One Small Step
I’ve been taking my dog Luna out for a walk on the beach every morning of vacation this week. I knew starting out it might be a challenge because of one fact: she avoids water like her life depends on it. You would think the labrador in her would make her want to bolt to the ocean waves like they were calling her name, but her inner cat made other plans. At first I tried to take her straight to the ocean edge, and you can guess how that turned out. It made me realize that she needed to take baby steps before she was willing to go all in. Each morning I’ve been taking her a little closer to the water and a little deeper into the tidal pools. Four days later, she’s the one pulling me over to them to see what she can take on next.
Like many of us, Luna was afraid of what could happen if she jumped into something before knowing the outcome. Sometimes our brains hit flight mode when we look at an entire picture, and it overwhelms us. We’re then faced with the decision to run in the opposite direction or commit to tackling the challenge ahead. It can be difficult to know where to begin, especially when you’ve failed at something in the past, but choosing the second option doesn’t mean you have to conquer it all at once. Each step forward helps eliminate the fear of what once felt like a giant leap.
As one of my favorite authors Bob Goff says, “Courage doesn’t mean we’re not afraid anymore, it just means our actions aren’t controlled by our doubts.” I think if we act out of fear, we could miss out on some great opportunities that God had ready for us. Moving forward doesn’t mean everything will be smooth sailing, but choosing to have faith that what happens along the way has a purpose will make it all worth it. So whether you're accomplishing a daunting project at work, becoming a new parent in a world full of opinions, offering your heart to someone new, or making one of the many decisions you'll have to face over the course of a lifetime, don’t be afraid to start out in the tidal pool and see where it takes you.
–Chloë
