Take A Risk

Hey y'all!

To be honest I can't tell you the last time I wrote for Straight No Chaser...but I felt it in my heart this morning as I was reflecting before beginning my day that I needed to bridge my two "personas" --my two blogs by sharing my journey over the last 2 months, and honestly the last 8 months.  

Straight No Chaser began last year almost as a joke and a platform for me primarily and a few friends to give advice on life/career and relationships.  Yet I knew I've always had a purpose in advising people to find the right solution for their problems...I'll be beginning life coaching soon!  With Life Inspired By God, the vision for writing was given to me in 2009 during a dream about my calling.  Since then, I healed from my deep rooted wounds by sharing my testimony with a biblical lesson.  It's my first baby and will always hold a place in my heart.  So to begin, my purpose in writing tonight is to encourage all of you to take a risk.  Here is my testimony.

At the beginning of this year, I undertook the challenge of finding a single word to guide my year.  It was quite a challenge, I'll say the least.  To squeeze your entire existence for the year into one word...on first thought was unheard of and unfathomable for me.  But as I began to "LIVE", for the first time in my life I began to understand all of the many definitions I wrote for the word.  I went from confirming the lessons I learned in evaluating relationships and friendships, to dealing with codependency issues, to shutting my mouth all the way down (from Loose Lips Lucy to Silent Bob), to sharing daily lessons before I hit the life-altering 30, to sharing secrets from being molested, to trying veganism, to "making miracles" by practicing gratefulness, to now finishing an 8 week journey to call in the "one" (wink wink) and truthfully manifest love in every area of my life.  I've probably read about 30 books so far (I'm stretching it a tad...maybe about 10 or 15 books...I honestly don't know.  But this was all possible because I took a risk, or rather a chance on myself.  I decided to sit out of law school this year.  Rather than be go, go, go Quita (SNC y'all know me as Sasha 😘) I decided to completely trust God to show me the way.

So these last 8 weeks between the gratefulness lists and the daily readings and weekly calls for Calling In the One, I've done a lot of changing.  I regularly meditate as part of my daily prayer time.  I maintain some form of physical activity every day.  I keep it all the way 100 with myself by acknowledging my feelings. My life has been in a constant state of change and transition. But my journey has been beautiful.  I don't think I've cried this much since I was younger, but it's been to shed the old skin, or as the Bible says, have new skin for the new wine.  

Like I said I've challenged myself...I've started dating again (whoo hooo 😱😝) and I've gotten to know me in ways I never knew myself.  I smile more, I'm happier because I've truly spent the last 8 weeks being grateful every day and realizing I do have a lot to be grateful for.  While all of the shifts have been traumatic, they were necessary risks.  

Before I turned 30, I prayed about this next decade and what it would hold for me. I know now to never say never and that adventure is on the other side of the door if you open it.  I prayed to be prepared for love and who knew just being honest about your feelings and being grateful and letting go of some old garbage you were unaware you were still holding would pave the way for that.  I'm not saying I met my husband, maybe I did and am unaware...but I took a risk to live and have allowed love to be my life supply.  

So my point in sharing tonight was to do a few things: 1) link my blog readership (I needed to revive my babies lol), 2) be transparent and merge all of me into one pretty unique box, and 3) to challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone.  Ironically enough, I've been seeing "get comfortable being uncomfortable" so much I know I'm talking to myself!  But seriously, take a chance on you. Whether it's doing some intensive healing, picking one word that is the overarching focus of your life for the year (seriously look up "My One Word" -- its been a huge blessing to my life, goodbye New Year's Resolutions!!), pursuing a dream wholeheartedly, or taking the journey to receive true love (whether he's a good friend, or she's the last woman on earth you could imagine yourself with), do yourself a solid  and choose you.  Choose you...by taking a risk and doing something that could change the entire trajectory of your life.  Choose you by putting things in proper perspective.  Choose you and live the life you have, not allowing it to pass you by like a bullet train.  

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take...so take one now!