Your teachers are all around you... take the time to see them and learn.
The more present I become, the more clearly I am able to see. See the lessons, see the judgements, see the assumptions, see the opportunities. I now reflect back and wonder how much I have missed. It is easy to feel discouraged but clearly that is just a waste of time. I appreciate my growth and choose to look forward to improve myself at every turn. I spend a lot of time in my mind, thinking deeply about small things, challenging myself to see a new perspective or urging myself to be softer and kinder with every interaction. While this takes constant focus on my goal of self-improvement it is incredibly rewarding to recognize the small nuggets of life that are very often missed. I will share the latest one with you.
We live on a small farm so most of our free time is spent weeding, digging, on the tractor, mowing or caring for animals. Our girls learn to help at a very early age and one thing they learn to do is drive "LT" (little tractor). My youngest daughter was on her second solo drive and headed down to the pole barn with me walking beside her. The road takes a slow turn to the right with a downhill slope, she stops LT and says:
"Mom, I can't do this."
I say, "Babe, yes, you can, I wouldn't bring you here if you couldn't, I believe in you., take a deep breath, and harness your 5 seconds of bravery and do it. I will be right here"
She took the deep breath and slowly, with concentration in her eyes drove LT down and around the turn! At the bottom of the hill we had a chat and here is what she noticed. When she looked at the whole hill and turn as one big thing it was overwhelming, but if she broke it apart and tackled it as pieces, the fear melted away and she found herself at the bottom of the hill. My final words were, "you were the only one that didn't believe in you." Our teachers are found everywhere!
How often do we see a hurdle, however tempting and satisfying, and walk away because if feels too big. We bail before we ever attempt. We convince ourselves we can't before we even try. THAT IS CRAZY!!!! You are denying yourself of so much. You deny yourself of success, of failure, of opportunity, of trust, of exhilaration, and of love. There is not much positive that comes out of sitting back and walking away. Take one step forward, take the obstacle apart and see it as pieces rather than a whole. You will be amazed at how much and how often you thrive. It only takes 5 seconds of bravery to take the first step.