“Adventure” has many faces, and one of ’em is changing up what you’ve BEEN doing and stepping into something you WANNA BE doing. That’s what I did about a month ago. I opened my mouth and allowed the words to spill out, “Do you take volunteers here at the farm?”

I never worked on a farm, could hardly keep a plant alive at home (hence, my fascination with dead plants: Hauntingly Beautiful AZ Desert, Where Dead Things Live). Still, I found myself inquiring about whether I could get down and dirty for the sheer fun of it. The positive energy at this new organic farm near my home was off the charts. I was so happy when the nice man with bright blue eyes and a friendly smile said, “Why yes we do. Send me an email and let me know what you’re interested in doing.” I left the place buzzing with excitement and should’ve emailed the moment I got home, but what I did instead was wait another month to inquire yet again.

Why? Who the hell knows why. Fear of commitment? Fear of doing something I’d never done before and finding out I wasn’t cut out for it? Fear of being a more authentic version of me when the approval-seeking me had different ideas about how I ought to spend my time (like doing something uber important, noble or spectacular by other people’s standards)?

When the farm owners told me the second time around to email them about volunteering, I knew it was time to take the leap. But the actual push to follow through came to me by watching an online video series by Kyle Cease called “The Limitation Game.” The crux of the video series is to encourage you, the viewer, to step away from self-imposed limitations and step-INTO everything that excites you and lifts you up. When you move toward everything that feels ‘light’ in your body and soul, you automatically step far, far away from everything ‘heavy’ that sucks the life out of you and drags you down. When deciding whether to pursue something, if it feels ‘heavy’ in your body and soul, let it go. It if feels ‘light,’ go for it! Period.

I applied that ‘light vs. heavy’ test to my farm volunteering opportunity and realized, without question, it felt ‘light.’ I really wanted to do it. The only thing stopping me was fear of <fill in the blank>. Within days of the last inquiry, I emailed the farm owners and here I am a month later, having volunteered every week since.

Kyle Cease, Limitation Game, seizing opportunities, volunteering leads to work

Here’s the thing about taking steps in a positive direction: One good action ignites another.

Because I had acted on the initial volunteer opportunity, when a moment came to act on another thought I was having, it was far easier to do. A conversation with the owners wandered into the topic of ‘expansion,’ and without hesitation, I said, “Hey, I’m just planting a seed here, but if you think you might hire workers down the road sometime, I’d like to throw my hat in the ring.”

Good thing I spoke up, because last week, we shook hands on me being the first new hire for this husband and wife team on their one-year-new organic farm. It’s such an exciting time. I’m on a new life adventure and so are they. My husband Mark has been volunteering, too, just to be part of all this positive energy. He didn’t want to miss out on a good thing.  🙂

So, this is what I want to say to you–yes, YOU–about all of this:

The whole point of living is to grow, whether you’re a plant or a person. The more you free yourself to do those positive things that excite you, the more likely you are to grow. When you step into something positive (like I did here years ago by creating the Teardrop Adventures blog), you allow yourself to experiment and grow. The “adventure” of life is not always about jumping out of planes or backpacking in the wild (though both Mark and I have done those things a time or two or more). Sometimes, it’s about stepping forward WITHOUT a parachute or backpack (not literally folks!), WITHOUT knowing exactly where you’re going. LIFE ITSELF IS THE ADVENTURE, and the “adventure” starts with just saying “YES!”

But, but, but . . .

You might say, “Hey, Sue. Easier said than done!”

And believe me, I hear ya’ . . . I get it. Opportunities for positive expansion arise again and again, but we often go through times in our lives where we stagnate, where we tell ourselves we can’t or we shouldn’t. For what it’s worth, I want you to know that you can and you should!

Drop the limitations you impose on yourself by heading for the exact opposite of your same old story. If something positive calls to you, answer the call. You may hesitate at first, but keep trying, don’t give up. Just ask yourself, “Does this feel heavy to my body? To my soul? Or does it feel light, airy, and exciting? If it’s the latter, most likely you’re just dealing with some [unfounded] fear issues. Do it anyway. Take a tiny step TODAY toward that light, be it a phone call or a bit of online research or a text to say “I’m in!” The moment you do, you’ll leave behind a tiny bit of ‘heavy’ that you never realized you were clinging to, and you’ll experience a sizzle of excitement you haven’t felt in a long time.

I cannot adequately express how much positive energy this latest adventure has injected into me, and it was all the result of a simple decision, a moment of “yes.” I’ve been talking about doing something like this for YEARS. This type of work? These kinds of people I’m meeting? This is what life’s all about. Doing what you love, doing it often, and doing it in the company of people who feel the same.

Kyle Cease, Limitation Game, seizing opportunities, volunteering leads to work
“Hey! That’s ME!”

Enjoy the ride! You only go around once.

Love,

RELATED POST:

Getting Down n’ Dirty on an Urban Organic Farm

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