The Permission Slip You've Been Waiting For
How to stop outsourcing your own agency
This Week’s Courage Newsletter
"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." - Joseph Campbell
Why the approval you're seeking needs to come from within
Scare Your Soul Challenge: The Self-Permission Challenge
Bottom line: You already have everything you need to give yourself permission to begin
Dear Courageous Souls (and Permission Seekers),
Remember permission slips from elementary school?
Those little notes your parents signed so you could go on field trips, skip gym class, or stay late for the school play?
Simple pieces of paper that magically transformed "you can't" into "you can."
Here's what I've been wondering lately:
How many of us are still waiting for permission slips?
Not the literal kind. I'm talking about the invisible ones.
The permission to start that creative project.
The permission to change careers.
The permission to speak up in meetings.
The permission to set boundaries.
The permission to want something different.
The permission to try something you might fail at.
Last week, I received an email from a woman named Sarah (name changed).
She wrote:
"I've been thinking about starting a podcast for three years. I have the topic, I know my audience, I've researched the equipment. But I keep waiting for... something. A sign that I'm ready? That it's the right time? That someone thinks it's a good idea?"
Sarah had everything she needed except the one thing she thought she was missing: permission.
But here's the thing about permission slips for adults – nobody else can write them.
I know this because I've spent years waiting for mine.
Waiting for someone to tell me I was ready to speak on bigger stages. Waiting for validation that my ideas were worth sharing.
Waiting for proof that I belonged in rooms I desperately wanted to enter.
The hardest truth?
Sometimes the person whose permission we're seeking most is ourselves.
Think about something you've been putting off, waiting for the "right" conditions or the "right" person to give you the green light.
What would happen if you just... started?
What would happen if you wrote your own permission slip?
This Week's Scare Your Soul Challenge: The Self-Permission Challenge
This week's challenge is both simple and profound: Give yourself permission for something you've been waiting to hear from someone else.
Step 1: Identify Your "Waiting Room" What's one thing you've been wanting to do but keep postponing because you're waiting for permission, validation, or the "perfect" moment?
Step 2: Write Your Own Permission Slip Literally. Get a piece of paper (or open a document) and write:
"I, [your name], give myself permission to [your thing] because [your reason]. I don't need anyone else's approval to begin. Signed, The CEO of My Own Life."
Step 3: Take the First Small Step Within 24 hours of writing your permission slip, take ONE concrete action toward your goal. Not a big, overwhelming leap – just the first small step.
Examples:
If you want to start a podcast, record a 2-minute test episode
If you want to write, commit to writing for 15 minutes
If you want to start a business, research one practical next step
If you want to have a difficult conversation, schedule it
Step 4: Notice What Happens Pay attention to how it feels to give yourself permission. Notice any resistance, relief, excitement, or fear that comes up.
Remember: You don't need anyone's permission to want what you want. You don't need anyone's permission to try. You don't need anyone's permission to begin.
The only signature required is your own.
With courage, curiosity, and a freshly signed permission slip,
P.S. What permission slip have you been waiting for someone else to write? Email me at scott@scareyoursoul.com. I'd love to hear what you're ready to give yourself permission to begin!
Discover Your Courage Style
Before you write that permission slip, want to know what type of courage challenges call to you most?
Take our FREE Courage Quiz to discover whether you're wired for curiosity, adventure, energy, or work-focused courage challenges.
Take the Courage Quiz here - it takes just 3 minutes and you'll get personalized courage challenges sent right to your inbox.
Understanding your courage style can help you give yourself permission for the right kinds of risks and adventures.