Have you ever wished for “change me” pill that would let you wake up feeling, acting, and behaving completely differently the day after taking it? A nice fast forward button to skip past all of the growing and changing and just get to the good part?
Last spring for the first time I attempted to plant a garden beginning with seeds, rather than using the lovely starter plants that someone else already took the time to grow. I put each one in an individual container, placed them in my kitchen window, watered them, and waited…and waited…and waited. I was the proudest plant mama ever the day I finally woke to find sprouts where there had been nothing but dirt. While the whole experience was surprisingly satisfying, I know that in my heart of hearts I would much rather buy a bunch of plant babies from someone else and just put them in my garden this year. I’m okay with skipping over the part where you nurture something without any discernable change, even if I know that the growth will eventually come.
It’s so tempting to wish away the actual process of changing, especially when you have your eye on freedom. Unfortunately, with so many things I know that the only real option is to do the work, starting from seed. Plant it, nurture it, and trust that growth is coming – even if you aren’t sure what the end result will be.
It’s the start of a new year, and like so many of you I have been thinking about intentions for the coming days, weeks and months. While I have some small and mid-sized goals in mind, my brother and sister-in-law mentioned that they and some friends have been setting individual BHAGs (“big hairy audacious goals”) each year. If all four of them achieve their BHAGs in a given year they have agreed to do something awesome as a group, like go on a fun vacation together. I love this idea!
I am pondering what a BHAG might look like for me this year, particularly as it relates to “making peace with alopecia.” (It's not lost on me that these are big “hairy” audacious goals. Ha!) Tell my neighbor friends about alopecia and begin to just wear a hat outside whenever I feel like it? Get eyebrow tattoos? Swim at our neighborhood pool with just a swim cap on? Share this blog on my Facebook page? Yikes. I’m not sure yet, but I’m thinking about it and want to come up with something that feels *right* (even if it sends shivers down my spine).
What about you? Do you have big goals for this year that may make you quake – but are guaranteed to help you grow?
