In 1861, twenty-six year old James Johnson was swinging his scythe on the family farm in New York State. He was contemplating the call for citizens to enlist in the Union Army. He stopped what he was doing, went inside the farmhouse and informed his parents that he was heeding his patriotic duty to enlist. [...]
TTFN
Dear Friends, I’ve chosen to take some time off from this blog. I will be with you in spirit as I read your entries and cheer you on. I will probably be taking plenty of risks, so I hope I’ll have a lot to report when I return. But, as I wrote in my last [...]
My little game
I’m pondering another life change. I don’t know if it counts as a risk, but I think any change is inherently risky, so here goes: I’m thinking about closing in. Cutting back. Focusing. Minimizing. Simplifying for a while. If you know me, you know this is a ridiculous idea. I can’t resist opportunities for adventure, [...]
Hoping for Risk
Why does every call for help feel so risky? I am working up the courage to reach out to my mom’s friends, old and new, for help with her social life. What am I afraid of? I’m afraid they’ll pull away, of course. Why would they do that? Because they too are afraid . . [...]
Opposites Attract
When I get stuck in a rut I like to call upon “the opposite” to shake things up. Some of the most profound rewards I’ve enjoyed in my life began as a feeling of tension between the pull of something new and discomforting vs. my comfy stuckness. Making a change involved first making a choice [...]
Moving on
Did I mention I quit my job? Sometime in the last month, after I faced up to the things that were painful in my life, I realized that I wanted a divorce from the theatre company I founded fifteen years ago. The word “divorce” may seem out of place here, but I was practically married [...]
A Powerful Trio of Fears
The fear of failure, the fear of success, the fear of the unknown. These are a powerful trio. But there’s something inside each of us that’s even more powerful still. Read on to find out about this secret weapon…
Grace and Dry Eyes Are Not Required
There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. ~ Washington Irving (1783 – 1859) I’ve been crying my eyes out for several weeks now. If the Irving quote has any truth to it at all, I’m on track to become Wonder Woman by Christmas. Why? This intentional [...]
Small Post, Big Risk
I’m heading out in a few minutes to a networking luncheon. That’s not the risk. That’s why this post is a small one. The risk is that, not only will I be taking a bag of my brand new books with me (The RiskADay Journal: 28 Days to Being You Out Loud with Courage, Creativity [...]
Part two of a Post: Still gulping
Applying for certification As confessed in an earlier post, I’m a newcomer to the world of applying for professional certification. Though curious, I’ve never put myself through those hoops since grad school and teacher certification (lo those many years ago). Recently, though, thanks to the nudges of this good Risk-Lovin community, I felt the gumption bubbling [...]
