“If you only look at what is, you might never attain what could be”. – Anonymous
Do you take the right chances? Are you willing to do things beyond your comfort zone?
I used to not be so great … actually, absolutely terrible at taking chances.
I would look at other people taking what I thought were crazy chances and think to myself, “Are they seriously going to do that?”
I knew someone who got married relatively quickly, packed up all her things, left her family and friends, and went abroad to live with her new husband. (Uhhhh sure, that makes perfect sense??? I guess you should go for it.)
And then there were the countless people I knew of that were leaving their jobs to risk everything and start their own businesses. (Who does that? Especially, in this economy???)
The list really goes on and on.
There were so many people around me taking chances and I just didn’t understand how they convinced themselves what they were doing was a good idea.
I had always believed in being somewhat risk averse and doing things where you are pretty much guaranteed a positive outcome.
But, after some time and a lot of reflection, I can say I honestly see the value in taking chances.
I mean, don’t get me wrong. There are still some chances I think are way too “wild” to take and can be taken for all the wrong reasons.
I believe you have to really think things through, ask yourself important questions about your motives, and make certain you are taking the right chances for the right reasons.
But, I do recognize that if you are too conservative and you continually do only what you have always done and stay within your comfort zone, you will not take the chances you should or accomplish all the extraordinary things you really are capable of.
One of the best things about life is that it is filled with opportunities and potential.
So much is ours for the taking, but in order to take advantage of all that is being offered, we do have to sign up to take some risk and move beyond our comfort zone.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of being too conservative when it comes to taking chances. The majority of the time those gift boxes that contain the greatest opportunities are wrapped in and surrounded by some of our greatest fears.
That means we have to tear through and get rid of our fears in order to get to the great opportunity that’s waiting for us inside.
Even though we want to feel 100% safe and for things to be guaranteed before we sign up to take any real chances, a lot of times that’s just not the way things are meant to happen.
Opportunities exist beyond our comfort zones and are surrounded by our fears for a reason.
Our fears need to be worked through and overcome and once we can finally do that, the success of the opportunity is the reward.
But, to get there, we have to “jump” despite the uncertainty, and fears that may be weighing us down; and despite the fact that we don’t want other people to see us fail and also don’t want to feel disappointed ourselves.
When it comes to the best opportunities, a lot of the time many things are uncertain. But, it really is okay to not know.
“There is wisdom in uncertainty.” Deepak Chopra
In fact, it may even be ideal because when things are unknown it forces you to let go a little of controlling every single thing and that’s when your wisdom and creativity can really take over and guide you in the right direction.
So, from here on out, I am signing up to get rid of any fears and take those chances I should.
I am not saying I will take every chance that comes my way, but when the right ones come along, and I think through things and they feel right to me deep down, I am going to work through any fears and “jump”.
Will you join me?
Live Today Better than Yesterday.
What did you think of this post? We are all in this together so please share your thoughts and wisdom with us in the comment section. Also, if you liked it, please click “Like” and share it. If you have any questions or think there is anything I can help you with, please feel free to send me an e-mail (sibylchavis@gmail.com) or leave a comment below. I always love hearing from you.
I have taken several leaps of faithin my life, trusting my inner guide. They always worked out. Some were huge, life-changing leaps. I don’t know that I was really brave–it just seemed right at the time. Ironically, though, I would not describe myself as comfortable with uncertainty. (That’s the title of a Pema Chodron book–Comfortable with Uncertainty.) Go figure.
Galen: I do think what you said is so on point. It really is about trusting your inner guide and as you mentioned, we may not ever be 100% comfortable with uncertainty, but we can continue to “jump” when it feels right. Thanks so much for the comment and for dropping by.
Deepak once said the best way for us to find out what to do and what not to do is by going within and asking these questions: will taking this action hurt me or help me? Will it hurt or help the people around me? If it does more help than hurt, we feel a sense comfort within; but if it is harmful, we feel discomfort within.
Ultimately, I think if one doesn’t stand for something, one will fall for anything.
Giles: Those are really, really good questions. Thanks for sharing them here. I also loved what you said about knowing and following your own truth. That really is the only way:) Thanks so much for the comment and for dropping by.
“I knew someone who got married relatively quickly, packed up all her things, left her family and friends, and went abroad to live with her new husband. (Uhhhh sure, that makes perfect sense??? I guess you should go for it.)”
