Outweigh Fears with Focus

When I was about 7 yrs. old, my dad bought be a bike fresh with training wheels and all. I can still remember the yellow banana seat and ribbons hanging from the handle bars.  After a couple of weeks, my dad took off the training wheels (against my better judgment).

No matter what I tried, I could NOT figure out how to ride that darn bike so I conceded it just was not in the cards and left it chained to my fence - I didn't mind walking anyway.

One afternoon I sat on my back porch with a frown and pretended to read a book - mostly I was fermenting in envy at how my friends could ride their bikes and I couldn't.  My elderly neighbor came out of her apartment and took up the folding chair next to me.  With soft hands and a gentle face, she landed an empathetic pat on my thigh as if she somehow understood my pain.

"When you gettin' on out there?" she asked.
I batted my eyes and held my head high to hold back tears of humiliation. "I can't ride a bike."

I knew that from her kitchen window she witnessed me take my share of spills .  I also knew that she KNEW I couldn't ride that stupid bike.  None of that mattered though.  She beamed an earnest smile at me then leaned in as if to let me in on a secret, "I bet you can."

Doubt oozed out of my pores like perspiration and I'm sure she could see the fear in my eyes but before I could rebut, she presented 3 Oreo® Cookiesin a paper towel - the REAL ones we couldn't afford when I was growing up.  She placed them in her lap as if guarding  them then instructed me to get on my bike.  "These will be here when you get back." she ended our conversation with a reassuring wink.

I got on my bike with a new determination - I was getting those cookies!  I fell a couple of times and even skinned my knee as I slid under a neighbor's car but I kept trying until I figured it out.  Boy were those cookies delicious !

Today's Inspiration
Find a Focal Point Greater than your Fears

Our journeys may take us out of our comfort zone and many times we end up at a point where we just don't know if we can get to that next level.  Sometimes, we might get so frustrated that we throw our hands up and decide I CAN'T DO THIS!!!

When you reach a point where you don't have all the answers anymore it can be disheartening but it means you are yet growing and learning.  If you can't envision the next milestone or your end goal, find something tangible that galvanizes your determination.  By developing a focal point with more immediate rewards, we can sometimes shift our minds into 'how to' mode and breathe new life into our goals.

Bear down and focus when the going gets tough. Seek encouragement and go after your Oreo Cookies! 

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