On the other hand, there's also a certain amount of vulnerability that comes with new beginnings as well. There's doubt that your abilities will be enough to be successful. There's fear of mistakes to be made along the way. There's a worry about the outcome that could be radically different from the highly optimistic picture of perfect results you have in mind.
For some people that vulnerability is enough to quit trying.
I've never been a stranger to trying new things with excitement and enthusiasm --
kayaking on the ocean
playing clarinet
trying out for college theater productions
attempting to earn a solo in choir
climbing a mountain
sliding down a mountain in the snow
getting an eight week old puppy
training dogs
taking a six hour Amtrak ride alone
walking through downtown Chicago alone for the first time (without getting lost!)
calamari
driving a boat
leading preschool story time at VBS
gardening
teaching
moving across the country
moving partway across the country
running power tools
making salsa
blogging for a year
-- but I've also never been a stranger to that vulnerability or times where it has held me back.
I've been pushing myself to delve into hobbies more so I can be defined by more than my career. I never intended to let fear or vulnerability hold me back in life, but at some point I gave up on regularly pushing myself to feel that rush of excitement that comes with trying new things. It makes a huge difference when you lose touch with yourself that way, but it's also a huge difference when you bring that excitement back.
Two hobbies I've been diving into are watercolor painting and photography. I may now be the world's best at either one, but I love it. I love to feel that sense of exhilaration again. I love to feel wonder again. I love the feeling that comes with creating new things and learning new things. I still have that vulnerability, though, and that makes it difficult to share the outcome of my time and effort -- even with my husband. Learning these new skills also means learning to be open and honest.
It means learning how to get real.
I found this quote a few years ago on Pinterest, and I immediately wrote it down to put by my desk where I would see it every day. Sometimes all it takes is a nudge to remember the value in trying.
