EXPLORING THE RISK TO BLOSSOM
It was 1999. I was seriously thinking about transitioning from successful trial lawyer to I didn't know what. That was the problem. I didn't know what my next step was going to be, but I knew I hadn't taken a new one in a while.
EXPLORING THE RISK TO BLOSSOM
There are no guarantees in life. If you always knew what was next, much of the adventure and excitement of life would be missing.
From Dancing on the River: Navigating Life's Changes
Mark Susnow
It was 1999. I was seriously thinking about transitioning from successful trial lawyer to I didn't know what. That was the problem. I didn't know what my next step was going to be, but I knew I hadn't taken a new one in a while.
They were a few inspiring reminders on my refrigerator that I particularly resonated with, one of which was by Anais Nin. And the day came when the risk to remain closed in a bud became more painful than the risk to blossom.
Inspired by the new millennium, which had for a long time symbolized in my mind, a new paradigm of new beginnings and possibilities, I took a giant leap of faith. Up until that moment of actually doing it, many thoughts of you are making a mistake, you are being foolish kept flooding my mind.
I knew I had reached that moment. I was ready to fully embrace and explore the risk to blossom. If not now, when? I let go and entered the vast unknown, not knowing what was in store for me, yet somehow trusting that it would all work out.
Even though I grossly miscalculated in many ways the potential pitfalls of taking such a big step, here I am today, happy about who I am and, in many ways, thriving.
From making this leap of faith, I gained valuable insights into the challenges one faces when navigating life's changes, many of which are explored in great depth in my first book Dancing on the River. At the end of the book some of these insights are integrated into a guide for Dancing on the River of Life. Let's explore some of these insights:
Almost everything you do has an element of risk; a business venture might turn south, reaching out to another person might be meant with rejection and you might fail when trying something new.
No one gets a free pass. No matter how careful you are, you're going to make your share of mistakes. You can't avoid them, they're part of the journey. After all, we're human not perfect.
If you always knew what was next, much of the adventure and excitement of life would be missing. Even staying in your comfort zone won't protect you at times. The bigger risk is watching the river of life flow by without you. What you'll also find is that quite often, you'll exceed expectations of yourself.
You don't have to do it alone. There is an invisible web beyond time and space that connects more than you realize. Be open to it. When you look back at your life, you'll see that events that at one time seemed random, are all interconnected.
Things happen for a reason. When one door closes, walk through the one that's open.
At times we might feel that we are in over our heads. To stay afloat, you have to stay calm and be patient until the currents change. They eventually do--that's the nature of rivers.
Rather than trying to predict what's next, There is no better time than NOW to enjoy this great adventure, this great mystery called LIFE.
Be willing to keep dreaming. Dare to be bold. Yes, you might be disappointed at times, but you can always choose to dream again.
Thank you for being part of the Inspire Possibility Community during these past years, and I hope you will encourage those in your circle to also become part of the Community. If you haven't done so already, become a fan of Inspire Possibility on Facebook.
You can also tune into the Inspire Possibility radio show on the BBS Network. The show is syndicated on most major podcasts. Take a Listen. There are over 100 conversations with some amazing people. Last week I interviewed Dean Ornish, the author of Reversing Heart Disease and many other life-changing books. You can subscribe to the show on ITunes or just go to the podcast app on your smart phone and search for the Inspire Possibility Show.
You know I love to hear from you. Feel free to share Possibilities with those in your circle. Until then,
Walk in Freedom
Mark
"I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive." Joseph Campbell
Get to Know Mark as he discusses one of our greatest personal challenges. Click here.
If you are curious to find out how Mark can make a difference in your life both personally and professionally, you are invited to contact him.
