Taking Risks . . .
Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life
Herbert Otto
I have come to the conclusion - and yes, I know many of you will say that this is so – that life is about taking risks. Some of them are calculated and prepared for, others are ones where you just jump head first into the unknown, not knowing what the fuck is going to happen. And you know what I have learnt? That it is during those leaps of utmost and seemingly insane faith that we get the most growth.
4 years ago today, I was preparing for one of those giant leaps into the unknown. I had sold every single thing that I owned to buy an air ticket to come and live in London. It had taken me almost 9 months to prepare myself for this leap of faith and despite that, I was bloody terrified. I knew nobody here and I had absolutely no idea where I was going to live, what work I was going to do or for that matter, how the hell the underground operated. But all that I knew was that I had to get here. One, so that I could be closer to my children and ex-wife and mend the relationship that I had destroyed with them. And two – to follow my heart and start working on my big dreams.
So this weekend I have been doing a lot of reflecting on my journey so far. Over the last 4 years I have pushed myself to limits I never believed possible. It has been physically, mentally and emotionally challenging and painful as I have continued to leap blindly into the unknown, in the faith that what I do with my life is going to benefit and aid my dream of helping people and changing the world, one person at a time.
I had a chat with someone I call my brother today about this very thing, and during our conversation, I openly admitted the fears and doubts that I have at times. Accepting my personal gifts and strengths in making my vision and lessons know to people was something I denied and fought for many years. I used to believe that in order to make a difference, one would need tangible and visible “products” to share with the world, so therefore, I just used to think I could not make a difference. In this absence of self belief, what I did not realise that it got me to push myself even further, each and every day. It gave me faith and belief that every little and large leap I took over the edge showed me more and more of what I was capable of.
And it has brought me to a place of possibly the most amazing serenity and peace I have ever come to know despite the complete seeming uncertainty around me during this current leap of faith. I saw today during our talk that I have pushed myself further than many people would take themselves in many lifetimes, and I began to see the impact that that was having.
To be come fully alive a person must have goals and aims that transcend himself.
Herbert Otto
I had spent many hours yesterday drawing up what I would like to do with my life and put aside all doubts and thoughts. I put it ALL down on paper for once, not holding back. Getting it all out took about 3 or 4 hours – really thinking big. Truly digging deep for that personal inspiration that makes me keep pushing every boundary I have ever known and some I did not even know existed. Allowing someone close to me to take a look at it was like standing naked in Trafalgar Square on a packed Saturday afternoon. Part of me wanted to grab the paper and run, yet my heart knew that this was the next step that needed to be taken.
I look back now to August 2006. I see how that last 4 years have shaped me into the person that I allow myself to be today. I look at the paper with my dreams out in the open and I look inside to the reason why I keep taking those risks and it makes it be OK. In January when I started writing this blog, I prayed that by December it would be seen 1,000 times and that scared me. We are now in August, and it is now nearing 3,000 unique views. I thought the 1,000 was crazy when I came up with the figure and that makes my piece of paper all the more real.
I am overwhelmed with gratitude to my own personal God who has given me wings for these giant leaps I take and angels like Mufasa who catch me when I think I am going to fall. I thank my God for the gifts of 2 amazing children and the most beautiful ex-wife anyone could ever ask for – themjust being in my life makes me stretch the wings even more. I thank him for my family far away on the other side of the world, constantly routing for me. And I thank him for each and every one of you who visit this site and read my words. There are times when I feel like I am just pouring out the biggest load of shite, but then I get a comment about how it made a difference to someone and that makes the brutal honesty OK.
Oh, and I thank him for soft tissue paper in England because I have learnt how to cry and since doing that, I don’t seem to stop. Then again – I am reminded that every time I open up a little more, a hole is dug and God plants a seed and the tears water it so that the message can grow and be shared.
Trinity ”Neo… nobody has ever done this before.”
Neo ”That’s why it’s going to work.”