 Posted: Wed 6:00, 13 Apr 2011 Post subject: Nike Jordan 11 Shoes Road Trip to Empowerment |
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| Road trips provide multiple opportunities for empowerment, beginning with the chance to face our fears. Each time we push past what’s comfortable and succeed, we gain confidence in our power of discernment. This frees us to live an adventurous life!
The Power of Facing Our Fears Sarah and I pulled into Yellowstone’s north entrance at 2:00 a.m. and were greeted by the official National Park warning: “Beware of Bison!” The bright yellow flyer had a comic, yet equally horrifying black sketch: a bison, head down, horns forward, tossing a flailing human into the air, his camera flying. On this dark, moonless night, with no other human being in sight, we were thrilled to arrive, but uncertain whether to proceed. After an hour or so we parked our trusty Saturn on the paved shoulder. It was very late; we’d covered many miles that day. It’s surprising how comfortable you can get with reclined seats, a pillow, and a sleeping bag. The Power of Spontaneity There was no one to collect our entrance fee, no one to tell us if we were safe to continue, and no one to help us if needed. We each heard the voice of caution familiar to many women―am I taking too great a risk? There are times to heed that voice by not continuing and times to simply hear it, recognize the possible dangers, and trust your instinct to move ahead. Many of these lessons were practical nuggets of wisdom about what we really need to be comfortable. You can live without a hair dryer―but not without toothbrush and toothpaste. Moist wipes can clean hands, clean spills, clean the car, and clean your body in a pinch. A hot shower is one of life’s greatest sensual pleasures. Clothes that “feel like you” are essential and empowering. Having gear that keeps you cozy in any weather frees you to enjoy the outdoors. Less i Yellowstone Park was one of many destinations on that luxuriously long road trip, and through our journey together we got to know ourselves in a new way. We were open to such learning because we had fewer distractions and time to consider our experiences. Unlike many life lessons that require big change for us to stop and notice, the things we learned were, for the most part,Jordans V.2 Grown Sale, fun and easy. On that trip we simply stayed wherever was convenient. Ironically, we’d planned it that way. Our day-to-day lives were filled with deadlines, decisions, and goals to reach. This road trip was an opportunity to step outside that and simply do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted―a unique chance to let the children in us play and the adults rest. One of the things you discover on road trips is how many interesting, kind, and caring people there are in the world. There were the folks who gave us gas when we realized our tank was nearly empty in a huge national park with the nearest gas station miles away. There was the camp host who brought extra firewood and doted on us like a grandfather. There were the countless smiles and moments of small talk. By 4:00 we just wanted sleep. So we got comfortable in the car, giggling at ourselves for selecting the one spot in front of a pay phone. You know,Nike Jordan 11 Shoes, just in case one of those bison got ideas. . . . The Power of Others That night in Yellowstone, we embraced just such an opportunity. With adrenaline pumping, we drove on into the park for one of the most exciting and beautifully eerie experiences we’ve ever had. Everywhere we looked,Authentic Jordan 13, there seemed to be eyes―little dots of light in the night looking back at us―a set of two here, a group of many there. We drove slowly, taking it all in. It’s easy to become wary of strangers, particularly with the barrage of tragic stories in the media. Road trips are a chance to experience firsthand the larger community we live in and feel support outside our usual world of friends, family, and colleagues. The power of that knowing includes a sense of greater security in our day-to-day lives and a feeling of connection rather than isolation from others. The Power of Self-Knowledge |
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