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January 2008 That Reminds Me
The joy of risks
 Emily Schilling
Editor
Here’s one of those universal what-ifs: Wouldn’t it be great to go back in time for just one day and reexperience that soaring sense of invincibility that comes with youth? You know, that anything-is-possible, the-world-is-my-oyster spunk.
(Of course, while we’re dreaming, we won’t attach any of the awkward insecure stuff that went along with adolescence.)
It’s a shame that as we get older, we outgrow the sense of wonder and enthusiasm that a young person has. For the young, there are no limits, just challenges. But they’re surmountable. With youth comes a myriad of possibilities. Fear is rare — although, in many cases, it would be preferable to have a measure of caution and not go forth into all situations without abandon.
Each experience is new and exciting. And because of that, savoring the special moments occurs naturally. Life is just beginning and there is infinite joy in that.
I can’t recall the exact time when we lose that all-consuming optimism. It probably happens so gradually that we don’t even realize it when life’s experiences begin to chip away at our enthusiasm. Fear of failure grounds us. We settle for less because it’s comfortable and reaching for the unknown would take too much effort. We’d much rather retreat into a world with which we’re familiar than to risk venturing out into situations that are scary.
One of my favorite quotes is “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” Wouldn’t life be so much richer if we weren’t held back by what could happen if things went wrong? What if we only planned for bright futures and focused on good things happening?
Why can’t chasing our dreams be something all of us — not just young people — do? Ask yourself what you’d do if you knew you wouldn’t fail — and, as your New Year’s resolution, set about doing it this year.
Consider doing what others have done —creating a scrapbook or even simply a list of what you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime. Goals could range from physical challenges like climbing mountains and running marathons to skills like learning to make a souffle that doesn’t fall.
I’ll bet by keeping a positive attitude, failure will be the last thing you’ll have to think about as you begin accomplishing the things you’ve always wanted to do. As a bonus, you may even recapture that sense of invincibility you haven’t felt for years!
Written By: eceditor
Date Posted: 1/2/2008
Number of Views: 192
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