My husband's motto in life is, "If you don't take chances, you can't make advances". You see he's a risk-taker, he's the kind of guy that REALLY puts himself out there and isn't afraid to make mistakes. I love that about him, in fact I wish to be more like him in that regard. We're wired a bit differently. I'm the Type-A who likes to plan trips by making lists and crossing off each item as it goes into the suitcase, organize CD's alphabetically and lining all my ducks perfectly in a row while he's all about figuring it out along the way, he'll cross any bridges while he comes to them . In terms of work opportunities I like to over-analyze and plan for a whole slew of possible outcomes, obstacles and scenarios. This analytical mind of mine can be a wonderful thing sometimes but many times it is the very thing that holds me back too.
Lately, I've noticed in several areas of my life, whether it be re-decorating my office or preparing for a meeting that I spend way too much time trying to plan to have things run perfectly smooth and avoid mistakes that often times I never get the project off the ground and when I do it isn't always in the most timely manner. In life we cannot plan for everything, and dare I say that is the very JOY of life-not knowing how everything will turn out in the end!
Last week I got a call about an opportunity that was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking all at the same time. Thinking of the possibilities made me giddy knowing that it could be potentially life-changing but taking a big step into an unknown world made me feel fearful and I caught myself trying to find a way out of it quickly as to avoid any possible failures or unpleasant outcomes. I kept thinking, "what if I'm not what they thought they were getting", "what if I don't perform in the way they had hoped for" and then I came to my senses and reminded myself that I didn't go looking for this opportunity, it came knocking on my door. All we can ever do is our best by preparing in advance and being ourselves once we're there and forget about the rest. When we live that way we can never lose in life. Two summers ago, I wrote this post, clearly I was a little more fearless at the time!
As much as I sometimes fight with my mind over taking such chances, it is when I embrace them wholeheartedly and put myself out there and try something new that I'm most proud of myself. Even if it doesn't go exactly as planned, taking a big leap in life is half the battle. These are the past successes that tend to stand out in my mind when reviewing the previous year in preparation for the next. I truly believe that the greatest rewards in life come from taking the biggest risks.
This year, although it's not going to be easy for me, my focus is to live outside of my comfort zone. I don't want another year to go by and wonder what more I could have accomplished or at least attempted had I not let fear get the best of me. It's really about mind over matter.
How about YOU? Are you with me? Any other Type-A ladies crazy enough to make such a declaration for 2012? One thing is for sure, our lives will never be the same! :)
*images: (1), (2), (3)
