Gearing Up to Make the Jump

“Those who don’t jump will never fly.”

—Leena Ahmad Almashat

Oh boy… that one hit me today.

I’m standing at the edge of something new. A fresh painting series. A blank canvas. And honestly? I’m nervous as hell.

You’d think after all these years of painting, showing, and selling, I’d be immune to this feeling. Nope. It still sneaks up on me. That little voice whispering:

“What if this one fails?”

“What if nobody gets it?”

“What if I forget how to paint halfway through?”

So today, instead of pretending to be cool and collected, I figured I’d do something different:

I’m stepping outside of myself for a moment… to inspire myself.

And hey, you’re welcome to listen in … just keep your hands inside the ride at all times.

Here’s what I told myself:

Jump anyway.

Jump messy. Jump scared. Jump uncertain. That’s how we fly.

(Or at least how we tumble with style.)

But before I jump, I’ve decided I’m going to suit up.

Yep. Time to put on my old taekwondo belt and gear … you know, just in case I need to soften the fall.

Because if I’m going down, I’m going down like a black belt.

So… what’s your jump right now?

What’s that thing making your palms sweaty and your heart race a little?

And hey … if you could literally gear up before making a leap…

what would you wear?

(Me? I’m ready to spar with a canvas.)

Let’s hear it. Share your “gear” in the comments … bonus points for creativity!