A couple of weeks ago, I took my youngest to see a production of Anne of Green Gables: a new musical.
A lifelong fan of the book and Meagan Follows version of the movie, and a bit of a musical theater junkie, I was excited to see this new take on Anne.
I was blown away by the modern take on the story, how they were able to keep the essential elements of Anne - her personality and her adventures - and make her seem relevant in today’s time.
I’ve been listening to the soundtrack a lot over the days since, and this line keeps running through my head:
Make a move, and take some chances
Choose to change your circumstances
Life is all about the messes that we make!
So for heaven's sake, go make a few mistakes!
For those of you who know the story, this is Mrs. Lynde encouraging Anne to go off to school at Queens College.
For those of you who don’t know the story, it doesn’t matter. The lines speak for themselves.
Make a move, and take some chances
We can play life safe. We can do exactly what’s expected of us, blindly follow the path in front of us. Or we can make a move and take some chances.
Those chances can be big ones - like a new job, moving to a new city, starting - or ending - a relationship.
Or they can be small ones, like adopting a new habit, extending a hand of friendship to someone new in your community, trying a new recipe for dinner.
Choose to change your circumstances
We aren’t trees. We aren’t rooted to the ground. We can get up and move and CHOOSE something different for ourselves.
If we aren’t happy at work, we can find a way to be - talk to someone about an opportunity to grow, find a new job, change our outlook on where we are.
If we aren’t happy in our relationships, we can find a way to be - speaking up about how we feel and our needs, giving a little more, ending the relationship if that’s the right thing to do.
If we aren’t happy with ourselves, we can make the changes we need so we can be truly happy.
Life is all about the messes that we make!
So for heaven's sake, go make a few mistakes!
Not everything we do is going to work out perfectly the first time! We’ll make mistakes, make messes, maybe embarrass ourselves along the way.
But if we take risks, if we learn and grow from our experiences, we’ll find that our lives can be better - and bigger - than we ever dream.
Daring to talk about journaling was a risk for me. I had journaled for years and never talked about it. I didn’t know how to bring it up, what to say about it, or if anyone would even care.
But when I started talking about it on LinkedIn, I found not just a receptive community, but a community clamoring to learn how they, too, could use journaling to make their lives even better.
I’ve taken some risks, I’ve made some spectacular flops. And I’ve learned. Embraced opportunity. And set my life on a new trajectory as I more seriously pursue journaling coaching moving forward.
What moves are you going to make this week? What chances will you take? How will you change your circumstances?
Let’s do it together! If you are curious to learn more about how journaling can support you in your big moves, I invite you to book a call with me HERE.
Weekly Journal Prompts:
Use these prompts as written or as inspiration to uncover what you need in your life this week.
How have I been playing small in my life?
Where have I been playing small because someone else might get upset?
How can I take a risk that will allow me to play a little bigger?
Who might I inspire as I do?
Who do I look to an example of someone who takes risks?
What chances might future me be glad I took?
One Journaling Idea I Love:
Gratitude Journaling
We all know gratitude journaling is good for us, but just how do you do it? Do we just make a list of what we’re grateful for? Is it that easy?
Well, yes. It can be.
And, no. It can be different.
Here are my two favorite gratitude practices:
The Quantity approach - sometimes it feels good to make a big, long list of ALL the things we can be grateful for
The Deep Dive approach - zero in on one thing at a time. Ask yourself these questions:
What am I grateful for?
Why am I grateful?
How can I show my gratitude?
While the quantity approach is simple and easy - and feels so good to see everything in one place, I love to reach for the deep dive approach to really allow myself to reflect on and savor what I have to be grateful for. And it helps me to take my gratitude off the page and into my life.
Regardless of how you choose to do your gratitude practice, the most important thing is FEELING the gratitude so it’s an active presence in your life. 💛
Need Some Help with Your Journaling?
I work with clients 1:1 and in small groups to help them journal their way to both success on their own terms and to a life they don’t want a vacation from.
The next round of my signature 8-week program, Better You, Better Business, starts on October 3.
Working together, we’ll
identify opportunities for growth and progress
build foundational habits to help you succeed
take your goals and break them down into action plans so you can move forward and make them happen
overcome obstacles, stumbling blocks, and limiting beliefs
recognize and celebrate your growth and progress
learn to be your own accountability partner so your growth is lasting and sustainable
Whether you’re ready to work with me or are just curious about what that might look like, book a call with me HERE. I can’t wait to talk with you!
Happy Journaling!
Make a move, and take some chances
Choose to change your circumstances
Life is all about the messes that we make!
So for heaven's sake, go make a few mistakes!
LOVE THIS! Thank you Amanda. I needed this reminder to the start of my week.