life narrative

One step at a time.

I once bought a pewter key chain in the shape of three footprints in succession. I was going through an extremely difficult experience and decided to carry the key chain as a reminder that I need only take one step at a time, one day at a time. There were many moments when I reached into my pocket or purse to clasp that key chain as a silent reminder to take my next step.

Approximately two years after I purchased it, the key chain broke in two from all its use, and my first reaction was alarm at what I would do without it, but I took a deep breath and slowly turned to look behind me and realized how far I’d already climbed and was delighted to discover that I no longer needed the physical reminder.

I’m so grateful for that climb.

What project or task or experience feels daunting and overwhelming right now?

Take one step. That’s it. Just one and then another. Before you know it, you’ll be turning slowly around to look behind you and will have your own moment of recognition of just how far you’ve come and just how much you’ve achieved.

I’m here cheering for you. You’ve got this!

An acorn fell on my head today.

The exact same thing happened once upon a time to Chicken Little (from the classic children’s book of the same name) and she immediately told herself that the sky was falling and then proceeded to run around telling the same (made up) story to anyone who would listen!

WARNING: spoiler alert if you keep reading past this point!

Long before they reached their destination, Chicken Little & her friends believed another made up story (which was missing a few subtle plot points) and ended up as Foxy Loxy’s permanent dinner guests.

Because Chicken Little dramatically overreacted to an upsetting incident that was out of her control she got herself and all of her friends killed.

The sky was never falling.

Upsetting and out-of-our control incidents happen all the time. How many of us make up stories when we get hit on the head with an acorn? Other than a temporary insult to your noggin, that acorn doesn’t impede your progress for long.

Unless you choose to stop everything and claim a falling sky.

Choose to tell a different story.

Your sky is never falling.

Steps

The Sky is Falling!