It’s All in the Risks
A while ago, I was talking to my oldest son about things he did as a baby. He asked me how old he was when he started walking. I recounted to him the sequence of events of that day. It was an ordinary day where his father and I were watching television in the family room. My then 9-month-old son had been crawling around and, using the coffee table as a stable place to pull himself up, he began to toddle around the table. This wasn’t unusual because he had been doing this for several weeks. He continued his trek around the table, looking at us to make sure we were watching him. We watched him intently, as most parents do, admiring his adventurous escapades. When, all of a sudden, he let go of the table, raised his little arms, and walked from the coffee table to the kitchen! My husband and I looked at each other in astonishment and saw our baby take his first steps toward independence.
After hearing the details of the story, my now thirty-something son asked me a question that made me think. He asked, “Why are small children so fearless and determined when there is something they want to do? Whereas as adults, we often avoid taking risks that could make our lives appreciably better? ”
I know that the words that came out of my mouth were not my own, but those of the Holy Spirit. I told my son, “It’s because the Spirit of God is strongest in us when we first appear on earth as babies. We have not yet been filled with fear-induced words such as, ‘be careful’ or ‘if you try that, you might fail’ or ‘that’s too risky’ or ‘that won’t work’. We come to this earth with the purpose and assignment that God placed in us, and we’re confident we can accomplish it. It is only after we’ve been programmed by haters, societal constraints, well-meaning family and friends, and past unsuccessful attempts, that we begin to shrink from daring to even try.”
Wow! I could hardly believe that those words came out of my mouth so effortlessly. But I began to realize the truth of that revelation. As children, we have loads of lofty dreams; but as we grow up, we become more concerned about being accepted and getting others’ approval. We care more about what others will say or think than we care about doing the things we were sent here to do. Our dreams have been tainted by society and we’re filled with fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of looking foolish, and yes, even fear of success. So, we either discard or downsize our dreams to what we consider to be manageable, acceptable, and reasonable accomplishments. As a result, we often go through life feeling unfulfilled. What a waste of potential!
Is that you? Have I just described any area of your life? Have you decided not to invest in yourself because you’re afraid of taking the risk to do so? Be honest with yourself and admit that you have allowed yourself to settle for less than you were meant to do, be, and have. Acknowledgement is the first step to transformation. The next step is to do something about it. You definitely have it within you to face the challenges and come out victorious. Sometimes you just need someone to walk alongside of you and hold you accountable.
This is the main reason I began my coaching practice. I have seen too many of us struggle with reaching our goals and dreams. We all deserve a chance to see the possibilities that lie ahead for us if we take the risks. I’d love to be that person that walks with you to create the life you want. Contact me at Lois@thepathwaycoach.com.
“For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” - Luke 11:10 NIV
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. What doors are waiting for you to open them and walk through?
Blessings and Favor!
Lois
