Today I want to talk about the familiar topic of risk
taking. I’ve talked about it in many ways before, but today what is really
inspiring me is the notion that risk taking happens everyday.
We just don’t always recognize it.
This afternoon I am going back to work after a 2 week break.
My break has been restful but also filled with the business of my heart’s work,
which has been the best part.
While I am looking forward to spending time doing my
“survival” job (yes, it has its joys too), I am naturally a little apprehensive
about letting go of the sweet restfulness that has settled onto my life during
this hiatus. Now that it is time for me
to go back to an outside job, I feel something in me gripping tight saying that
it doesn’t want to let go of this sweet freedom. You know that feeling after a
vacation.
The thing that has been most special of all about this break
was that each day I was able to settle into a flow and be true to my own
rhythms. Honestly, most of my days are like that, regardless of whether I am
working a survival job or not, but during this break I was able to recognize
and appreciate it in a different way. I really settled in.
Now it is time to go back to work and I don’t necessarily
want to. But I must.
This is what most people face everyday. I am thankful that I
don’t work a 9 to 5 and that most of my time is devoted to pursuing my acting
career. But every day requires a bit of, what I like to call, going beyond
yourself, regardless of what you do for a living. By going beyond yourself, I mean doing the
things that aren’t really your preference, operating outside of your niche,
having conversations that you don’t want to have, writing with the opposite
hand, etc…
Every time we go out and do something that is beyond
ourselves, we are taking a risk. AND WE DO THIS EVERYDAY.
Risk taking is not out of the ordinary.
Especially when as artists, we work in fields that are not
our specialties all the time. We wear
different hats, we don different masks, and we take leaps that only a person
wild and passionate enough to truly care about anything in this world would.
One of my oldest friends sent me a funny April Fool’s
message just now. I didn’t fall for it, but it made us share a little laugh. April
Fool’s messages are not usually something I associate with this friend. It kind
of wasn’t “her” but I’m glad she took the risk to do something out of her
ordinary to send that to me.
Now, I know that’s a really silly example of what I’m
talking about, but that’s exactly what I mean. There are little risks to be
found everywhere. We are already taking them everyday.
Take a moment to recognize the little risks you take
everyday, the ones you don’t even think about anymore. Then when you need the
courage to take a truly big leap, you’ll find that your strength is already
half way there. You already have what it takes.
Now I don’t personally believe that we were all meant to be
one thing, to always walk in a straight line, and to follow every rule. If you
find that your life is a bit parched of the small risk taking acts, examine
that. I’m sure there’s a crack somewhere that you could go ahead and step on. I
promise it won’t really break anything! But it may make you smile, give you a bit of courage when you’re ready to
walk out or sit in and besides, it’s always available.
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