You should be strong and brave. The worst thing won’t happen.
12/31/2017
My bathroom mirror says, in pink chalk marker, “if you want to be strong and brave, be strong and brave”. I’m not someone who sticks inspirational post-its around the house, but I heard a female athlete say this after she’d failed her course attempt on American Ninja Warrior (yes, I love watching American Ninja Warrior). Her response to whatever the interviewer’s inane question was struck me: “well, if you want to be strong, be strong!”, so I wrote it on the mirror. I added brave because I could benefit from a bit more bravery.
I’m a glass-mostly-full kind of person and I love big ideas but I can get stuck in making the leap from big idea to big life. As much as I would love not to admit it, there’s a fear factor. I have a longstanding list of big ideas that I haven’t pursued. The reasons usually sound like I’m too tired and I’m too busy and I’m too old and I’m happy enough already. Um, really? Unless it’s something that has to be planned for financially, like travel around the world for 3 months or truly isn’t possible, like be queen of the world…let’s be honest…the reason for not trying is some kind of fear. Fear of failure. Fear of looking stupid. Fear of too much work.
Although I don’t make resolutions, the New Year seems as good a time as any to decide to be strong and brave. Time to do some scary things and discover whether the worst thing happens…or not. Because, I remind myself, the worst thing won’t happen. The less than optimal might happen. So what? Learn. Grow. Be strong. Be brave.
On my list…
- Train to run 13.2. It’s scary because my body will hurt and I might fail. I trained a few years ago and ended up with a hip injury because I trained wrong. This time I should stick to the training schedule, right?* I don’t love big athletic events, so it’s not about running a specific half marathon, but I do want to run the distance. Maybe I’ll decide to run in an event, but I don’t have to.
- Learn to dance. My view of the dance floor has been there are people who dance and people who don’t. I don’t. But I so, so, so want to. I envy people who dance and look like the music is in their bodies. I cringe for people who dance and look awkward and out of sync. I realize I should celebrate their “I don’t care what I look like” attitude, but watching them unleashes my “that’s what I would look like” angst. Dance lessons. 2018.
- Get more involved in the Nashville art community. It’s embarrassing to confess that the only problem with this one is me. Like many creative types, when I was being made my social confidence got borrowed from to fuel my creative spirit. I’m not naturally comfortable in crowds or new social situations, even if I really want to be there. I took a couple of small steps in the past few months by attending a meeting of Nashville Creative Group (but I didn’t actually talk to anybody except the friend who went with me) and by volunteering at Creative’s Day, during which I had a lovely conversation with Kristen Chapman Gibbons, a local storyteller/artist who I admire. Have to keep taking those baby steps.
- Write more. This one includes so many sub goals. Write every day. Publish once a week. Grow a following, which leads to the marketing/email list/social media rabbit hole. I love writing. I’ve written my whole life…journaling, professional writing, blogging…but it took a turn for the serious this past year. If I’m going to be serious about it, bravery will be required. What if readers don’t like what I write? But oh wait, what if they do?
There are other things on my scary big idea list but no need to go on and on. It gets tricky because there are already a bunch of other not scary pieces to my big life and I need time to sleep. The question is “what will I do to be strong and brave today?”
What will you do? What are your big ideas, even if scary? What will you write on your mirror? (These aren’t just questions to wrap up this blog story; I’d truly like to hear…)
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*Not to do advertising for Nike, but I downloaded the Nike Run Club app yesterday for a 1/2 marathon training plan. Very easy, lots of features…I think I’m going to like it.
Visit me at www.bensonstreetstudio.com.