…well I met someone and after 2 months we married for a whole 7 days. That was a big chance.
…well I met someone and lived together for 3 years after which we married for 14 years. That was a big chance.
…well seems to me being married (perhaps being married to me) has nothing to do with fear, chance, right , wrong, leaping, comfort zone, etc, etc.
Perhaps I put a whole new meaning to “To Chance One’s Arm” in offering my arm in marraige
…well seems to me I have better results taking chances with other things besides matrimony.
Point is:
Some things work fine for some folks, and some things don’t work fine for other folks. So don’t dwell on what does not work after taking that big chance.
The trick is to have gratitude for what you do have, which (sometimes) you never had to even take a chance for in the first place.
Thanks Sibyl
Hello once again Sibyl,
Just in case this is your last post before Christmas I want to say wishing you and your family a wonderful *California Holiday*! Don’t you love the sunny days were having! Tomorrow I will be Santa and will be wearing a backpack filled with gifts for my daughters as we walk the trail up to an oais in the Anza – Borrego Desert (beautiful, peacefilled place to reflect on the birth of Christ).
I do hope one can see humor / honesty / healing in my comments regards marraige.
And in being *honest* I cannot rule out the possibility that this old fart will once again be married…but…better *chance* I’ll more than likely have a great relationship with some wonderful lady for my remaining years.
I don’t wish to regulate myself to moving in one direction, but rather knowing that the universe is expanding, I like the idea of moving with the flow…
Hey Rand: Thanks for the holiday wishes … right back to you:) I bet you will make a great Santa and you will definitely get what you are looking for:) All the best … always:)
Really true Rand…it is all about focusing on the moment in front of you and what you have that’s working. Thanks so much for sharing your story.
Good one, Sybil. There is always a dialogue between our Authentic Self and the Counterfeit Self. When we aspire higher, we access higher rates of vibration, and consequently we elevate our consciousness above fight / flight reactions found in the animal kingdom. Our original nature, urges us to be a climber. The Counterfeit Self, on the other hand, is a low level thinker. This self feeds on low vibrations of NO and WOE… don’t buy into the lure of the comfort zone. We are a remarkable beings.
We are made to go vertical.
I love that Rob…we really are made to go vertical. Those are definitely words to live by and you are so right that you can’t allow yourself to buy into the ease of the comfort zone. It is an easy trap to all into so you have to be on the lookout for it.
Hi Sibyl,
There are some chances in life we should take and some chances we should not take. They key to success lies in knowing which is which. Some times call for daring, others call for caution. To mix the two up would lead to potential disaster.
A simple way of knowing whether the time calls for daring or caution is to be clear about your goals. By doing so, you will be able to identify the challenges that prevent you from reaching your goals. If you can come up with sound solutions to resolve these challenges, then it is worth taking the chance.
Thank you for showing us how to live today better than yesterday!
Irving the Vizier
Hey Irving the Vizier: Always great to hear from you. Thanks for dropping by. I think that is really helpful information you shared about figuring out when the time is right. That is definitely one of the most challenging aspects. Thinking through things and looking and waiting for the answers always seems to point you in the right direction. Really good point.
Hi Sibyl,
I have also lived a rather risk free life. Being a teacher felt secure. If you performed your job well, there was job security, but I enjoyed the students and always knew that was my calling. I have left teaching behind and am trying something new. I do feel the uncertainty, the angst of not having a guaranteed outcome. But I have to say taking a chance when the time is right can add excitement and definitely make life more interesting. It pushes you to try new things and expand your horizons which is all positive. I too will jump when the time is right. Otherwise you never know what could have been.
Really good points and information Cathy. Thanks for sharing your real world example here. I always love hearing these stories:) As you said, if you jump when the time is right, that really is when you discover so much about yourself. Thanks for dropping by.
Excellent post Sibyl and that too at the right time. I needed it the most.
Thanks again
So glad Sumant:) Thanks for dropping by.
Hi Sibyl,
I as well used to get stuck by my fear of taking risks. Of course, as it goes for many people, once I stepped out of my confort zone it got easier and easier. I strive to move beyond my current comfort zone now, as i know this is the only way change really happens. It also makes life so much more exciting and thrilling when we embrace change as a positive growth opportunity.
Hey Joe: Thanks for the comment. It really is so true that it gets easier and easier every time you put yourself out their a little farther on the edge:) Thanks for sharing that. I think that is a very important point. Thanks again for the comment.