We all have many “Firsts.” Don’t be scared, it’s a lot less dramatic than you think.
We all have many firsts. Today was my daughters first day of Kindergarten. My wife and I thought a lot about it. We discussed how she would feel, whether or not she would make friends or if her teacher would be nice or not. We just want her to be happy and not scared.
Today when we dropped her off, it was a little chaotic. Parents everywhere with video camera’s, posing for pictures and people crying. My daughter showed us around, we went yesterday to meet the teacher, played on the playground and endured our multiple photo shoots. She was calm.
We said our goodbyes and told her I would pick her up later and that I loved her. She said okay and jumped in line to go to her classroom. As she approached the room, there was one last turn, a wave and she was gone. I couldn’t help but feel a moment had gone by. I knew this was the first of many “firsts” that we were going to encounter over the next several years with her.
Reflecting on the moment I realized that my daughter appeared to take it all in as a new adventure. She enjoyed the moment, didn’t cry and was having fun! It also came to my attention that my wife and I worried more about what might happen. I think that’s natural when you have kids. There is always so much emotion involved when raising kids. The trick is to not get too caught up in making up stories.
I have a lot of friends and clients that are going through many “firsts” right now. They are starting new careers, moving into new homes or contemplating big bold moves. The natural reaction is to be a little bit scared. The truth is that there is nothing more liberating than creating a new direction for yourself and following that path. It’s truly living.
We have many opportunities in life to create something new in our lives. Re-invent our careers, our lives or even who we are. Don’t like your job? Create your own business. Want a new body? Workout at a real gym. Want to live healthier? Go green!
As we move through our lives we can learn from other peoples “firsts” and realize that they can be opportunities. My daughter taught me today that she can embrace her new adventures and I’m confident she’ll be ready for the next one.
What “Firsts” are you doing now?