The Risks of 2014

On Thanksgiving evening after the turkey and pie were long gone and the dishwasher was whirring, I went for a walk with my Aunt and her rather large dog. During our walk we talked about all sorts of things - life, love, and dreams. At one point  I said that 2013 was the year of changes and that I wanted 2014 to be the year of the risk. In retrospect, that statement seems so audacious!

2013 brought a lot of changes - a new faith tradition, a love and then heartache, a new haircut (which I love!). I experienced surgery while saying good riddance to my gallbladder. I found and then lost a few pounds. I underestimated my own strength and overestimated my insta-healing abilities. Overall, 2013 was not the year that I imagined experiencing a year ago. In some ways it has been even more magical. Yet, in others, more melodramatic.

My natural tendency is towards risk avoidance. It is not so much about the risk but the fear of failing at the risk. Over the years, I have learned that I am not afraid of calculated risks - those things that I'm pretty sure will not result in disaster. For example: going to college 3,000 miles away from home, solo travel to Paris during a study abroad semester. and becoming a Roman Catholic.  Yet, when my feet quake with fear, I am more likely to tuck my tail and run for cover instead of facing the fear.

So in 2014, I am going to face my fears and take some risks. At least 14 risks. Big or small it does not matter. And some of those small risks are actually bigger deals! At the end of each month, I am going to blog about the risks I took that month and what I learned in the process. I invite each of my readers to join in the journey of taking risks in 2014!  If you decide to join, please comment below and let me know that you're in for the challenge.

Happy New Year!