Taking a chance in 2011

My new year's resolution for 2011 is to be willing to take chances all year long because without risk, there is no growth and or reward!

I am currently unemployed but working hard daily to find a good job in the worst economy that I have ever experienced in my life; however, I found a positive in this situation.  I always wanted to be a writer and throughout the years, I have written stories and poems.  So now, I am working on being a writer by writing something every day - after my job searching, of course.

What have you always thought about doing?

Why not make it one of your 2011 resolutions to, as Nike says, "Just do it"?

Join me in continuing to take chances throughout 2011!

I believe that one of the toughest things to do is... Make a decision!

Why?  Different reasons for different individuals as that is a personal hang-up for all of us but... what's the worst that can happen?

Failure?  Nope, the worst failure is never trying!

How many different filaments did Edison try before succeeding with the light bulb?  Approximately 10,000! 

The point is that you are not a failure except when you quit on yourself or your dream!  So, ask yourself. "What is it that I am secretly afraid of?"

For example, I was secretly afraid to write because maybe my story would be deemed unworthy or worse, criticized by my friends; that is until I came to believe strongly in the "SW-SW-SW Theory"

Let me tell you a personal SW-SW-SW story:

This may be the best and most informative story that I ever share with you.  It comes from my heart and I hope that you will understand the concept that I was teaching my grand daughter, Alexis Sherry Ballew, nicknamed “Lexi”. 

I had the pleasure of taking my grand daughter, Alexis, on Halloween “Trick or Treat” nights for many, many years in her Brentwood neighborhood as we would call on some of her friend’s homes.  Alexis would go out “Trick or treating” with her parents, Gabriellė and Nathan, while I passed out candy at their home; upon their return, Nathan and Gabi would tell me where I could take Alexis.  It was a cool grand pa and grand daughter tradition.  One year, “Lexi” was either six or seven years old and I showed up to take her on our “Trick or Treating” Halloween venture in Brentwood, CA, which about forty miles from my home in Pleasanton, CA. 

I rang the doorbell and Alexis open the front door; I could tell that she had something on her mind.  As I always greeted my kids and grand kids on their level, that is, by getting down on one knee, so as to be equal in height with them.  I felt it was important to be loving and respectful towards children; so I immediately got down one knee to be on her level, as is my customary grand pa greeting and I hugged Alexis and gave her a cheek kiss.  Then I asked her, “Nice costume; but you look worried about something; can I help?”

Lexi took my hand and asked me to go to her room, so that we could talk in private.  OK, no worries.  After she shut her bedroom door, she look at me and said, “Do you like my costume?”

“Yes, Alexis.  Who are you supposed to be on this Halloween?”

“I’m going as Britney Spears.” (This was way before Britney shaved her head totally bald and went totally bonkers!) 

“Papa Bill, I am worried that some people will laugh at me because my tummy shows a little bit in this costume.”

I answered, “SW, SW, SW.”

“What does that mean, Papa Bill?” 

“Some will, some won’t, so what!”

I asked Lexi to repeat it out loud.  She smiled as she repeated our secret code: “SW, SW, SW.” We made a game of it. “Some will, some won’t, so what!”  We took turns repeating it several times.  We sat down on the floor and we talked about how it is important to always have fun in everything that we do, even when we go out and “Trick or Treat” in her neighborhood where everyone knows you.  Alexis was no longer bothered by any fear of acceptance but rather she was excited and in the moment as most children seem to be at Halloween; I think that God gave that ability to children as a gift.  Halloween was fun again as we were about to embark on another adventure of candy hunting.  This was a reward for being a grand parent and I love being a grand pa to all three of my grand children: Alexis, Hunter and Sierra!

I also told Alexis that it was important to do things that you liked to do like “Trick or Treat” but that some people did not like Halloween and so if they wanted us to ask for candy, their porch light would be on and that if a porch light was off, that we did not knock on that door because it was a secret code for “No candy.”  Kids are smart.  She understood. 

Then I said that the most important opinion on the costume was her opinion (and her father and mother’s, of course) but I asked if her tummy was going to be cold?  Alexis answered, “Maybe a little but I want to wear this costume.”

“Then remember what “SW, SW, SW” means and we said it out loud, again.  Lexi was happy and she had accepted the “SW, SW, SW” solution; quick and easy!  That’s what Grand Pa’s do!  Make life easy for our grand children to understand and enjoy; isn’t that the secret of love?  Acceptance.  Just being ourselves, with one another.

So the lesson is clear:  If you learn anything from this story and use it, then good.  Pass it on to someone that you love. 

Don’t let other people’s opinions of you become your opinion of yourself!  Be true to yourself. 

Some people learn from their mistakes while others learn from someone else’ mistakes.  No problem, what ever works!  Wisdom comes from mistakes; and what about what everyone else thinks?   No problem, I have an answer that works for our family; what’s your answer? 

SW – SW – SW

“Some Will, Some Won’t, So What!”

Write me back and let me know if you will join me on this 2011 Quest of taking a chance on a dream....

Thanks,

Writer94566