I've been thinking about this quote a lot.

Everything feels risky lately. And maybe that’s the point.

For the last few days, I’ve been trying to shrug off this weight of anxiety on my shoulders.

That’s a good way to describe it. Like a weight. A cloud hovering over my head that makes everything in life feel a little bit darker.

Life feels hard. I feel scared.

Not because I’m unsafe. I actually feel very supported by my husband, family, and friends.

But I just feel so buzzingly busy all the time. Like my head is packed full of half-finished thoughts and invisible to-do lists.

And yet, despite all that motion, I still feel... behind.

Like I’m missing something.
Like I’m working hard every day but somehow not moving the needle.
Like I have so many ideas, but no clue which one is worth going all in on.

Spiral — What if I’m wasting time?

That’s what really haunts me.

Not the effort. Not the “hard.”

But the idea that I might be working on the wrong thing.

That I’ll pour months (or years) into something that never pays off.

Like maybe I’m wasting time trying to grow someone else’s brand.
Or wasting time jumping between platforms with my own content.
Or wasting time dreaming about a food forest greenhouse that might take decades to build.

It’s all risky.

Continuing to work for my client feels risky. What if I’m not doing a good enough job and he lets me go?

Writing for myself feels risky. What if I’m too inconsistent, too broad, too unknown to be successful?

Thinking about writing a book feels risky. What if I’m just adding more weight to a plate that’s already cracking?

And then there’s the greenhouse dream — building a literal tropical food forest in Canada. That one feels downright unhinged sometimes.

What if we can’t afford it? What if we burn out trying?
What if we get so busy grinding for it that we miss out on life?

Then I hear Jim Rohn’s voice.

“It’s all risky.”

Watch this 30-second video, then keep reading.

There is no path in life that’s risk-free.

Even if we burned it all down — sold everything, left the apartment, and moved to some off-grid expat community in Costa Rica — there would be risk in that too.

Maybe we should ask a different question

Instead of stressing about the safest path, what if we asked…

“What’s the risk I’m willing to live with? What feels like it’s worth trying for?”

Life is gonna feel hard sometimes—no matter how successful, rich, or loved you are.

I don’t need to tell you that fame and money don’t solve people’s happiness problems. Look at any celebrity.

The life you want is risky.

But so is giving up on it.

So is watching other people live out the dream you never fully chased.

Here’s what I want you to know:

We’re gonna keep going, knowing that we’re not always going to feel happy and confident.

We’re gonna have those down days. But that doesn’t mean we’re failing at this.

So, if you’re in a season of self-doubt right now…I feel you.

If your mind is all over the place, trying to figure out where to run…me too.

But maybe you don’t need clarity right now.

Maybe the answer is to just keep stepping. Keep moving.

And trust that the dust in your mind will settle with time and action.

It’s all risky. Let’s do it, anyway.

Kelsey “Risk-taker” Willkie

If this landed with you, send it to another inspired idiot who needs the reminder. Or reply and tell me what quote you’ve been clinging to lately.

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Personal update

We gained about 50 new subscribers this week on my husband’s YouTube channel and this Substack! Yay!

How? By sharing our content to greenhouse and food forest Facebook groups.

Turns out, there are a lot of people who want to see content about…

• building a greenhouse

• growing your own food

• living a healthier, holistic lifestyle.

If you’re new here, my husband and I are working toward building a tropical greenhouse business in the middle of cold-ass Canada—an oasis where we can enjoy summer vibes, even in -40C weather.

If you want to follow our journey and learn how you could do it too, check out Alex’s YouTube channel or subscribe to this Substack below 👇🏻

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Special offer for Founding Members (till Aug 31)

Anyone who upgrades to an annual membership will get:

• free 1:1 strategy / coaching session with me on your inspired idiots goal

• behind-the-scenes content of building the greenhouse

• early access to interviews and networking events

• Plus: “Founding Member” status that unlocks future exclusive invites

If that feels like $100 worth of value, welcome home!