*originally written April 1, 2019

Can you know where you’re going without reflecting on where you’ve been? Reflecting doesn’t mean set up a tent and live there, but recognizing how certain events have led you to where you are today. And it’s equally as important to realize that where you are today is a stepping stone into your future. Small, everyday decisions determine your trajectory. One foot in front of the other, a journey of 1000 miles, eating the elephant, and all that. There are also times when we take a giant leap. It can certainly be scary, and more often than not, very scary. But worth it. Always.

“What if I fall?”

Get up, dust yourself off, and learn the lesson. The only way you get from point A to point B unscathed is to never take a chance. Imagine a life with no bumps or bruises. Without the pain, could we ever appreciate the pleasure? How could winning be sweet without ever tasting the bitterness of losing? It would just be something else we take for granted.

My favorite (and often photographed) coffee mug says, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone,” and it’s true. I suppose a baby bird could sit safely in the nest, but that’s not what the bird was created to do. Birds were created to fly. One day that little birdie had to stand on the edge of the nest, the precipice of all it has ever known, stretch its wings beyond any point they’ve stretched before, and step out on faith. How many soar the first try? I don’t know, but I’ve seen many a baby bird hopping around on the ground below the nest while its parents cheer him on and protect him from danger. They don’t do this so he can now live on the ground forever. They’re encouraging him to continue to push to be what he was created to be.

Ask yourself this: When was the last time you stretched beyond your norm? When was the last time you climbed out of your rut? Anxiety, sweaty palms, risk, and possible failure live out there, right? But you know what else lives out there? Possibility. Hope. Adventure. Your future. So, take small steps if you must, or maybe work up the courage to just take a giant leap, but do SOMETHING.

Now…where are you going? Hmmm…well, what are you passionate about? If you take some time to daydream, what comes to mind? If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be? You don’t have to tell me or anyone else. Your dreams are yours. But once you begin taking steps toward those dreams, one foot in front of the other, it becomes easier and easier. Before you know it, you might find yourself ready to JUMP.