Experience Joy Now: Turning a Fall into a Dive!

By Donna Gates, as seen on:

Sometimes we are plunged into a situation that feels scary and uncertain.

Sometimes we choose it.

We can feel sorrow or fear. That we don’t have enough. That the odds are stacked against us.

Too often, we settle into a familiar routine. Whether it is the same food every day, the same gossip with our neighbor, or even the same relationships (with different people).

Routine can feel soothing. The predictable can generate a feeling of safety.

But if we get too comfortable in too many areas of life, we stop learning and we stop growing.

Limited behavior delivers limited results.

The boundaries that you set for yourself are lines that are drawn in your own mind. They determine how you act and how far you go. Stepping outside of these boundaries can feel dangerous and even unnecessary.

In spite of this, we have the ability to transform life’s scary moments and our routines to avoid those moments.

The key? Choose to delight in the unfamiliar and see this life as an educational adventure.

You do not have to be smart, funny, or fashionable to have success. The people that shine brightest in life are those that do two things: They live their passion and they take risks.

The reality is that success often means failure. While some people may seem more fortunate than others, we are all on a level playing field. We are here to learn, to grow, and to express our TRUE SELF in an untold number of ways.

We need to be unafraid of failure and ready to get outside our comfort zones!

Whether it is just uncomfortable or downright scary, getting out of our comfort zone is a defining moment. We get to see what we are made of. We test our limits. We know a little bit more about our strengths and how we can grow.

Joseph Campbell, famous for his suggestion that we “follow our bliss,” also said the following:

“We’re in a freefall into future. We don’t know where we’re going. Things are changing so fast, and always when you’re going through a long tunnel, anxiety comes along.

“All you have to do to transform your hell into a paradise is to turn your fall into a voluntary act.”

Life is a constant ever-evolving practice. Once we reach the top of the mountain, we look out into the horizon and there is always a higher summit to reach.

This is the journey. This is JOY. Right now.

The choice is yours.