Becca: Hello?
Me: Hey, it's Ali.
Becca. Hey, whatcha doing?
Me: Checking up on you.
I've been thinking a lot about taking risks lately. My friend Becca has been talking about getting an EMT job for a couple of months now. Working just at the bar isn't cutting it. The problem, she's been dragging her heels about actually applying for the damn thing. "What if I don't get the job?" Becca asks. Well, if not, she'll be exactly where she is now, so nothing's lost. Finally, I made her a deal. She gets the application turned in, I'll buy her a drink. I called yesterday, she hadn't done it. She promised she would today. She better not wuss out on me.
The other night I read through my journal, back to the time I spent in Arkansas. Talk about risk, yeesh. I went to another state to open up a business, run it for the summer, and come back. While I did all of those, it didn't work out so well, and I ended up in a very bad financial and emotional place. Still, I took the risk. It paid off, only it took me a year or two to see how. That's probably the riskiest thing I've ever done, and I crashed. More importantly, I survived and learned a lot. I'm a stronger person now because of what happened then.
There are also other risks I've taken which turned out rather better. Take getting published for one, joining the writers group for another, college, living on my own, buying a new car... Or, like in another post http://dwtdwende.blogspot.com/2007/05/it-doesnt-count-if-youre-not-scared.html, I've written scary poems. It seems that the more I risk in my writing, the more others respond to it. The more risks you take in life, however they pan out, make you a better person. Risk is good, even if it burns you.
Here's my challenge: take some risks this month. Think about that thing you've been thinking you should do, or write, but you've hesitated because it's risky. This is your month to do it anyway. For my part, this month is going to be about opening an online shop for selling my jewelry and sending out submissions to pursue publication. Those two things are pretty scary for me. What's scary to you? Think about it. Now, go do it.
4 comments:
You know, I think they have Ebay and Amazon set up for online shops. I keep hassling my sister--who knits pretty fly scarves and hats--to open one. The trouble being with volume. She knits fast, but not really all THAT fast.
I decided sometime this summer that I needed to step outside my comfort zone and take risks that would benefit me. :)
It sucks.
But it's fun.
I want to take a speech making class next semester. I hate public speaking, I hate being judged by my words. Especially since they don't come as readily as they used to now... working with old ladies put my brain to sleep, I presented myself with nothing to keep me on my toes.
I'm talking in my classes, and making friends, and it freaks me out. When did I become such a recluse?
Hey Whit, tell her to take a look at etsy.com, it's a lot like Ebay, except specifically for handmade items.
Yeah, it's amazing how easy it is to become reclusive - thus my resolution to be more social. I hope the speech class goes well. My biggest problem with talking in front of a group is not knowing what to do with my hands. Finally, back when I was selling knives, my boss told me to put my fingers on the desk in front of me. It worked like a charm.
Thanks for the tip :)
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