3 Easy steps to crush doubts and dive into life!

Change of plans.  The post I mentioned, about the big, cool amazing thing I said yes too, is not ready. :( 'Cause it got even bigger and cooler and I won't know for a view more days what the heck I've gotten myself into!! :) 

But you know what?  I can handle it.  But first you have to listen to my story and then I'll tell you how I know I can handle it!

So, what I've done instead is a blog post about my honeymoon.  No, not all sappy with heart eyes!  Well, maybe a little.  

My friend, Trish from Jewels By Trish, had a post on Instagram about a beautiful bottle brush tree she has planted in her yard.  I was telling her they have them in Jamaica too and then she talked about how she has been to Jamaica and then one thing led to another and I wrote an Instagram post.  This is that, plus some photos and other juicy details!

From Tensingpen.com   The above photo shows the bridge on the left and the cove in the middle.  Pretty cool, huh?  The photo on the right is the pool, which seemed silly to me with amazing cove available. ♡

Today's topic is: Take small risks. 

This is a scary topic for some and I suppose it could also depend on how you define small risks.

I think what helps me most when something feels a little too risky, is to think of it as an adventure, an opportunity that might not come my way again. 

From Tensingpen.com     The above photo is our honeymoon "hut".  It was called The Pillars.  See that circular stone shape in the middle?  That was our shower!  Wicked cool!

It was my honeymoon, 8 years ago. Negril, Jamaica. Tensing Pen Resort. Gorgeous beyond belief surroundings. They have a walking bridge that spans a rocky cove of water that leads to the ocean. I don't know how high it is for sure, but it's nerve-wracking simply walking over it, much less jumping or diving from it. I chose to dive. Hubs declined. (I learned later that heights freak him out a little)

I was freaking out too, on the inside. People may have been watching and I told my new hubs I was going to do it. So, I stood in the middle of that bridge, and told myself that this was one of those moments. I wanted to do it so badly and yet I was so very scared.
 

I thought of the FINAL outcome for each choice and liked the diving one a lot better! (I knew, rationally, that it wasnt going to kill me, so that wasn't a potential final outcome) So it became a lot less scary at that point. I said a quick prayer, 'cause that's a no brainer, right? And I dove!

Tensingpen.com    Above is another close-up view of the bridge.  A little scary, don't you think?

It was Spectacular! Un-flippin'-believable! Breathtaking and a boatload of other happy adjectives! One of the coolest things I've ever done!

The benefits of taking this small risk were huge in so many ways! One, of which, was how it impressed the heck out of my new husband and the R.O.I. is still strong . . . 8 years later! ♡

Tensingpen.com   The above is a photo of another smaller hut.  Look at that water!  So gorgeous! ♡

So to break it down into 3 EASY steps:

1.  Whenever something new or risky or scary or different or whatever it is that makes you want to flee the scene and pretend it never happened or eat a tub of Ben & Jerry's (insert your fave variety here!) Stop thinking.  Just stop.  Before you get yourself all worked up into a frenzy, just stop thinking.  Now breathe.  Nice, deep breaths.  Basically, get a grip!  My mom was a big fan of that phrase.:)

Nothing has even happened yet, except thoughts, and you are in charge of those.  You get to chose to freak out blindly and run or you can STOP, breathe and get a grip.

2.  Now you're breathing and you've got a grip, tenuous as it may be.  Now sit down with your fave beverage and your journal or notebook and a pen.  Are you still breathing?  Of course you are.  Good job!  Now write down all that crap you were about to unleash into your brain and put in on paper instead.  Just dump it!   Now, truth, doesn't a lot of it seem kind of ridiculous, even amusing, in hind sight?

3.  Now, with a clear head, think about whether you really want to do this thing that freaked you out just a little while ago, or not.  Think about it for just minute and ask yourself, with some clear thinking under your belt now, if you want to do this thing or not.  What is your gut telling you?  Your heart and your rational thinking brain, what are they telling you?  Not your fear and anxieties and crap like that.  Again, you get to make these decisions! 

Now, if you've followed the above three steps and you're still scared or nervous or still uncertain, that's cool . . . just rinse and repeat.  It takes practice.  I think the key is to not let fear make decisions for you.  To know that you can do big stuff, fun stuff, amazing stuff, if you just get out of your own way and instead of saying it's too hard, say "Yeah, it's hard, but not too hard for me!"  Read the quote from Nelson Mandela again, at the top of the page.  You are worth the hard work!

Okay, it's late and I'm still a little sick, so anything I've written that's sounds whacked, please forgive me and let me know in the comments or if it helps a little.   I'll take a peek again in the morning.  But I said I was going to get this post up today and I wanted to do just that!  There will be another one coming tomorrow  'cause I have a giveaway to do as well!  A pretty awesome one!  How's that sound? :)







XOXOXO
NANCY