If You Want to Fly, You Gotta Be Willing to Fall...

A simple concept, yet hard to grasp.

The baby bird being nudged out of the nest, flapping his/her wings and very ungracefully plopping on the ground.  A child standing up on wobbly legs, taking a couple of monumental steps before plopping down on his/her bottom.  A lot of plopping it seems.

If you want to fly, you gotta be willing to fall.  Any other way wouldn't be fair, right?  To just have your way, anything you want, anytime you want it? Come on.  

Hard work + trust + repetition = success.  And not always on the first try.  Very often not on the first - or second, or third through <fill in number here> - try.  But eventually.  Through that hard work & effort. Through trusting that you deserve what you're working for. Through doing it over and over and over again until it's more difficult not to do it. That's how you learn how to fly.  By falling so many times that falling gets old, and flying becomes a more natural feeling/happening.

On the other hand, fear + needing to prove something + lack of confidence = staying right where you are.  Stuck on that branch - while all the other birds are floating through the air. Being the only toddler who just crawls around all the time.  Being terrified that something bad will happen when you haven't even put the slightest effort into an attempt forward.

I've turned a new page in life.  As a kid, fear of "failure" took over in areas in which I wasn't naturally gifted.  For that reason, I never really embraced diving into a pool.  For that reason, I didn't learn how to ride a bike.  For that reason, I didn't raise my hand in class unless I absolutely positively knew the answer to the question.  My fear of falling - of failing, of showing weakness - kept me from flying, from soaring, from excelling, from living how I truly wanted to live.

A simple concept, yet hard to grasp.  But once grasped - what can you not accomplish?  Sure it takes time, sure it takes effort - but you have both, and adding the trust in yourSelf to achieve leads you to the flight of success.

For me, I walked over hot coals without burning my feet.  For me, I climbed a 15+ rope and battled through a mud run of beastly obstacles. For me, I did a headstand.  For me, I jumped excitedly into the world of improv.  For me, I got married. For me, I moved across the country. For me, I started my own business.  For me, I finally got on that bike - at least a decade later than I probably should/could have - and I wobbled and wiggled and found my balance and rode.  

It wasn't until I was willing to fall that I found mySelf succeeding.  To put mySelf in a place of Un-comfort, of discomfort, and accept whatever would happen that time, knowing deep down "I got this.  If not this time, then next, and if not next, then definitely the time after," I ensured mySelf the exploration, discovery, and growth needed to achieve.  And that's exactly what's happened.  


Whether it's something small - like talking to a stranger, running a mile without stopping, trying a new food - or something big - expressing your true feelings & asking out that girl/guy, running a marathon, skydiving - you gotta be willing to take the chance.  With proper preparation, trust, time, and effort, your wings will grow and you will soar.  

I'll see you in the skies...



All the best and yummiest to you.