As I sit here, in socked feet, taking a tiny break from binge watching Bridgerton, I had to giggle at myself when lost my footing while walking down the hall to return to the couch. Wait, let me be a little more honest, I simply tripped over my own feet. There was not one thing in my way except me; let that marinate for a second, I promise I’m circling back to it.
Tripping and losing my footing is not an uncommon thing for me. I am rather accident prone and it is highly likely that the people closest to me each have a story about this lovely trait of mine. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones who can speak of my clumsiness. Do you all remember when the Wii was at the height of this video game thing, or at least when it was really really popular? Well, when the Wii Fit came about, I vividly remember climbing on the little fitness board to do the initial fitness test. As soon as I got on it, these words flashed across my television screen, “You’re Clumsy Aren’t You.” I laughed at the truth for a moment before I channeled my Michelle Tanner and thought, “how rude!” LOL! The machine pegged me before I even moved. Judgy much??? As I talk about my clumsiness, I know you already know that this post is not about “losing your footing” in the literal sense of the word, but the life lessons involved in it.
We’ve all made misteps, and we have all had moments where we may have completely lost our footing for whatever reason. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I know I have made misteps. I have trusted the wrong people, accepted the wrong jobs, accepted some things I shouldn’t have (personally and professionally), and I have definitely made some bad decisions and choices. I am also guilty of not looking closely enough to notice the cracks in my pathway or even the people who put them there in some situations. And do you know what? That’s okay because as long as we live and breathe, life will give us a lesson without asking us if we mind.
You don’t get the full bounty of any lesson until you’re ready for it though. They might as well name a Merry Go Round for me (and maybe you) considering the amount of times we may have had a different trial with the same lesson. Eventually you get it. So understand that losing your footing doesn’t always mean you lose ground. The fall might disorient you, but it won’t dismantle you. It just gives you a different view, and from that vantage point you can recalibrate your “footwork” and rechart your course.
Get on the good foot! It’s the one that will hold you up! Sometimes we lose our footing because we got in our own way or we’ve allowed others to dictate our way. We have got to learn to trust ourselves, whether we fall or not. Obstacles will present themselves, but we have to be careful not to build our own barriers.
Life teaches us what we need to know when we’re ready to learn it; just don’t rest in your slip or you might miss something!
Life Is But A Song 