Jumping In: Doing vs Deciding
“The unknown is also the realm of infinite potential.”
Summering on a sailboat, the sea is always right there: glimmering, inviting and calling me in. And yet, I hesitate. Even on the hottest days.
I'll slowly descend the ladder. First my feet. Then the water rises up my legs. And then, by the time I’m at hip level, there are no steps left. I’m standing on the last rung. There’s nothing left to do but let go.
On these 30+ degree days (that’s around 90F for my American friends out there), the initial shock of the water is real. One moment, I’m cozy warm and dry then next I’m fully immersed in the thing I spent much too long contemplating.
The cold water on my hot skin is startling. But only for a second. Because right behind that initial shock, something else arrives. Aliveness. Then ease. And then, joy. The moment I'm in, there’s nothing left to resist. I relax into exactly where I am: a little cold, completely wet, and so happy to be swimming in the sea.
I’ve been reflecting on this every day, not because I'm being brave (I will admit that I’m a little scared of what lurks below, even in crystal clear water), but because it reminds me of how much of life is spent flip-flopping back and forth on decisions (any other Gemini’s out there?!) or waiting for the right time.
We can spend so much time (maybe too much time?) convincing ourselves that one day there will be a perfect moment to begin. That we’ll do it later. Later, when there’s more certainty. Later, there’s more time or when we are more confident. More prepared. More certain. More ready.
But here’s the thing: life rarely works that way.
Maybe you’ve been seeing this saying floating around the internet lately “You’ll never feel ready because ready isn’t a feeling. It’s a decision.” I don’t know who originally said it but I do resonate with it and it makes me think that sometimes you just have to jump and grow your wings on the way down.
Life happens in the middle. And if we keep waiting, our best lives will always live there too — just out of reach, perpetually almost. So maybe the question isn't am I ready? It's what Oprah calls "the next right move." Not the perfect move. Just the next one.
Because the most meaningful things rarely wait for our readiness. Love arrives when we're not looking. Opportunities appear before we feel qualified. New chapters begin while we're still grieving the last one.
It’s not really about jumping into the water. It’s about choosing wonder over certainty. About stepping into the unknown. About taking a risk. About cultivating little bits of courage every day. About trusting that some experiences reveal their meaning or lead us towards our next best move only after we’ve already taken the leap.
And, what I’m realizing is that there’s power + magic in ordinary everyday courage. It looks like sending the message. Booking the ticket. Saying yes. Saying no. Starting something. Finishing something. It looks like choosing movement over staying stuck, even when fear is sitting beside you.
My invitation to you is to take a deep breath … and jump in.
Photo Credit: moon chasers