Monday Mantra: Lose Sight of the Shore

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: Lose sight of the shore

Kauai, Hawaii
Photo Credit: Melia Metikos

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." - Andre Gide

At the beginning of the year I wrote down two things I wanted to focus on: To be brave and to be adventurous.

I had various ways I was going to accomplish these things. Like working on old friendships and making new ones. Or going new places, like the Body Art Expo, where you can not only get every orifice of your body pierced, but tattooed as well. And you can get a shirt saying you did all of that at "The World's Largest Tattoo Expo - 2012!" It was fascinating, to say the least.

I believe adventures can come in all shapes and sizes. They can be something small, like going out for a walk and taking a different direction. Or something big, like going somewhere you've never been before, miles and miles away from the familiar.

I think bravery is the same. Courage shows up in all different aspects of life; Being honest, with yourself and others. Standing behind your word. Doing the right thing.

For some things to happen the brave piece has to come into play before the adventurous one can. Like when I went to India. Alone. Or when I decided to try paintball again, even though I was pretty sure I hated it. And yeah, I still don't enjoy paying to have someone shoot me. I have to give that ten year old kid some credit, though. He had amazing skills.

I think one of the main parts to living life is simply that- to live it. Fully. To not quarantine yourself to only what you know. It's the ability to find adventure in everyday things and yet still challenge yourself to go beyond those into the new, the unknown, the big and the small. It's confronting your fears head on and continuing until there is nothing left to confront. Which in my case might take a while, since I am never, not ever hanging out with a pack of wolves in Alaska. Liam Neeson is on his own.

I feel like I have a new lease on life and I intend to make the most of it. Which means I have a lot of shores I need to go out and discover. I made myself a list of ideas to help me accomplish this. Next up is another trip by myself, somewhere far away. And did I mention my upcoming lessons at the shooting range? Be afraid...of my coordination, more than anything else.

Make your own list. It's whatever you want it to be, so don't hold back. Then go forth and lose sight of your shore. 

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