I always say this quote by Neale Donald Walsch when I really want to do something, or somebody else wants me to do something, and I realise I am putting barriers in the way.
Over nearly 60 years I have learnt that taking the Right Risks is one of the key things that has allowed me to grow as a person and live my best life with the people I love.
People often say I take more risks than they would, but when we chat about it, they are really surprised about my thought process and the various plans I have investigated and put in place, just in case something goes wrong.
The part that’s taken me longer to learn is not what the right risk is for me, but the right risk for the people I love and work with. But equally important, can they see the benefit(s) to taking that risk in the same way as me?
Personally, when I approach a particular decision I feel I am talking myself out of, I identify the benefits and the risks, and then work out what solutions would I be comfortable with, to enable me, and those around me, to enjoy those benefits. I discuss these with the trusted people in my life, family, friends, experts and business mentors, and consider their comments/ advice/ warnings on a particular risk relative to the opportunity and to my personal values.
If I am confident I, and any other people involved, can comfortably handle the various solutions to the risks, we move forward and take those steps toward a new experience. If I don’t have that confidence to move outside my comfort zone or feel I am putting too much pressure on loved ones or colleagues I spend time looking for other more comfortable approaches. If I can’t identify any comfortable approaches I would take to mitigate a risk then I decide not to do something with a full understanding of the benefits I will not experience and the consequences of my decision.
It can be really scary to think about some of the outcomes that could occur, but if you have identified how you would deal with them ahead of time, this empowers you to make the correct decision with confidence, rather than worrying about an impulsive decision, or worse still, making no decision at all !
You, and the people you love, can have very different perspectives of risk and/or benefits and this can stop us taking positive risks. However, if we can discuss our different perspectives of risks and opportunities, we can develop stronger and more meaningful relationships that enable us to grasp the right opportunities together with confidence when they occur.
My approach has allowed me to grow in ways I would never have imagined. My 21 year old self would never in her wildest dream have expected to live and work in the USA, be writing like this, or use her scientific and life skills to support the dementia community to find the freedom and joy we all know travel can bring.
Reflecting on the life decisions I made in my 20’s and the ones I am grappling with now, makes me realise how many more risks need to be taken into consideration; my health, my disabilities, my impairments, my family and my life baggage. But, these don’t hinder me, they enable me to recognise the importance of the benefits my actions can have on me and the people around me.
I have supported some amazing people from the dementia community, to take positive risks, and seen first hand how going on holidays has rekindled relationships with the people they love and enhanced their self belief and joy of life.
What tools do you use to step out of your comfort zone, and what incredible rewards have you seen when you use them, not just for yourself, but to those around you?
