Take That First Step....

Adventurous!  Risk taker!  Spontaneous!     <------------->      Fearful.  Comfortable.  Monotonous.  

Which group would you fit into?  Are you one who loves to try new things and change it up or do you feel better when there is a routine and your life pretty much stays the same?  You might fit somewhere in the middle as well.  I would say that my life fits more to the left although I wish it was all the way to the left.  I do enjoy some routine in my life, but I also love to change things up and take some risks in life.  Those who fit into the first group might actually experience more disappointment in life because they do take risks but they also believe in the motto - better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.  Those who fit into the second group might have a good idea of what is going to happen each day, but they also never open themselves up to experience more. 

I see nothing wrong with being somewhere in between but I do think that if you lean more towards the fearful, comfortable, and monotonous side - then you really are missing out on making the most of your life.  I would bet that all of us can think of something that we would really like to do or experience in life but we believe that it will never actually happen.  Fear of failure keeps many of us from trying something new.  It is true that we might not succeed, but what if we did?  Seeing that idea become a reality really should outweigh whatever it is that holds us back. 

I am the type of person that if I decide that I am going to do something, then I am going to go for it with everything I have.  I love this because it keeps me in line to put action to those thoughts and work towards seeing it accomplished.  However, there is always the chance that it will not happen and I have to be willing to deal with those consequences if it does not.  One example that immediately comes to mind is when I auditioned to be on Oprah's reality show called Your Own Show.  The winner would get their own talk show on Oprah's network and this has been a dream of mine for a long time.  My sisters and I made the trip to Atlanta and I stood in line with thousands of people and gave my 60 second spill on why I would make a great talk show host.  I just knew that I would make it on the show and did everything I could to stand out and make an impact on the producers.  They told us that we would receive a call back that night if we made it to the next round.  I remember my sisters and I went to dinner that night and the entire time, I stared at my phone waiting for it to ring!  It never did and I have to admit that for a little while, I was so disappointed.  My sisters would agree that it was not our most fun dinner together.  However, I was so glad that I at least tried.  I would have regretted it more if I had never even auditioned.  Although that story does not have a happy ending, there are plenty more in my life that do.  The common thread in each one is that I had to take that first step.  And don't worry - one of these days you will be watching the Kevin Buchanan show! 

What is one thing that you really want to do?  Is there something you have always wanted to try but is completely out of the norm for you?  I say go for it!  The regret of not trying at all is far greater than the regret of not succeeding.  It is very true that we all get one shot at life so make a conscious decision to take that next step and see what happens!  It really does keep life exciting.

Today I am grateful for:  1.  Great meal at Qdoba last night (didn't make it to Moe's)  2.  New friendships that are forming at work  3.  Getting to make a small difference in a customer's day  4.  Getting through a cardio workout  5.  Looking forward to a fun weekend!