Un-ZIP Your Courage!

I have a fear of heights. It’s not exactly the height I fear necessarily but the falling from up high. Looking down makes my stomach feel like swirling butterflies. Therefore, I probably avoid situations of significant height unless I have solid ground under my feet so I can enjoy the vast vista. Therefore, when I signed up to “BE BRAVE” recently, as part of a conference in Nebraska, jumping off a 55 foot platform to ZIP LINE and walking swinging wooden planks 45 feet above the ground was what I had in mind to expand my comfort zone. I guess that is why they say “EXPANDING” your comfort zone.

The staff who was there to support our (myself and 14 other brave women) adventure kept reminding us… “this is Challenge by Choice, so if you do not want to jump or walk the High Adventure challenges you do not have to do so.” Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) I have adventure role models in my family. This made it nearly impossible for me to say no to the challenge. I would have to answer to family upon my return home. When I sat on the platform of the ZIP LINE looking down at what now appeared to be very small people below I thought to myself, “Why am I considering jumping off this perfectly sound platform? I don’t think that I can do this.” Then, I heard my niece, Samantha’s, voice in my head. Her voice said so clearly, “All you need is courage, Aunt Robin. You can do this.” Then all of a sudden I heard voices from the people who looked so small below yelling to me, “you can do it! You got this!” Next thing you know, I’m sailing through the air screaming the entire way. My screams started out as FEAR but the scream somewhere along the way turned into CELEBRATION! Celebration that I had broken through my comfort zone and entered a new level of courage.

After I landed on both feet on solid ground, it was my turn to shout out words of encouragement to my friends who also were stepping out to BE BRAVE and jumping from trepidation into victory. We were all beaming and grateful for the opportunity to expand our courage, our confidence and our friendship.

Prior to heading to this Nebraska adventure and conference about “Pursuing Your God-Sized Dreams,” I felt a little stuck. Have you ever felt stuck? Stuck for me is when comfortable begins to feel uncomfortable yet I don’t know how to change that. Before Nebraska I was making progress on some of my dreams but my steps were careful. You might even say I questioned a lot of my steps. Even though the dreams in my heart stirred within me every day, I doubted their importance and wondered if they really mattered to anyone other than me – and my encouraging husband. In Nebraska as I jumped from scary heights, I experienced breakthrough in a physical way, a mental way and yes, a spiritual way.

I learned that by starting with one small step leaps can be accomplished. I learned that we can be more brave in community than we tend to be on our own. I learned that as I cheered others, I too was filled with encouragement.

It was a glorious day of breaking through fear to enter into heightened levels of confidence and greater belief of what is possible. We shouted out for one another as we initiated one step at a time to face our fear. We were filled with reassurance that not only could we breakthrough the challenges that face us in life but we could also CHOOSE to elevate the challenges. We triumphed that day in Nebraska. We left there knowing that in the days ahead triumph was waiting for us there as well.

When I returned home, my heart was filled with more focus to pursue my God-sized dreams. My balcony is now filled with a few more friends who are there cheering me on and it is my privilege to do the same for them. My new comfort zone includes greater courage to step out more quickly, more confidently and more faithfully.

My COURAGE ZONE is expanding. My comfort zone is no longer acceptable. I know that God has a plan for me AND I know that he has a plan for you.

YOUR Courage will inspire others! Trust and take intentional steps along your path to being all that you are meant to be! Be Bold and know that God is with you because YOUR PATH MATTERS!

Phil. 4:13 (NIV) I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

Do you desire to Up-Zip your courage to pursue what matters most to you? What can you do TODAY to step out and grow YOUR Courage Zone?

Tell me about that or a time that you have done so in the past. I am here to cheer you on!

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