The Courage To Start

I come from a family who builds things.

My parents are both electricians, and when they aren’t building for other people they are building for themselves.  Not long ago they came on a holiday to Australia to visit us.  Dad was building a little walking bridge over our creek. Of course it looked like a seamless job, he quite easily constructed it, and added a nice hand-rail that Mom painted blue to match the house. It’s a beauty!

Once the job was complete I saw him taking apart some other construction similar to a part of the finished bridge.  He shrugged and said, ‘this one didn’t work…’

I had just assumed that from vision to build, he had just put it together without flaw.  But he said ‘not every idea works, you sometimes have to just start with something and see how it goes.’ And I thought about this, it’s one of the attributes I most admire about my parents.  They are willing to give something a go… even if they don’t quite know how it will work out, even if they have to take it apart and redo it.

Often, and I’m speaking for myself too, we get overwhelmed before we even begin.  We aren’t sure how a whole process will unfold so we opt to procrastinate or even worse, fail to start. We let the fears take over and get stuck there.

My top life experiences have been the ones I’ve been scared to start.  Becoming a parent (definitely wasn’t ready for childbirth!), making an album, backpacking alone in a foreign coungry, leaving a job, starting a relationship, renovating a kitchen (haha, doing this one now!)… From all these things I took a giant leap of faith and I learnt the unexpected. I embraced the adventure of the process realizing that part of any worthwhile journey is navigating the unknown.  We pick up the skills or find other people who can help.  We trust that the pieces will fall together, or we might have to backtrack and find another way.  We definitely have to abandon the notion that things have to be perfect.

Most importantly, we can’t always wait until we feel ‘ready’ because we might never feel perfectly ready!

And so I ask you… what dreams, tasks or goals are sitting on your shelf, waiting until you are ready? Would it make it any easier to know you could learn your way through?  Just like when we were children we tried so many things we weren’t experts in?!

What it does take is courage.  Courage to dive in and start before we are ready. Courage to show up and begin. And, knowing we may have to ‘take it apart and redo it’ and learn along the way allows us to get past the fears and move into the realm of doing.

XO

-Terra

Prev post: Flashback! Making Black StepsNext post: The Follow Through

Related posts

Comments

  • Barb Lopes

    April 11, 2018 at 11:32 am
    Reply

    Oops...I forgot to hit the button! This is beautifully written and honest. I think most of the time we all have to […] Read MoreOops...I forgot to hit the button! This is beautifully written and honest. I think most of the time we all have to force ourselves to take that leap of faith and just "do it". Otherwise we'd never do anything! I wish I'd done more of it...but I guess there's still time! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Read Less

    • Terra
      to Barb Lopes

      April 12, 2018 at 3:35 pm
      Reply

      Thanks so much for your comment Barb! There is definitely still time to do more of the things you dream of doing! XO

  • Loretta S. Douglas

    April 12, 2018 at 4:09 pm
    Reply

    Hi Terra, I was so glad to see your blog. It is very insightful. I'm very proud of the woman you've become. It hits home […] Read MoreHi Terra, I was so glad to see your blog. It is very insightful. I'm very proud of the woman you've become. It hits home in a way . I have to give myself a little push to get started on a new project,I have the task of doing the online advertising for the Harrison Art Show 2018. I had just completed the advertising for the Agassiz Monday Painters 57th Annual Show that was held on April 7th. There has been so much going on lately that I've been trying very hard not to feel overwhelmed by it all. Keep the good thoughts coming. XOX Read Less

    • Terra
      to Loretta S. Douglas

      April 13, 2018 at 9:44 pm
      Reply

      Hi Auntie! Thanks for the message and amazing you are so involved with the art community. It must be rewarding! Keep it […] Read MoreHi Auntie! Thanks for the message and amazing you are so involved with the art community. It must be rewarding! Keep it up amongst it all, as those things you love to do are feeding positivity into your life... and you deserve so much of that! Hope you are feeling well too, thinking of you often. XO Terra Read Less

  • Annie

    April 15, 2018 at 4:57 pm
    Reply

    I love your lastest blog. It’s just what I needed....I am about to write a book,and wasn’t sure I can do it.....I’m now going to […] Read MoreI love your lastest blog. It’s just what I needed....I am about to write a book,and wasn’t sure I can do it.....I’m now going to get started ,.😀x Read Less

    • Terra
      to Annie

      April 15, 2018 at 8:57 pm
      Reply

      Go Annie Go! That is amazing news, of course you CAN! You have so many stories to tell... Thanks for sharing, and I […] Read MoreGo Annie Go! That is amazing news, of course you CAN! You have so many stories to tell... Thanks for sharing, and I will be the first to buy your book! XO Read Less

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts
Spotify

Mailing List Sign-Up

Popular
Categories