Power of the pigtails

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

What gives you the courage to face your fears?  Well, I recently discovered that wearing pigtails gives me courage.  Yes, that’s right!  Not only do my pigtails provide me with courage but I also experience joy, freedom and fun while wearing them.  There’s something about having pigtails that allows me to connect with my inner child which results in excitement, awe, inspiration and the courage to do things I never thought I could do. 

I will be honest and say that most of my life, I have been afraid to live.  Yes, that’s correct…afraid to live.   I’ve calculated the risk of every action in my life.  Sure, that analysis might make me a great scientist or chess player or allow me to solve the Rubik’s cube but it’s also resulted in a life not lived fully due to fear.    

But now, thanks to the pigtails, I’m living my life to the fullest!!!  So how was this new-found courage discovered? 

Well, it all started one Sunday morning while I was getting ready to volunteer at Dr. Acupuncture’s medical clinic.  Once a month, she hosts Volunteer Day where people with limited incomes can come in for free treatments provided by Dr. Acupuncture and her team of dedicated volunteers.  I volunteer in the morning to give cupping treatments then in the afternoon, I give Reiki treatments.  At the end of the day, Dr. Acupuncture leads a meditation session.  In July, Dr. Acupuncture asked me to guide the meditation for the next Volunteer Day…a dancing meditation!   As I was getting ready on that Sunday morning, I somehow found myself putting my hair in pigtails and what a difference those pigtails made!   That day, I was filled with confidence and joy, and my inner child was ready to have fun.   It was such an amazing feeling not to be filled with worry or fear but rather inspired to have fun. 

Well, I’m thrilled to say that the excitement I felt that day with my pigtails has grown exponentially. 

Every time I wear those pigtails, I’m filled with courage.  Even though people may look at me as if I’m crazy (a 40 year old woman wearing pigtails???), when I see myself in the mirror wearing the pigtails, I can’t help but smile.  The pigtails somehow remind me that I can either choose fear or love.    It’s so easy to choose love when you’re wearing pigtails :)

“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.”  ~ John Lennon         

So how have the pigtails changed my life? 

The most profound change has been finding the courage to step into my greatness.   I'm so grateful for Marianne Williamson's words of wisdom because I understand how important it is for each of us to let our lights shine bright:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”  ~ Marianne Williamson, Return to Love

Living my life fully has lead me to taking a hip hop class (yes, I can groove!) and to participate in my very first art workshop where I created my first magnum opus piece of art.

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” ~ Picasso

I’ve also learned that being spontaneous doesn’t have to be scary.   Fears come in all different shapes and sizes, and mine were numerous!   I’m a diligent planner so the thought of going on vacation without a plan, without a reservation, without knowing exactly where we were going, how much it would cost or what time we would arrive would have scared the shit crap out of me and lead to sleepless nights but on August 27th, when Sarah suggested that we go on a road trip to the East Coast, I embraced the idea, and on August 29th, we left on an impromptu mother-daughter road trip to Maine.  I’ve learned that not having a plan means that you don’t have to worry about staying on schedule.  Freedom!!!  We had so much fun being footloose in Maine :)

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” ~ St. Francis of Assisi

As you can see, I've been having lots of fun while wearing pigtails but the ultimate in fun-ness came this week during a trip to Las Vegas.  I did the impossible!  The most amazing pigtails experience ever!  I went SKYDIVING!!!  (yes, I have to put that word in capital letters!!!) I jumped out of a plane at 15,000 feet in Las Vegas (15,000 feet!!!).  The experience was not only amazing but it was magical!!!  I can’t even begin to describe the experience because there are no words.  Okay, maybe Rumi said it best:      

“You were born with wings”. ~ Rumi

Check out the video of my first skydiving experience: 

 “Our truest life is when we are in our dreams, awake.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

This is what PURE JOY looks like :)

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~ C.S. Lewis

The greatest gift the pigtails have given me is the courage to show my daughter what it means to live life to the fullest.  Instead of teaching her how to fear, the magic that comes from the pigtails is showing her how to live.   Remember that by living your life fully, you are giving someone else permission to live their life to the fullest.  We are gifts to each other … helping each other be who we are meant to be! 

So what will inspire you to live your life fully and courageously? 

 “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” ~e. e. Cummings