RECEIVE
THE SWING STORY
The other day, I decided to stop at a park I used to take my kids to. I usually don’t take that route home, but something told me to go in that direction. As I sat in my car, gazing at the empty park, memories of when my kids were little came flooding back. I realized that I had never been entirely present here. My mind was always preoccupied with something or my never-ending to-do list.
I remembered how much my kids loved it when I pushed them on the swings. The fresh air would hit their sweet faces as they held on tightly, reaching heights that thrilled them. They would smile so big and have the time of their lives.
Amid early motherhood, I forgot to schedule play for myself. So, I decided to get out of the car and hop onto an empty swing. Luckily, there was no one around. I started pumping my legs and swung so high that my phone slipped from my hands and landed in the sand, but I didn’t mind. I couldn’t stop grinning. I was smiling so much that my cheeks started to ache. It was the most fun I'd had in a while. It was amazing!
We need to incorporate more play into our lives in various forms. A child inside us still craves play, and we must be open to receiving new opportunities to take it in and have FUN!
BUBBLE
The last year has been eye-opening. I POPPED my protective bubble of safety and braved new territories, read like a crazy person, and surrounded myself with people who taught me something new. I needed people to challenge me to think differently and call me out on my sh$&t! I realized it wasn’t going to happen in my hood, sadly.
Successful people don’t intimidate me, and I insert myself in their circles all the time. They are probably like, “Who is this girl, and what is she doing here?”
Yes safety is comfortable. It feels cozy & familiar, but you will stay stagnant. There’s a WHOLE other world out there—another way to OPERATE. Even driving to try something new an hour away gives me a different perspective.