Enjoying the Ride

Hey blog readers! Still interested in "What’s on your list?" What's your next adventure or dream for yourself? Little, big or in between.

That you must follow your desire, not your fear! "To take risk is to accept a challenge not to act foolishly or carelessly." You know, since Mike and I decided to elope 3 ½ years ago I knew that life would most likely bring the challenge of swimming upstream. If you swim upstream often or even once and awhile, you know it’s tough. People going the other direction look at you funny, like “you fool” go with the flow already. But I want to challenge you, don’t go with the flow. Don’t take the path everyone else is on, because it looks safe or easier. Take the higher road.

Let me tell you about some of the friends in my life. 1st, I have the friends who go with the flow all the time. I love them dearly. But they are board, wondering if “this is how life is suppose to be”. No one really talked to us Good Shepherd girls about what life was about or what it would be like to be a wife or a mother or a Christian woman in the world. Or maybe they did and I wasn’t paying attention. No, damn it. They didn’t! Many of these friends are outwardly happy but on the inside or when they open up and really TALK TO ME, they are troubled. And I am not apologizing for pointing this out. This is me, a lot of the time. Saying to myself, is this the life I want? It is up to me!

The 2nd example of friends in my life are the “adventurous” ones. With kids or without, married or not, working in corporate America or on the mission field. These women don’t fall into this adventurous category because they live aboard (which is amazing and adds to their against the flow attitude) but because they have passion for life. (By the way, about 1/3 of my closest friends live aboard right now, oh, I’m jealous)

So, let me tell you about ENJOYING THE RIDE. The essence is about living life in every moment, to the fullest. One of the benefits is that it’s FUN. It’s a challenge to discover something new, awaken your senses and try something for its own pleasurable sake. Whew! Sounds great. YES!

I’ve read that “The best learning and growth happens just beyond our comfort zones”. The reward of taking these risks in addition to a FULLER LIFE is that you're likely to feel more accepted, responsible, trustworthy and capable. Some examples of enjoying the ride: trying a new sport like rock climbing, diving or sailing, go skinny dipping, break out of your normal style and wear something different or get a totally new hair style, talk more to strangers at the grocery store, plan a trip to a new place, take a class about something you know nothing about, sewing, a foreign language or massage. I don’t know? What’s on your list?

Me? I want to read more. I want to become a better writer and communicator. I want to visit Brazil, Chili and Beijing. I want to overcome my fear of having children, not babies, BIG KIDS.
My Bigger picture. I want to move to Amsterdam or somewhere in Central Europe for a few years. I want to be a counselor and be able to help people succeed and get over their challenges. I want to open a business with Mike, probably food related. I want a big family. I want a VERY full life.

The beautiful thing about this is what everyone is different; sky diving for someone might be equivalent to someone else’s adventure in trying out a new cool restaurant. And I’d love to hear about what on your list?

Some of my inspiration includes: the movie “Martian Child” with John Cusak, the book “Fresh Brewed Life” and “Tuesday’s with Morrie”, the vineyard “Purple Cow” and this months “Body + Soul”, magazine.

And by the way, I plan to write about "what's on my mind" a little more often.