"Courage does not always roar, sometimes it's the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering, 'I will try again tomorrow."
These words have helped me in so many ways. Since high school, I've read this statement over and over to help me through my struggles as an athlete, a musician, a student, a sister and a friend. It is a comforting sentiment to know that true strength can be identified in simply waking up the next morning, getting out of bed, and trying again.
Recently, life has tried to knock me around a little bit. No real hardships or devastating instances... just enough to keep me mentally and physically exhausted. You know how it feels when life just doesn't give you a break? That's how it's been. One of the things I've come to realize (slowly, mind you), is that life will only continue to swing at you, for as long as you refuse to swing back. As soon as you take control... and start fighting...life doesn't stand a chance against you.
I've been doing a lot of things to just "get by" financially... because I'm an adult... and I have to. But secretly I've been doing more dreaming than anything else. No matter where I've been in my life, I've always worked hard at what I was doing and taken great pride in knowing that I gave all of myself to the task at hand. But I've also been a dreamer for as long as I can remember. Many of those dreams have been locked deep inside my heart for years and years. I've never been an overtly confident person... and a lot of my dreams have been pushed back because of a fear of pursuing them. But when I was looking up quotes to help me write tonight, I found another one of Mary Anne Radmacher's quotes that might help me to work through this.
“The jump is so frightening between where I am and where I want to be... because of all I may become I will close my eyes and leap!”
What beautiful words to describe the thrill of taking a chance. Taking a chance to become the person I want to be. I can't think of anything better than looking in the mirror, and being truly happy with the person that I am. That is the ultimate goal... the ultimate aspiration... to become who you are meant to be in every aspect of life.
I will leave you tonight with one more quote from Ms. Radmacher. Just one more simple piece of advice...
“Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.”
Below, I have included a small collage of the things in my life that I am so grateful for. Two incredible and loving groups of friends. Top Right: Angel, Ashley, Katie and Dani. Bottom Left: Kendra, Nicole, Caitlin and Vilija. Top Left: My wonderful, amazing and inspiring family, Abby, Amy, Mom, Dad and Jake. Bottom Right: Team True Beauty, a group of individuals that are making a difference in the world, and have allowed me to be a part of that change. My WHOLE HEART belongs to the people in these pictures.
Allison
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