Have Courage! Go Barefoot!

Two weeks ago I started this blog, sitting in a new Quiet Space, barefoot, under a tree in Victoria Park on a sunny Terrific Tuesday afternoon. How I found myself in this position was quite ‘by chance’ and since, I believe that everything happens for a reason, I took this as a sign that I should dedicate today’s blog to Going Barefoot! It is now a Magnificent Monday and no better day that to talk about COURAGE.

The landscape of St. John’s, being quite hilly, can pose a challenge for people like me who wear high heels and park on 45-degree angles. When faced with the grassy terrain of the park, I decided that my best option was to carry my shoes in one hand and cross the park barefoot while scoping out the best place to enjoy the sunshine, my tuna sandwich and my notebook in hand. This daring act made me think about how often I have gone barefoot in public and why it seemed so significant to me.

Going barefoot is exhilarating, on many levels. I like the feel of the cool grass between my toes. I am aware how it soothes the soles of my feet. It keeps me present. I like to think of going barefoot as a symbol of freedom and courage. Today I felt safe and secure enough in my own skin and in my environment to be myself, expose myself (my feet, that is) and hence, demonstrate courage by putting myself at risk.

Barefoot. Carefree. Joyful. At peace. Think about how often you were barefoot as a child, when you were fearless. Imagine that world again – where you feel safe and secure enough to walk around unprotected, you can be yourself, expose yourself and hence put yourself at great risk. Of course, the risks multiply as you get older and your sense of self in tied to external measures of success.

I have recently gone Barefoot and exposed myself by entering the world of the blog and sharing intimate details of my experiences and philosophies with the public. I have launched a new business which puts me “out there” front and centre from the world to judge. While I have always considered myself an “open book”, this has been a huge step in the courage department for me. I am embracing my potential, moving beyond my comfort zone and making choices that support my vision of success, even though I do so at great personal risk.

Starting your own business is one example of a significant life event that will test your courage. Moving to a new town, getting married, getting divorced, having children, leaving work to take care of your children or parents… none of these decisions are made lightly, we usually weigh the pros and cons but when all is said and done, they can evoke a sense of exhilaration as you embark on a journey into the unknown. Like free-falling, you have to trust in yourself. You must have faith in your own wisdom and your ability to create a new great reality.

As the butterfly trusts that nature will guard and protect her as she moves from one phase of her life to another, I don my symbol of transformation around my neck – a gift bestowed by my mother, a woman who demonstrates quiet courage in her daily life – and step into my courage today to make my life one of possibility, one of courage!! I am going barefoot in an unknown world. I have faith in me. Lesson Learned.