I have an irresistible urge to dance, said me never.  What about you?  Maybe dancing is something you love that sort of comes naturally to you or perhaps, like me, you’re convinced that when it comes to rhythm, well, you’d love to have some, but you’re pretty certain that when you were created there wasn’t an ounce of it placed within you.  

This past weekend a dear friend and colleague invited Ben and I to go out for the evening.  She wanted us to join her at a place where our mutual friend was deejaying.  She said we’d love it because everyone dances.  While part of me thought it sounded like so much fun, the more realistic side of me knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was way out of our comfort zone.  The only time we’ve busted a move in the recent past is with our two-year-old son in our living room or at a wedding reception where we’ve locked arms for the occasional slow dance. 

Here’s what I learned.  Dancing is good for the soul.  It’s a stress reliever.  It’s fun and it feels good.  Dancing is a mood booster and reminds me how much I love and appreciate music.  It brings people together.  And it induces smiles and laughter.  Dancing helps us break out of our shell.  And you know what else I realized?  Nobody cares if you can’t dance well.  So just get up and dance and receive all of the benefits that come from doing so.  I’ll bet money on it that you walk away from the dance with a shift in your perspective that can only come from partaking in the dance.  

I think there’s a life lesson hidden within our willingness to dance if it’s something we’ve struggled with in the past.  I don’t pretend to fully understand it all at this point, but I believe that there is a reward in doing things in life that make us feel uncomfortable.  In taking action and seeing things from a different perspective.  Had I never stepped onto the dance floor Friday night my view would have looked quite different.  When we step out into the dance floor there are people waiting to meet us there.  

What will you do the next time you’re presented with the invitation to dance?  Will you make excuses about not being good enough, having no rythym, etc. or will you embrace the offer and join in the fun?  I hope you decide to just dance.

I will walk by faith even when I can not see. Not because it’s the easy path. I know from past experience that this simply isn’t the case. But rather because it’s the path where God reveals his plans for our lives, which always prove to be far greater than anything we could have dreamed or imagined if we insisted on remaining in full control (which is really just perceived because there is so little that we can control).  

It requires you and I doing things that aren’t necessarily going to be popular among our friends and family. It involves letting go/surrendering so that God can go to work. There’s a pretty good chance that, at times, we’ll feel like we’re walking alone through the desert when we choose this path. Our decisions/choices won’t make sense to many but God is with us every step of the way. There’s often a shake up when we step out of our comfort zone and decide to walk by faith even though we can not see. Our lives may feel like they’ve been turned upside down or flipped inside out. It will be messy. And at certain points we’ll have more questions than answers. But God makes good on all of this and uses it all to change our lives and strengthen our faith.  We’ll find determination and perseverance, and courage when we walk by faith. And we’ll never regret trusting in what we can not see–a God who is at work 24/7 bringing all things together for good to those who trust in Him. And his timing, well, we learn pretty quickly that it’s nothing short of perfect.

Having just returned from a family vacation, this quote caught my attention. For many of us (myself included), we’ve made travel or vacation some sort of escape from reality. And in many ways it is a retreat from our crazy busy lives…from our work/personal commitments and responsibilities and our to do lists and daily routines. But I also love the perspective this quote brings. Traveling ensures that you and I don’t allow life to escape us. It provides opportunities to unplug, destress, take in beauty, breathe, experience new adventures, visit a dream spot or revisit a favorite destination, meet new people, spend quality time with those you love, recharge, reflect, and so on. There’s just something so special about travel that makes us feel so alive and brings us a greater appreciation for things.  

I’m thankful that somewhere along the way my perspective has started to change about travel. I’ve come to realize that I love my crazy busy life right where God has planted me in Toledo, Ohio and I’ve decided to adopt this mantra when it comes to getting away. I’m no longer going to look at vacations as a way to escape from my life, but rather as a way to make sure life doesn’t escape me. And I’m thinking that this is a pretty good filter to use for any sort of travel. You and I don’t have to wait for a dream vacation. Maybe it’s just a day trip, an overnight or weekend get away. Are you in?  

Drop a comment/picture below of your favorite travel destination.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a superstar when it comes to trying to overcomplicate things. It’s WAY out of my comfort zone to just begin. I’n an over thinker and an over analyzer. And while I’m at it, why don’t I just come clean that I’m a girl who often errors on the side of over communicating, too. 

 When it comes to making a change I like to ask 7 (or maybe it’s closer to 27) other people for their input/insight in search of the opinions I want to hear. I process best by talking and talking and talking some more. I’ve also been known to spend hours researching online. And then there’s my list of what if’s to run through. I can talk myself out of making a change just minutes (even seconds) after committing to the change I felt so darn good about. I want to make certain I’m making the right decision. Can you relate?  I’m realizing how exhausting this process can be. 

 It’s a new year and that means change is on the brain for many of us. You may be considering a change in you health, your diet, your daily routine, your exercise plan, and so on. What if you and I decided not to make change too complicated? And we chose to just begin. Knowing that we can make adjustments as we go. That we’ll most likely never have it all figured out before we begin. But once we begin, we’ll open ourselves up to more of what we want. And we’ll be one step closer to where we want to be.