I wish I had been as adventurous and willing to try new things throughout my life as I have been in recent years.  I can’t imagine where I may be today had I done so.  That statement may sound a little bit like regret but let me reassure you, it isn’t.  I am who I am today because of all my life experiences and had any of them been different I may still be sitting on the sidelines waiting for something to happen.

When was the last time you identified something you really wanted and then did whatever you could to go out and do it?  We all have different interests, passions and goals.  They are all important!  I believe that when you live life to the fullest, you get the most out of it by dreaming big.  Why not dream the impossible?  Why not go for it?  There are aspects in my life where I do that quite well and others that I still need to work on and improve.

I am fortunate enough to have strong and encouraging people in my life.  They have set tremendous examples of what it’s like to be adventurous, to live like no one else.  The interesting thing is, the more adventurous and determined I become the more of those people God places in my path.  I have gained and learned so much from each and every one of them and I hope that I, in turn, do the same for them.

Every one of those people in my life have unique gifts that make them the incredibly gifted and talented individuals that they are.  If you open your mind and your heart you can see that in most anyone you come in contact with.  When you do, when you stop and take the time to really do that, you will find that truly appreciating others and the gift that they are in your life will help spur you to be better and more complete yourself.

I want to be challenged in my life and as a result I have chosen to surround myself with others that do the same.  The determination and strength that they have in turn causes me to be more determined and strong.  We feed off each other and that’s something that for so many years I just didn’t get.

Does that mean it’s always easy?  No way!  It’s difficult and not always easy to be disciplined in order to achieve what you’re after.  I don’t care if you are an endurance athlete, an aspiring actor, a promising pianist, a world class educator or any number of things you could aspire to be.  It takes work and grit! It takes strength, determination and dedication!  It takes courage!  The question is, what is it that drives you?  What is it that makes your soul sing?  That is what you need to figure out.  When you are able to determine what that is you are on your way to true contentment.

So, start today!  What is that one thing that your heart longs for?  What is it that you’ve dreamed about wanting for so long but haven’t gotten started on?  It’s time to act!  It’s time to take that first step.  Sometimes that is the hardest thing to do – to take the first step. I promise you though, once you do, the next step will be easier than the previous and with each subsequent step it will continue to get easier until you are moving at a fast pace and wondering why you didn’t start sooner.

When you can do that and reach your goal – when you realize your dream – you will have a feeling in your being like never before.  I have some friends that have been chasing a dream of qualifying for the Boston Marathon.  They have been close in the past but have now achieved that goal.  I witnessed their near misses as well as all the work that they had to put into getting there.  It wasn’t always easy and sometimes it was downright defeating but they never gave up, they never lost hope.

I wish I could adequately describe what it feels like when you attain something that you’ve worked hard for and wanted for so long.  I have trouble coming up with the words today that would do it justice.  I’ve felt it myself when qualifying for Boston, learning that I was chosen to be part of a relay team across the US and even when I started this blog.  Even though I don’t have the words I do recognize when I see it.  I saw it on the faces of each of my friends when they qualified for Boston.  The look they had, through their exhaustion, was pure joy.  They dared to dream big and then they made that dream a reality.  I saw it recently at my son’s cross country meet when a blind young man was running the race along with a guide.  His body language and the expression on his face going around the course was that of complete freedom!  I don’t know him nor did I get the opportunity to talk to him but he didn’t let anything hold him back from running that race.  He dared to dream big and then had the courage to do it!

So, please, dare to be adventurous.  It doesn’t have to be something on a grand scale.  Maybe it is going on a hike somewhere new and unfamiliar.  It could be taking a class at the local college for fun that you’ve been wanting to do.  Dare to go on a date you’ve been avoiding or meet up with the local book club.  Just act!  Take the first step towards what you want!  I don’t know all the adventures that lie in front of me but I do know that there will be many and I want to make sure I put myself in a position of strength and opportunity to take advantage of them.  I gain nothing by not trying and failing to take that first step.

Be Great! Be Strong! Be Determined!

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