Taking the Leap

Change is hard. Change is scary. Change is . . . inevitable.

As I begin my quest to become a fulltime author, I’m petrified. Leaving a well-paying, successful job is risky, and to some, foolish. But what would happen if I didn’t take that leap? I’d blink and twenty years would pass, and all I’d have left are regrets. Of course I’d like to leave something for my children and live comfortably in my golden years, but alongside all that, I want the story. My grandchildren will want to hear how grandma tried this and that, and how I shone at times and fell flat on my face during others.

Two common reasons people find themselves stagnating are fear and taking the easier path. Hacking away at one’s confidence, fear chisels us into a subservient heap. Standing up to the doubt creates an inner stairway, with each step leading up. Eventually, this staircase transforms us into confident, wise individuals. Coasting through life and not living it takes a close second. Taking the easy road has a similar effect as fear—soon we succumb to easier and easier paths until the monotony drives us down, proving us valueless in our own minds.

When the time comes to reflect on my life, I want to know that I lived my time boldly. I loved, I lived, I conquered (well, mostly).

What’s one thing that you’d like to change in your life? Have you faced fear and doubt when making a tough, life-changing decision?