“I feel like bird in an open cage. Bird, who could just fly away cause she knows that she can. But she won’t, because she’s afraid. She is too uncertain to trust her wings.”
This is how I described my feelings to my husband when we talked about my plans for the future the other day. I was more excited than ever but also terrified. Fear and uncertainty had made me distressed and quiet. They had paralyzed me and filled me with “ifs” and “buts”.
Couple of weeks ago me and my husband were happy to meet Tiina Vainio, the founder of Sauna Yoga International Ltd and her partner Pekka Nikumatti, who I had already met once during my Sauna Yoga instructor training. I had prepared to interview Tiina about wellbeing. After all, I had heard many describing Tiina as “a Finnish wellbeing guru”.
We ended up having a great conversation about life, relationships, courage, emotions and growth so I decided to ask only one question from my list. “How do you handle negative emotions, like fear and uncertainty?” I thought that a woman who is building an innovative and international business must have needed to face some of these emotions before.
“You know, I don´t see them as negative emotions. I see that they are emotions just like all the other emotions. They are a natural part of life. I like to think that everything will pass. Including difficult emotions. That thought has helped me a lot. ”
Then Tiina showed me this text and said that it has comforted her many times.
Tiina´s answer made me to realize that acceptance was what I needed. I needed to grow to accept that fear and uncertainty are -and will be- a part of my work and life. I don´t need to try to get rid of them. Instead, I need to learn to live with them.
Acceptance releases energy and joy. It helps you to trust yourself. And it gives you the courage to move on.
That´s what I thought while talking with Tiina and Pekka. That´s what I saw in them. If my mom is my biggest role model, and Moominmamma the second, Tiina Vainio is probably the third. After talking with her I realized how she had been able to build up a successful business in a relaxed way and with all that positive energy.
She had clearly accepted that fear and uncertainty are part of life and learned to live with them. Through that acceptancy she had been able to release lots of positive energy and lost her fear of failure. She had found who she really is and what she loves to do. And all this goodness had channelled into her Sauna Yoga business.
I also realized that in the future I want to follow that same path. I want to grow so I can accept my fears and uncertainty. Because only in that way I will be able to trust myself and have courage to follow my heart and intuition, also with SaimaaLife.
I also need something else. A network of inspiring people around me. Positive and supportive people like Tiina and Pekka. People who can help when my fears try to paralyze me.
After our meeting I looked at the English Sauna Yoga manual. In six months I will be giving Sauna Yoga lessons in English. And do many other new things that I haven´t told you about yet.
When I thought about all that, I felt how fear started to paralyze me again. I took a deep breath and I said to myself. “It´s ok to be afraid. Everyone feels uncertain. Have courage to learn and the fear will pass.”
When I opened my eyes I felt excitement. Yes, the fear was still there but in the background now. I was able to just be happy that my next six months will be full of new exciting things!
I was one step closer of spreading my wings.
