"When we spend our lives waiting until we're perfect or bulletproof before we walk into the arena,

we ultimately sacrifice relationships and opportunities that may not be recoverable,

we squander our precious time,

and we turn our backs on our gifts, those unique contributions that only we can make."

~ Brene Brown, Daring Greatly

My new life lesson for the day is that a person can learn all about swimming in the shallow end, but you never REALLY get it until touching bottom is not an option. ~ Me. Jodi Shaw.  January 10, 2016

 

The lights of approval are never all going to be green, neither are the green lights of all the right circumstances, nor the green lights of perfect preparation.  There are indeed seasons of growing and waiting and preparing, and then there comes a time to look at the current edge lying before you examine the reasons you hesitate or refuse to cross.  What if one day you decided to take a step, even though you were scared, even though you might fall, or wobble a bit?  What if you never did take that step?  Which outcome do you fear the most?  Which outcome do you most hope for in your life?  These are questions worth asking.  Worth turning a few pages into your journal or sketchbook and answering, even if your handwriting and your answers are messy. After you watch this first video, I challenge you to jot some thoughts down in your journal or on a piece of paper you can tape into your journal.

 

Friends, all of our first steps are different.  Sometimes it takes courage to simplify your life instead of stepping into something big.  Some of our steps are a "no" rather than a "yes".  Sometimes your steps are into more silence or solitude and sometimes they are to take a bold step with your voice out into the great, wide open, public arena.  It takes courage to recognize you need rest and it also takes guts to step into action. Your steps will be unique. Only you know what stirs in your core.  No pressure for your steps to look like anyone elses in this group.

 

Today, I have a little message for you from the ranch and a mixed media collage project to help you encourage yourself to take first steps.  We will focus on pressing on, as we progress through class.