Being Safe v. Feeling Safe

I was struck by the gap between these two conditions last night. As regular readers will perhaps be aware by now, Life has been fairly hectic and tumultuous for the last month or so, new people, new challenges, different cultures and values. Being ‘a change professional’ that doesn’t make it one jot easier to deal with when it is knocking at your own front door! There have certainly been times I felt uncertain if I was being challenged too hard, but having jumped in the water one swims along to the best of one’s abilities. After a bit you usually find the water isn’t too cold or too deep; occasionally you need to put your feet down for a rest.

So here I am, pulled up on a metaphorical sand bank, enjoying a bit of sun, watching the river sweep past. “What next?” I wonder. I do have a sense of purpose that is beckoning, but it is a bit like hearing something so faintly you can hardly be sure you did. It is easy to tell yourself you were mistaken, tougher to believe it, the more so because you want to! (See yesterday’s blog.)

Here I am, perfectly safe for the time being, but still occasionally heir to vague “What if..” worries. It strikes me that that one of the big differences between people is that some people will move forwards despite these voices and feelings; others turn aside or stay still. It is easy at an intellectual level, and so much harder when it is your own guts churning!

So, here I am about to dive back in the river, if you by any chance are one the banks wondering if it is for you, “Come on in, the water is lovely!” If it is a friend, colleague or loved one you are watching being unsure, be gentle, kind and affirming; most of us do better for trying it than by walking away.

“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” Bernice Johnson Reagon

“Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They’re what make the instrument stretch-what make you go beyond the norm.”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 5th, 2008 at 09:20 and is filed under General, Personal Change. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.