Take that Leap!!

Change happens in two ways; you either take that leap or are pushed off an edge. Life has to move, and that requires you to move. The problem is, it is human nature to object to any form of disruption. So, when it is time to take the next step, your most natural response is to hold on to what you already know.

In these moments, those moments when it’s time to take that leap, your body communicates. If you are keen enough, if you listen to it, you will notice subtle signs. This is the discomfort you feel when you walk into spaces that were once comfortable. This is the struggle you go through when it’s time to get up and go to work; it is the annoyance you feel when someone whose company you used to enjoy feels like torture.

Your mind, soul, and whatever other things that matter start adapting to change long before the physical body; this means that when you walk into places that were once comfortable, it is impossible to reconcile your presence with what is happening. This, in no way, communicates the failure of those places. It’s not that anyone has done something wrong,

In some cases, when you have been in harmful situations for a long time, you realize that the insults and abuse that people passed off as jokes don’t sit right with your soul anymore. Yes, you were kind of okay with it; you didn’t want’ to sound bitter or angry; you didn’t want anyone to say you were overreacting. So, when they said something uncomfortable, you sat through it, biting your tongue, hoping they would realize their mistake, but they never did.

Now, although your body walks into that job every day, you cannot seem to get through the day as easily as you used to. You cannot stomach the rudeness served in every board meeting. If someone rubs you the wrong way, for the love of you, you might react, you might call them out, you just might.

And then the fear kicks in

When you start feeling these things, you know it’s time to move. You recognize that you are in a place that doesn’t serve respect, one that doesn’t see you or appreciate you. That is the best time to take that leap.

But then, it’s not always bad. Your moment to move could be simply a subtle dissatisfaction with the things you used to enjoy. It can be the constant reminders at the back of your mind that you are meant for so much more than you could ever imagine, that thing that whispers potential, that wave of possibilities that runs through your veins.

The familiar is a dangerous place. Although you might not like it, at least you know it, at least you understand it, you know, you can figure your way around without much of a hustle. So, whenever your body reminds you that it’s time to take that leap, you shut that thought down as fast as possible.

You refuse to consider what else is out there. This place you exist in, these things that are starting to feel uncomfortable are all you know. There is light where you are standing; you know that although your mind and soul are fighting, at least your physical body is okay.

If you entertain the thought, even for a minute, if your mind wanders to the possibility of bigger and better things, your human nature kicks in. Something whispers at the back of your mind that life is unfair, that bad things happen. You remember that there is nothing special about you. Yes, you are great, good god, you are magic, but so is everyone else.

Those bad things that happen to others could happen to you. Nothing shields you from the cruelty of life other than the higher powers you could never understand. You remember someone you went to school with, that one who can never seem to get a job. So, you sit at work, wondering why you are so ungrateful.

People are looking for jobs, anything to keep them alive for a day, and then figure out the next day. You realize that you have been graced with a good life, partly through your effort, because you work hard, but mostly through forces you will never comprehend.

Off the edge, you go!!!

Purpose is something funny when you don’t believe in it. It seems like an absurdity people use to try to make their life more meaningful. It seems like a straw you clutch on to keep yourself going. While this is true, purpose is real.

You exist for a reason, you were born where you were born for a reason, and every path you have walked in had something to offer. So, as you are subject to a universe that seeks no one’s permission when it’s time to move, you will, whether you want to or not. Your feet have to walk some paths; you need to actualize your potential.

Unfortunately, your idea of purpose doesn’t always align with what you want. Your humanity gets in the way. You want to hold on to your job because it is financial security; no one wants to be broke, or worse still, poor. You keep going to this place that drains you so much you become a fragment of all you can be.

You calm your mind and soul whenever the discomfort sets in because entertaining the thought of leaving means embracing the possibility of failing. I believe in creating your destiny, but life always shows that you have no control over most things.

You can work as hard as you want, try as much as you want, but if you are directing your efforts to the wrong place, you are moving through the motions, denying yourself the things that come with being everything you can be.

I talk about the time when I needed to take that leap in my book. When staying was safer than leaving, like most people, I stuck it out. My mind and soul could wait, but I am only human, a pawn in a game that I will never understand.

I refused to listen to myself, be in line with what the universe wanted me to do, or be. I assumed my gut, hushed every whisper that said it was time to move, time to take that leap. The thing is, there is little you can do when it’s time; you might resist it for a while. You will keep going as if your bones aren’t screaming for release, as if your body isn’t aching for an embrace of your essence, but when it’s time, it’s time.

Change happens in two ways: you either take that leap or are pushed off the edge. The latter is painful, brutal, uncomfortable. Trust me. You lose your footing and every moment you are in the air feels like death. This is not something you are prepared for, so you feel every fear and uncertainty tearing through you when push comes to shove.

Take that leap!!!!

When you are pushed off the edge, you are unprepared; you still crave what you leave behind. This form of displacement comes in various ways; it can be an awful thing or a thing you perceive as awful. Either way, since you had not reconciled with the move, it feels like your life is slipping out of your hands.

Human nature will have you resisting, but then, what difference can you make if you are in the air, once things are in motion, all you can hope is that the wind takes you where you need to be. With everything you have in you, you hope that the world you walk into is good to you.

Most people fight the push, you try to fight in the air, but there isn’t much you can do. So, your resistance causes more harm than the push. You misdirect yourself, fight to hold onto the closest thing, interrupt the move, and every day you are fighting is a day the universe is fighting you for your sake.

What if you let go? Of the idea that life will be unfair to you as it has been to other people. Yes, you are not superior to anyone. The things you have, the paths you have walked, and the things you have achieved are by your effort and because you found yourself in a situation that allowed it. However, special or not, why not entertain the possibility of good things happening to you?

Life might be cruel, but that doesn’t mean you need to be cruel to yourself. Imagine good things about yourself. Anything could happen, whether you are cautious or if you take that leap. So, with as much consideration as possible, look at your situation and listen to your body.

You don’t want to operate in blind faith unless you completely trust that your feet will land on solid ground. The thing is, it is human nature to want to err on the side of caution. So, don’t be afraid to evaluate your situation. Ask yourself, if you take that leap;

1. Why are you doing it?
2. Who will be affected?
3. What are your options?
4. How will your life be impacted?
5. Can you live with the possibility of not landing on solid ground soon?

You will most times realize that the changes that came from being pushed off an edge cause the most havoc. If you are keen enough, you will realize that you had it easier every moment you decided to take that leap, whether for major decisions or everyday ones. In both instances, you were scared; you were terrified of losing your grounding.

However, when you decided to take that leap, you were safer, more comfortable. You had reconciled with the shift; you had decided to embrace it. So even in moments when you felt like you were in the air for too long, you felt in control. You trusted that your feet would land on solid ground, and most times, they did.

Even though both instances caused discomfort, you realize that even though taking that leap and being pushed off the edge all served fear, the former gave you a sense of control. It allows you to align with a purpose. You become one with time and your purpose. Since there is minimal resistance, the transition is more comfortable, more bearable.

Take that leap!!