This is an exciting time for my family! My son is starting to learn how to walk and as I watch him take one step, then two steps, then stumble and fall and then get back up, I am reminded that this is how life is for just about all of us when we feel ourselves moving to the next level, if we are willing to admit it. In pursuit of purpose, we start on one level and then as we feel the pull to transition to the next level, we take one step forward, fall, then take another step and stumble, take two steps and then fall again. At some point, we get tired and resort to what’s SAFE …crawling again (going back to what’s comfortable or easy for us).
That is exactly what my son is doing. He takes a few steps, falls down, gets back up out of excitement and falls immediately back down due to his inability to maintain his balance (I will deal with the issue of balance on another day). After falling a few times, he gives up on trying to walk and then goes back to crawling again. I know some of you reading this know exactly what I am talking about because you have children and have seen this happen with them. However there are those of you who know exactly what I am talking about because you are the one who is being pulled to a new level and/or in a new direction and you aren’t quite sure how to get there. But as you take those small steps you find it getting easier to move toward that place that you know purpose resides. Now some of you, who immediately after falling, resort back to what’s easy and comfortable, daring to never take another step out of fear of falling again. It is easier for you to rest in what you already know rather than the unknown of what is up ahead waiting for you. Let me say this to you… PLEASE DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED and PLEASE DO NOT STOP WHERE YOU ARE!
Just as my son may take one step here then five steps there, falls in between, then gets back up when he thinks he is ready to take a few more steps, you too should not worry about falling but about getting back up and getting yourself moving forward toward your life of purpose and significance. What you are not realizing is that falling gives you small doses of confidence, so that when you take that next step, you have the assurance of knowing that if you took the previous one, you can take another. It may seem scary and it may seem impossible, but trust that as you take more steps, like my son, you will get the hang of ‘walking.’
To help you find comfort in falling, here are a few things that I learned while watching my son:
- When you fall don’t get upset, it’s part of the process. In fact instead of getting discouraged, give yourself credit for taking that first step. He gets so excited when he realizes he has taken a few steps on his own. That excitement propels him to want to take more steps.
- Surround yourself with people who will be just as excited about your small accomplishments as your large ones. It is extremely important to have supportive people around you when in the infancy stages of life transitions. One of the reasons, my son loses his balance is because we get so excited that he has taken steps that our screams and claps get him all worked up as well. Sometimes not even knowing how big of deal his one, two or five steps were, he looks back at us wondering what all of the excitement is about.
- Even if you only take one step, know that it is getting you one step closer to that place you desire to be. REMEMBER… it all starts with that first step. You can’t get ahead if you don’t get started.
- Take on the innocence and naiveté of an infant. My son takes his steps not based on the fear of falling but with the confidence that he can do it. Take the risk anyway. You will never know unless you try. Sometimes you have stop thinking so much and like Nike says, ‘Just Do It.’ Thinking too much will cause you to develop what is called ‘analysis paralysis,’ where you think about something so much that you think yourself out taking any action.
- Get back up. Don’t stay down there for long. Although that is where you may feel most comfortable, know that ‘crawling’ is not your ultimate destination. You were meant to not only walk but to run. So keep moving.
Don’t let fear of falling keep you from the pursuit of living life in and on purpose. Get out there, get up after each fall and take at least one step today! Don’t wait until tomorrow start NOW!
Here’s to YOU living life in and on purpose… Remember to thine own self be TRUE, for out of the abundance of the HEART, the mouth SPEAKS!
Until next time…
Detra M. Trueheart, Your Personal Life Empowerment Coach
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Detra M. Trueheart is a motivational/inspirational speaker and life empowerment coach. Her company, TrueheartSpeaks Enterprises, is dedicated to helping you live life IN purpose ON purpose. Learn how Detra can help you live with more purpose, passion and peace, visithttp://www.trueheartspeaks.com.
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