Challenge Accepted

 

Try everything you want to do. Some projects might achieve their goals. Others may not. You never know unless you give it a go. There are two approaches in life. We can either play it safe, or take a risk.  

I currently feel quite nervous about moving into my own place, living entirely independently. The uncertainty is endless. There are domestic tasks I will be doing for the first time. I have been moved out in the past, but there were always housemates to fall back on. This is complete independence. Almost. 

Some very colourful phone calls were made with the electricity company, after I had to verify my details for the fifth time. Everything is on the line here. If I shy away and don't get assertive, if I'm not patient when on hold for half an hour, then I don't get that power. It's all my responsibility. 

No pressure...  

Then there's the cooking. I feel quite embarrassed to say I am a terrible cook. Don't ever accept food I have prepared. I once made a pie explode in the microwave. Who knew that could even happen? Sure, I could survive without proper cooking. It's called take-out. But there are only so many burgers and subs one person can handle. Cooking is good for us. Apparently. The trick is to see these challenges as opportunities. I could start blogging about my journeys of navigating the kitchen. 

Nerves are calmed when I realise the great opportunities which will abound when I have complete independence. I'm taking a risk, and it is worth it. Living on the edge (one step at a time). I will be able to play loud tracks of Lady Gaga from the speakers, or quietly meditate without being disturbed. Independence sounds pretty good right now. The hurdles are worth it when we get to the other side. 

Graduate school is another bold leap I am taking. I never expected to be doing a Master's. Even a year or two ago, I was convinced that it was beyond reach. Surely the admission would be too selective. Surely a Master's was too ambitious, more than I could handle. That's for smart people.  

But I wanted to learn more about writing. As I cruised through undergraduate studies of public relations and journalism, I realised this second undergrad degree was superfluous. Why was I doing it? Simply because something greater did not seem realistic? What is reality, anyway? How very philosophical. 

The communications course was too similar to the undergrad in business. In other words, I knew more than I thought I knew. Underestimating myself, there was more than a dent to the self esteem. It was wasting my time. Sometime in the past few years, I had underestimated my own ability. A leap of faith needed to be taken into the unknown. It was time to feel stretched again, to enjoy learning again. 

My best recent decision involved leaving my second undergraduate degree early - one is enough. Instead, a Master's will stretch me for something new. It will mean giving up a night per week, which could have been spent at social clubs. But there are always other groups on other nights. And my gut tells me these skills can then be used to help the wider community.  

I'm really excited about learning to write at grad school. My blogging could become more concise. Research will have more insight. New topics could be covered. This experience is a unique opportunity. And we should always accept new opportunities when they are presented to us.   

 These dives into the deep end were inspired by some serious events. I have been recently confronted with human mortality, as very lovely people were almost slipping away. Hold onto life when you can. Don't just survive, but fully live. Do something you wouldn't expect. Accept anything offered to you. Work on anything you can get involved in. The possibilities are endless.