Wisdom Week Wrap-Up August 18
Quotes that are food for thought
So many great quotes come out of my conversations with my guests! This is a weekly piece with some words that might just get you thinking.
“You can take a gap year in life at any age.”-Rick Higgins
Do you have to upend everything to scratch a midlife itch? Rick Higgins did as he ditched his conventional suburban existence for an adventurous life on the road in a converted school bus.
Rick’s decision was spurred, in part, by the death of his friend. The message iwas clear: don’t wait. Whether it’s taking a gap year or making a significant life change, the time to act is now.
The idea of doing something like this sounds somewhat romantic. Traveling without the clutter of possessions. A free spirit with an unlimited world to explore. Writing, photographing, experiencing whatever life throws at you.
Personally, I think it’s liberating (since I’ve done this, but for a totally different set of reasons). But a decision to be a free spirit in this world does come with a bit of baggage. The unknowing of day to day life can be both exhilarating and frightening.
As humans, we tend to revel in our habits, but day to day that can also lead to stagnation. How do you balance the two? Do you take off on a wild and wonderful adventure? And if not, how can you find that adventure you crave in your daily life?
I think the real question to ask is: Why do you seek the adventure? As always, the answers lie within.
“You never really know what lies around the corner.” -Angela Maxwell
At 32 years old, Angela Maxwell had a wonderful life. But something was missing. So Angela decided to walk around the world, even though she had limited hiking experience.
But she gained that experience, and more, as she tread through 11 pairs of shoes over 6 and a half years, through 14 countries.
“Courage,” she says, “is a verb.”
Martha McSally (another guest) says that courage is a muscle; the more you use it the stronger it gets.
What do you do when it comes to courage? Actions speak louder than words, although these days the act of simply stating certain words and beliefs also speak to one’s courage. Let’s all build some courage this week. I’ll leave it up to you to think about how. And I’d love to hear your stories.
“I believe everyone came to the earth with something to give to the world.”- Bobbi Gibb
Bobbi is truly a Renaissance person. She is relentlessly curious. She is well versed in physics and law. And she is a stunning artist. Most of all she is someone who followed her heart, to run, and to change the paradigm of the world she faced.
In 1966 when she snuck into the Boston Marathon wearing her brother’s shorts and oversized shirt, she became the first woman to run the race. She would end up changing the running world.
Bobbi’s story is one of intellect, passion and perseverance. And more than a little courage. I so admire her courage to follow her passion.
Must it take courage to follow your passion? Or can passion forge a path of its own?