Diving munchkin
DIVING BOARD LESSONS
I soon became enraptured with the cutest little three year old boy who ventured out onto the diving board. Imagine a blond-headed munchkin with “floaties” gingerly making his way to within two feet of the board’s edge and ever so slightly “jumping” up and down to gently move the board. In the water was his responsible daddy lovingly encouraging him to take the biggest and scariest leap of his life all the while holding out his arms ready to catch him. I found myself riveted to the scene not wanting to miss the big jump, that leap of faith where I knew he would happily land in his daddy’s arms. It never came on – at least on that afternoon.
I found myself thinking of that scene two days later while coaching my success group of women entrepreneurs who were all stuck at the end of their own personal diving boards. Everyone was afraid to take a leap into the unknown, into new experiences and into the possibility of failure or rejection. I told the story of the “diving munchkin” to see what gem of awareness, wisdom or encouragement was waiting for them to discover. Each person had their own “a-ha” moment and in that moment, something shifted to remove a self-imposed fear and limitation.
- Moving from a comfort zone practices courage
- Leaping gets faster results
- You can either retreat and experience what you’ve always experienced OR move forward into something new and different
- Leaping into loving arms is worth feeling the fear
This made me ask myself: where in my life am I stuck like that three year old? Where I am just sort of jumping up and down in place, literally going nowhere. I certainly identified a few diving boards of my own as well as my own liberating perspectives. So I thank that darling diver, who may even be an Olympic diver someday, for showing me that it’s ok to jump! I’ll just make sure that I have my floaties on and a set of divine or human arms to catch me.
