I hate trampolines. You’re hurtled who-knows-how-high up into the air with no control. There’s nothing to hold onto. Then you plummet down with no idea where or how you might land – only to immediately be shot into the sky again! All without any opportunity to correct or adjust your trajectory, momentum, or stability.
Forget it if you want to get off! That’s somehow technically impossible!
If you’re with more than one person (as I was in my few experiences as a child), it’s all flailing limbs and screaming, and inevitably someone gets hurt.
Even the smaller of these contraptions (like the one your mom or health-conscious friend has in their garage) lead to sprained ankles. And I’m convinced the larger backyard variety always, eventually, must and do break bones.
The only time I skipped a friend’s birthday as an adult was because she wanted to go to one of those trampoline parks (why does this exist??). I may have broken out in a cold sweat. Do you know how many trampoline-related deaths there are every year??
(Okay… It’s slightly less than 2. They’re still terrible.)
I’m not adventure-averse. I’ve made multiple life-altering leaps in my life (and I love roller coasters!). Things that come with exhilaration, challenge, and sometimes a bit of vertigo built into them.
Starting any new adventure may leave you feeling a little dizzy, breathless, and nauseated.
Sometimes we can and should take that discomfort as a reason to stop in our tracks – we listen to our gut. But other times – feelings last in the body for less than two minutes – that’s exactly when we should push forward.
I don’t believe in regret. Every choice we make is in a specific context. We have certain limitations, different things we know and are capable of, without which we could not become the person who now might prefer to make a different choice.
Still, it’s only human to prefer to avoid painful or especially challenging learning opportunities when we can. So, how can we tell when fear is a warning that something is a bad idea, at least for now? And when it’s just alerting us to pay attention because something different is happening in our environment?
Preparation
When I have made a big leap in my life, the most important thing has always been preparation. That doesn’t mean having all the details nailed down. But it does mean having an idea of how your basic needs will be met. Preparation includes knowing what skills and resources you bring, and where you can get additional support along the way.
When leaving New Orleans after nearly a decade, I didn’t know I was going to end up in Bend. But I knew I would be visiting with family, freelancing, and applying for projects and contract work, and I also had a chunk of savings to rely on.
Know and like your reasons for change. And why now.
When I left my career in nonprofits, I knew I had gone as far as I could in the role. Growth opportunities had stagnated. Instead, my days were increasingly consumed with busy work and responsibilities from past roles. I knew I wanted to continue to learn, challenge myself, and do work that allowed me to use my strengths to full advantage for me and my employer.
I knew not just what I was leaving but what I was going toward. I also knew the moment I decided to leave wasn’t the right time to do so. It was another six months before I had laid the foundation, financially and emotionally, to take the leap.
Some solid, specific next steps.
It’s not necessary to have an extensive five-year plan. Often navigating a change is like walking through a thick fog: all you can see is the next few steps ahead of you. But if you keep moving forward, the next steps appear. It’s essential to know what those first few steps are at any point though. Maybe it’s networking, expanding a skillset, learning something new, or bringing in expert guidance.
Excitement for the work, as well as the possibilities.
We can’t just live in our dreams. If you don’t like the work and process of becoming the person you aim to be and getting to your next objectives, you won’t like it once you’re there either. It’s important to have an idea of how a big leap and all the effort and learning it will require fits into your long-range goals and values.
Having these things in mind has helped me know when to listen to my fear and when to breathe through it and do the thing anyway! I’ve moved across the country twice, lived overseas, had three careers, and started my own business doing work I love to help people in meaningful ways. I’ve had a lot of adventures along the way!
Don’t let fear hold you back when it’s alerting you to a change. But when you jump – whether it’s to a new place, a new job, a new business, or a new product – make sure you’re leaping forward, and not just bouncing on the terrible trampolines of life.
