream. To choose differently if you feel like that and that you can let go any expectations that you, society or people around you might have. If you feel this, you might also feel that you need guts to live your dream life. Go for it!