By
Lorraine Glowczak
Collins
Dictionary states that the term, “going out on a limb” is defined as: “[doing
something you] strongly believe in even though it is risky or extreme and is
likely to fail or be criticized by other people.”
As
we enter the new year and set our resolutions for 2019, there are some of us
ready and willing to jump off the cliff and “go out on a limb” to live life in
a way that may take more courage than we believe we might have.
It
is true that the annual habit of creating “whole new you” resolutions has a low
success rate, but there is something to be said about self-reflection and its
contribution to a life lived with intention.
Whether
you make resolutions or not, a look back in the present moment in order to move
forward into the future is not only helpful in reaching goals (if that’s the
sort of thing you are in to) but has the potential of creating gratitude for
what we have, providing more courage and confidence to step out of ways that no
longer serve us or to provide the conviction we need to chart a new course.
We
often associate “going out on a limb” as taking a big leap of faith into the
unknown, and although this is true, sometimes going out on a limb are those
small courageous steps to everyday living.
Maybe
going out on a limb for you is:
Being yourself: To live life
authentically, in our own way takes a lot of courage. Even poet e.e. cummings
knew how difficult it is to live in such a way when he stated, “To be nobody
but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day,
to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human
being can fight.” And, if that is not going out on a limb – I don’t know what
is.
Slowing down: In this busy,
check off daily “to do” list sort of culture we find ourselves in today, perhaps
for you, it takes courage to not have a “to do” list every day. Maybe there
will be a certain level of bravery to relax, watch the sunset and the sunrise,
to laugh with a friend while at the same time, you battle the guilty feelings
of taking it easy from time to time.
Following your gut
instincts: Knowing when to trust your intuition and when
to disregard logical reasoning can be more like jumping off a cliff than going
out on a limb. But there is a lot of evidence that suggests that your “gut” is
one of your greatest advisors and mentors. Still, it can be one of the most
challenging endeavors of the year.
Whatever
your “going out on a limb” may be for 2019, if you can gather the courage to
follow it through, despite the times it may seem risky, extreme or criticized
by other people, who knows see what kind of “new you” will sprout as a result. Be
afraid, if you must, but do it anyway. The only person who you will have to
answer to at the end of 2019 is you. I’ll wish you luck if you throw some luck
my way.
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