Risking It

My wonderful brother Kert, a Qi Gong teacher, is 14 months younger than me and is a constant source of inspiration (read more about some of Kert’s adventures).

He’s currently studying a special form of Qi Gong from a Taoist Priest in the Wudang Mountains of China (see photos of the mountains on this blog I stumbled across).

He plans to be there for six months. He left knowing no one and not having any idea what to expect (the schedule is intense, he’s up at 5:00 a.m. each day to begin his practice with other men and women from around the globe). His gut told him to take this leap and he listened.

He’s always been comfortable taking risks, much like me.

I think we got this risk-taking streak from our maternal grandmother, who died at the age of 94 (she would have been 100 on Sept. 1st). We were very close to her.

Born in 1910, our “Nonnie” grew up on the oldest dairy farm in Texas.

She got an undergraduate degree in education, received a graduate degree in her twenties, traveled with her girlfriends to Europe while she was single, asked for a divorce and became a single mother in her early thirties, bought land and opened/managed a soda shop (and was proudly the first in the state to serve “soft serve ice cream”) while teaching school, actively invested and was infamous for the amazing trips she took me and my six siblings on in the 70’s and 80’s. One of my favorite photos is of 69 year-old Nonnie and me riding camels next to the Pyramids of Giza (yes in Egypt!).

I have been reflecting lately on the gifts that I have received from my female ancestors—especially my grandmothers.

I believe that when I honor these gifts—such as risk taking from Nonnie—I call them forth, strengthen them and breathe life into them.

And I believe that risk taking really asks that we be visible (when I cashed out my 401K in 2007 to open a small publishing company, there was nowhere to hide!). And showing up and being seen is no small feat for many.

The older I get, the more comfortable I get taking all kinds of risks. I find that when I step out of my comfort zone, jump off a cliff or tread down an unknown path because I felt “guided” to do so-- I feel alive.

And as I think of Kert eating congee every morning for breakfast in China while I eat my homemade soy yogurt parfait, I smile at the photo of Nonnie next to my bathroom sink and wonder what she’d have to say about all of this!

JOIN A GROUP, ATTEND A RETREAT/WORKSHOP OR DIALOGUE WITH ME: Would you like to learn more about the power of self-care and receive support for taking risks in life? Start or join a Personal Renewal Group, visit our calendar to learn more about upcoming events including our FREE September 9th Live Inside Out teleclass on Strategies for Balanced Living.

Also, check out our Live Inside Out community and read how people are living more intentionally.

The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to life balance and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly.

Photo: My sister recently gave me these beautiful red wrap sandals from Spain. I love them because they remind me to take risks and to show up big and be seen!