Monday, August 26, 2013

Week 12: Taking Risks is SOOO Worth it!

"The ambitious climb high and perilous stairs, and never care how to come down; the desire of rising hath swallowed up their fear of a fall."  -Thomas Adams


Welcome to Week 12 of Being Me. Looking back on our challenge I realize  how I am feeling today and the goals I am setting for myself are because of the prior 11 weeks work. Each week is building on one another...that's exactly what I was hoping for!

 No matter where you are on this 52 week journey... I hope that you are feeling momentum in your life and growing and learning and developing new ideas and goals for yourself. Remember...NO WORRIES if you are on Week 5 or ready for Week 12. Do your best!!

 The goal here is to take each week's theme and learn and stretch and become the BEST YOU!!! 

This week we are talking about Risk Taking.



Throughout my life I have tried to have the courage to do things that no one would expect...least of all me! At the age of 32 I learned how to swim so I could do a Sprint Triathlon...talk about taking risks...it was CRAZY!! I fear water after all...I mean I don't even swim in a pool!!  Oh and speaking of things I fear...I am deathly afraid of heights...I get vertigo, about pass out...the whole deal. So what in the world was I thinking when I got myself all hooked up into this contraption???:)



It was my birthday (i think my 35th or 36th) and all I could think about was being taken up 180 feet, pulling a ripcord and dropped at lightening speed.


It was one of the scariest things I have ever done!! But soooo AMAZING!!!!




I took a risk and had a blast!!!!

Here I am nearly 10 years later and wondering why I haven't taken more risks in my life. Risks add excitement and meaning to our lives.

"Who dares nothing, need hope for nothing."  -JCF Von Schiller




During our vacation I thought a lot about the risks I'm willing to take to make my art and writing goals become reality. One of my dreams that keeps me up at night, planning, wishing, hoping for is my dream to have an ART RETREAT. I want to bring together my blog friends to teach, create and spend a few days soul-searching together. I can see this happening in my mind. I can feel it in my heart.



I decided that NOW is the time to begin taking steps necessary to bring my dreams to life. I am willing to take risks, to contact people that may say no, to have the naysayers around keep on putting me down...telling me that NO ONE would ever come to Maryville for an art retreat. I am ready to look at them and smile but keep on going ANYWAY!!!

"Do not be too timid an squeamish...All life is an experiment. the more experiements you make, the better."  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

And speaking of risks...over the weekend I finally took out a big canvas that has been sitting in my closet for MONTHS and began my Flora Bowley inspired painting!! I had soooo much fun!! I am not nearly finished yet but just wanted to share a little peek:)

Since working on this piece I have felt re-energized, focused and I have at long last found MY ART. I KNOW what it is I want to create now. Words, images and paint on canvas...makes my heart sing.


 Oh and guess what??? Somebody has contacted me about buying this piece!! And it's not even finished!!

Your assignment this week, girls is to do some risk taking yourself. Look back on your life, make a list of risks you took and how that felt. Did you move forward in your life? Are you still taking risks?? Pick ONE thing that is in your heart and take that first step to making it become a reality!!!!

1 comment:

  1. I don't consider myself a risk-taker, and yet I DO go outside of my comfort zone quite often, and find that it keeps life interesting. I did that Sky Screamer back in college, by the way, and LOVED it! What exhilaration! Congrats on your work with that Flora-inspired piece; I can only imagine what freedom there must be in working so BIG!

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your thoughts and ideas...they inspire me!! I will be visiting you soon. Have a CREATIVE day!!