One Step

In my article titled “Your Commitment Step” I talk about taking one step.  One step, that by taking it will have a ripple effect and put you in motion toward achieving your bigger goals.  The one step must be one that is out of your comfort zone, usually just over the threshold of comfort.  It has to be uncomfortable enough, that when you take it, it feels like a commitment, like the huge weight of indecision has been lifted and you are on your path.  It should feel big to you – even if on the surface it looks small. 

For me, the one step was putting our house in NY up for sale (tell story of flight home)  Yes, that does not seem like a large commitment – after all we could have easily taken it off the market, but to me that decision to publically list our house was monumental and represented our internal firm commitment to start our lives over in a new place.  The build up to that moment was scary, often disappointing (especially when we were not finding what we wanted in some of the places we visited), and often overwhelming (when we were not sure what we really wanted).  But once that ad was placed declaring our house for sale – I was able to breathe.  Did the fear go away?  No.  But now it was accompanied by excitement, anticipation and an almost delicious uncertainty!

What will be your “one step”?

Moment of Clarity

The last couple of months, my husband and I have been talking about building a covering for our deck.  We talked about retractable awnings, a gazebo-like structure and many variations in between.  Do we do it ourselves or hire someone?  Do we find plans or design our own?   We were caught in the – I’m not sure – trap.  You know the one, where every idea is OK, but just not winning either (or both) of you over.   So we waited, and talked about it, and measured, and investigated – yet were still on the fence.

Then, a few days ago we were outside enjoying our deck, sitting in the sun when an idea hit me.  Not just any idea, the right idea.  I said it out loud to my husband and he agreed.   By the next day, we had drawn up plans and a shopping list and scheduled the build (that we will do ourselves, for much less money than we orginally had thought).

I had the moment of clarity when we were in the space enjoying ourselves.  Not thinking about or trying to solve the problem.  You know you have experienced similar moments of clarity yourself.  I would love to hear about them!

The Power of Playing

Last week I posted this question on Facebook – “What did you like to do as a child”?   Several friends responded with comments like climbing trees, coloring and drawing, playing with their Easy Bake oven, reading Nancy Drew and putting on plays.  I added painting and playing in the mud!

These comments got me inspired.  I started remembering not just what I did as a child but what it felt like to be absorbed in play – pure fun, imagination and giddyness!  I’m excited that I have already brought a sense of that back into my life with my painting but I realize I want to engage in more activities that feel like play – and more importantly to look at what I am alrady doing as play instead of work.

For example, this weekend I spent several hours in the garden transplanting, pruning, cleaning… but this time, remembering my love of playing in the mud, I experienced greater pleasure in where I was and what I was doing!

Some ideas I have to add more fun… checking out books from the childrens section at the library – maybe re-reading some Nancy Drew, watch some G rated movies, finally climb that rock wall at the gym…

How do you keep that sense of play alive in your life?

How would you like to?