Janell Loving
Security
is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the
children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer
in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring
adventure, or nothing. – Helen Keller
What makes life a daring
adventure? I recently had a conversation with one of my favorite
people on this topic. I asked if he thought he was living an
extraordinary life. He answered that he wasn't sure what would
constitute an extraordinary life. In thinking about that
conversation as I began writing this article, it occurred to me that
perhaps taking the risks required to live the fullest life possible
is the definition of living an extraordinary life.
As life reveals lessons
and realities for me, I acquire a deeper sense of compassion,
self-awareness, wisdom, humility and the courage to share these
experiences. Last month, I took a huge leap of faith, and decided to
follow one of my heart's greatest desires. Prior to taking this leap
of faith, I thought about it for a long time. I came up with excuses,
worried incessantly about whether or not it was the right choice, and
what the guarantee was that the decision would have a successful
outcome. The only guarantee that I came to was that everything and
everyone in life endures and moves with change. The surprising
revelation that came from my leap of faith – you can not leap
with faith while holding hands with fear. So, my leap of faith
has transformed into a daily exercise in letting go of fear.
If you want something
that you don’t already have, there’s a good chance you will have
to do something that you haven’t already done. Doing those things
may not feel natural, they don't for me. In fact they make me feel
uncomfortable, anxious, restless and genuinely awkward. As we peel
away that guise of fear, ultimately what we find is a better version
of who we already are. The gift that we possess is the ability to
use fear as a driving force to take us to our dreams. Recognizing our
fears and releasing them allows us to open ourselves up to an endless
opportunity for pure potentiality and engagement with our best
possible life. A way to unleash the extraordinary in each moment
through the faith that it exists.
As I was preparing for my big leap of
faith and trying to let go of my fears, I came across the following
faith statements by Napolean Hill. Each one of these resonated on a
level that allowed me to let go of my fears and believe in the
opportunity to follow my heart.
Understand faith is awareness of,
belief in, harmonizing with the universal powers
Faith is a state of mind which must be
active not passive, to be useful in achieving success
Close the door to fear behind you and
the door of faith will open for you
Fear is nothing more than a state of
mind, subject to your own direction and control
Faith will not bring you
what you desire, it will show you the way
Faith in our ability to embrace each new risk coupled with the
ability to let fear of the unknown go, allows us to grow creatively
and access the energy to live life fully.
My new adventure is unfolding, and I am making a conscious effort
to seek out the extraordinary thread that is constantly being woven
and connecting each of us to our fullest life.
One
day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth
watching. ~Unknown
