In my last post, I talked about how we sometimes need a push to take the leap into new life circumstances that will serve our greater growth and expansion. We feel as if we are about to jump off a tall cliff, hoping that instead of falling, we will fly! Pat Ruppel posed this question in the comments:
“Why does it take so much for us to take that leap of faith and jump? What are we afraid of?”
These are excellent questions. We are, of course, afraid of falling rather than flying. What we want before we leap is a guarantee. Unfortunately, life never offers us one! And so we often wait until our present life circumstances are so uncomfortable that the cliff becomes the more appealing option.
How can we change this pattern? How can we take our leaps into growth more proactively, without needing life to give us that painful shove that forces us into change?
I think the answer is: practice. If we’ve never taken small leaps of faith, then the larger ones will leave us absolutely breathless with fear. If we have never consciously chosen to dive off a small cliff, then we haven’t consciously witnessed our ability to fly! The key word here is “consciously.” Life itself is a grand leap of faith. Our need for security just prevents us from seeing it that way. Most of the time we disguise our leaps of faith in reason and logic. What if we chose to practice leaps of faith on a regular basis? What if we joyfully allowed ourselves to risk the fall in order to take flight?
What is the smallest leap of faith that is available to you, right now? What risky or challenging activity has been lurking in the back of your mind? What have you wanted to change, even though you weren’t sure of the outcome?
Take a small leap. Feel yourself soar. The next leap will be easier. Before long, you will be sure that you have wings!
Perhaps one of the wonderful articles presented in this edition of the Carnival of Truth will offer some inspiration and support for your next leap of faith:
Pat Ruppel presents 6 Ways to Overcome Adversity posted at Plain Talk and Ordinary Wisdom.
Rachel S Grover presents Content is King posted at Personality Of Teaching.
Joel Gruber presents Who Are Your Enemies? posted at Fearless Dreams Personal Development.
Rich Vosler presents Lessons From The Geese posted at Sales Training Tips.
StarLightWalker presents Weight loss – Problem solving versus creating posted at StarLightWalker.
John Wolfe presents Discovering the Truths of Your Existence posted at Season of Shadows Blog.
Anmol Mehta presents Kundalini Awakening Symptoms posted at Mastery of Meditation, Enlightenment & Kundalini Yoga.
Warren Wong presents How To Stop Worrying posted at INTJ Personal Development.
Tupelo Kenyon presents Make a Decision Easier posted at Tupelo Kenyon.
My thanks to all of you for your contributions to this edition of the Carnival of Truth!
Blessings,
Andrea
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you Andrea. I’ve so enjoyed this post and your previous one. They both felt good to read because I’m leaping all over the place now. Every week, left and right, at every opportunity, I’m jumping before the push. So it just makes me gleeful and practically silly with delight when I read personal development wisdom that I’ve grown through already. It wasn’t always that way of course.
Yes taking those baby steps helps build that launch muscle. Something else that has worked really well for me is hanging around people like you. Choose an environment of fellow leapers and surround ourselves with others who are frequently in aligned action. We have lots of opportunities to hang-glide with others who are leaping. Within ones online connections, local groups and associations; leapers abound. My advice to you readers is to find them and be with them then you won’t be as afraid.
Andrea, I’m loving your blog.. I agree that small steps can lead you to where you want to go.. and I often find the next step presenting may not have anything do to with what you think the next step ’should’ look like. Sometimes my next step is go for a walk, or do yogo, or write, or read blogs… Sometimes I have to just be in the quiet and stillness… all of those are next steps. Then, sometimes the step after that might require a lot of faith and jumping, but if we’ve been quiet for a while, it doesn’t take so much effort – we can listen to the intuition inside.
Andrea – Wow! This a very important topic for me right now as I’m in leaps and bounds of life stuff going on all around me – and I’m realizing it’s all good. I’ve been dragging my feet way too long. I’ve been shoved big time. I agree with Tom with hooking up with fellow leapers and you and Tom and many other online bloggers have done that for me with your inspirational posts and support.
I thank you for the mention and for including my post 6 Ways to Overcome Adversity among this wonderful collection of authors and articles.
Thank you, Andrea, for the work you do in hosting this carnival.
Tom – I love the mental image of all of us having a little hang-gliding party!!! Woohoo! You offer such excellent advice. We can indeed learn from others who already know how to leap – heck, we can even hold hands and jump off that cliff together.
Michelle – thank you! I totally agree … baby steps. Although next steps aren’t always leaps of faith, so I think we have to be vigilant of the difference. But you are right, the more we listen to our inner wisdom, the more we learn to trust.
Pat – I thought your post fit so well with this theme! From reading your blog regularly, it certainly sounds like you are leaping ahead in your journey. It’s wonderful how through this medium we can all support and inspire each other!
Blessings,
Andrea
Andrea,
Loved this blog and of course it came along at the right moment!! Love you for it! I agree it helps to surround yourself with fellow leapers and being still and quiet. Thanks for the inspiration and support for the next leap, be it big or small!!
Andrea,
I want to thank you for including me in your excellent carnival! Much appreciated.