Celebrating the Attempt

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OakleyOriginals

My post on embarrassment struck a chord with a few of you.  I hope it helps to know you’re not alone in your struggles.

And I hope that you fully understand that most of the time, your embarrassment comes about because you’re out there, trying something.  And that’s what we’re going to celebrate this weekend.  The attempt, no matter how it turns out, to learn something new, to express ourselves, to make the world around us a better place.

Yes, these attempts can go wildly awry.  You can work and work and work and end up with, well, huh.  Not quite what you were expecting.  Sometimes you try to make dessert for four and end up with The Pavlovasaurus (eight eggs – how did it get so big???)

Akan and the pavlovasaurus.

But you get out there and you try.  Yay, you! Reward yourself.  Celebrate getting out there.  Don’t worry so much about the outcome.  Yes, of course, you want it to be great.  We all do.  And sometimes it will be.  And sometimes it will make for a really funny story.

The motto of the Special Olympics is “Let me win.  But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”  They’re the words I live by, as I keep on trying.

So let me know, what have you been attempting this week?  What should you be patting yourself on the back for?  Please let me know so I can cheer you on!

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10 Responses to Celebrating the Attempt

  1. Jane_M says:

    That Pavlovasaurus looks great! Any mishap that includes fluffy egg whites and sugar is a big win in my books.
    Lately I’ve been attempting to be a motorbiker. I have a motorcycle and some gear, but can’t seem to get over the terror of being on the road (all the traffic, the high speeds, the hard pavement with not much between me and it) I’m going to keep working on it, but having reminders that if it doesn’t work out it’s not the end of the world is good.

    • val mcmahon says:

      Hey Jane M, you’re me 3 years ago! Kevin (Barb’s brother) and I (Barb’s brother’s wife) got bikes a few years back . It was my menopausal midlife crisis solution. Well, that’s the word on the street. Reality is I have ADHD and get bored easily so, on the downhill side of 50, WE got a new hobby. Anyway, we took the course at Conestoga College – they’re the best! After that there were lots of rides on slow, easy roads for a long time. Realizing that we break easier than, say, a 20 year old is powerful motivation for caution. So go easy, enjoy some leisurely rides when there isn’t a lot of traffic out, and definitely go at your own pace. Do what you can for the enjoyment of what you experience. (and if you want to contact personally, it’s wgcmom@gmail.com)

      • Barb McMahon says:

        I could not have responded better, Val. Thanks so much for this!

        And Jane – please strive for that balance of safety and fun. We want to keep you around for a good long time!

  2. heidi says:

    Sometimes terror is worth listening to. Celebrate the wisdom of your spirit!

  3. Beverley says:

    With my disabilities after having a stroke lots of things seem too big and difficult to try. But, if I don’t try them, my life will be very boring and dreadfully limited. So – I go to Health Recovery Tai Chi, go to the theatre and the odd movie, fly to see the grandchildren, make it into restaurants, the homes of my book club etc, and try to ignore the fact that I now move very differently from almost everyone else. It’s scary, but I don’t like the alternative.

    Thanks for the chance to say this!

  4. Barb McMahon says:

    Thanks for saying it Beverley. I admire you. You know that, right?

  5. Macy says:

    This weekend, after months of procrastinating, I finally chiselled off the old trashy blue tiles in the downstairs loo and replaced them with thick stone tiles.
    I’m a genius! Now all I need is to figure out how to get a dozen or so people in there to applaud aforesaid genius…

  6. Barb McMahon says:

    Wow! What a lot of work!
    You could post photos on your blog and then it’d be like having the entire internet crammed into your downstairs loo, applauding your genius!
    I’ll bring the virtual wine….

    • Jeanne says:

      , they follow you!  You rule, my hair! (I can’t vouch for my hair on the recital facebook videos, I was all sweaty and it frizzed with humidity.)LOVED the topic.  Too much to comment on.  You guys rule!  (Milo loves you both!)OK, this is your comment when you comment while lint&nisg.enbsp; SORRY!(RIP, Boo the Kitty.  Love you!)

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