Cow Sitting: Remind yourself who you are and how far you've come

Every so often we should take a moment to remember who we are, where we've come from and how far we've traveled. Not only is it a good practice in being mindful of continuing to move forward, but seeing how far we've come also can provide a boost of courage to take the first step toward a new adventure.

Recently I rediscovered a childhood photo taken during a Girl Scout outing at a dairy farm in rural northeastern Washington State where I grew up. My hair in pigtails, a 10-year-old me is sitting astride a dairy cow. Debby Noonan, my BFF and partner in many adventures, is sitting right behind me, grinning. She always had my back.

For those of you who did not grow up on a farm, let me explain that sitting on a dairy cow is not a normal rural activity. We didn't say, "We've mucked out the chicken house and led the sheep to the upper pasture. Now it's time to do some cow sitting!"

Yet here is proof that I did. It's a snapshot of who I was at age 10: happily sitting on a dairy cow with my best friend--enjoying the moment and anticipating life's next adventure.

What a great way to approach life! What is preventing you from enjoying the moment? What is your next great adventure--and what steps are you taking to make that adventure a reality? Paddle on!