Simply Begin

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Today I have a message for you that is so simple, but it's one that I keep chanting to myself as a mantra, so I want to share it with you and that is simply begin. Now. Once upon a time I set out on a huge goal with a group of friends to train for a 50 mile trail run. We trained over the summer and we often hit the trails of the mountains in North Carolina in the blazing heat. The training runs were always long and hard and brutal, but in the end they were worth it because we climbed for hours in that hot blazing sun all working towards that moment when we would hit the summit and take in the gorgeous views that were at the top of those mountains.


Now I use that memory whenever I'm feeling stuck or feeling fearful about taking on a new challenge because trust me, when I set out to train for a 50 mile trail run, I wasn't even a good runner. This was not something that was really in my wheelhouse. This was completely outside of my comfort zone and I definitely felt like it was a huge challenge and I was very fearful that I really wouldn't complete it, but I had to keep reminding myself to simply begin. Sometimes I want all the answers before I begin though. Anyone else with me on that one? You really want to know how to do things before you really get started. So because we don't always know the how, like keeps us from getting started, right? But all we really need to know is our why. Why do we want to do this? Why is it important or why does it matter to you?

My why is to find ways to shine a light for my sisters in this world who are out there just holding onto the busy calendars, the carpool lines, the housework, the day jobs, the night jobs, that grocery list, the to do list, the volunteer needs, the kids cries the very few date nights with the husbands that go here. Go there, missed that appointment, was late for the other appointment, the half hour, half hazard workout routines that you know you always feel guilty about because you didn't quite get it in and just so on and so on and so on. And the thing of it is, is that I think that far too many women are playing a dangerous waiting game. They're letting fear get the best of them and they're waiting for things to be perfect. They're waiting for everything to feel ready and you're waiting to know the how sisters.


Don't wait another minute, wasting time on fear and waiting to figure it all out. Whatever is burning in your heart, go do that thing. Just go do that thing. Whatever lights you up, go do more of that. Whatever dreams you have. My best advice to you is the one I give myself all the time. And that is to simply begin. And so this relates to storytelling as well, because many of you are waiting to share your story with other people. And my advice to you today is, again, simply begin, give your own story a chance today and let it shine, shine, shine, shine for someone else. And as always, LightBeamers, I am here cheering for you.