There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud.

~Carl Sandburg

This weekend my husband and I went to an outdoor sports festival. There was music, food and a variety of outdoor sports demos including slacklining.

Yoga on paddle boards

Even super chess

Super Chess: Are you ready??

All that adventure and yet I was beginning to feel the hint of a wallow coming on. Nothing unusual, just a little Monday slipping into my Sunday afternoon.

I ignored it, and we made our way to the Ultimate Air Dog event.

For this event, dogs ran across a ramp and jumped, flying over and into a pool (occasionally being prompted by their favorite chew toy or ball).

And every dog was different. Some were coaxed on by their owner and others had to be held by the collar because they couldn’t wait for it to be their turn. It was a Hippo vs. Eagle moment.

One little dog scampered down the ramp and then came to a complete stop at the edge.

And as the little dog hesitated, there was a collective “Aw.” Because we all know the feeling.

In fact it was exactly why I was beginning to feel like I wanted to wallow like the hippo (rather than soar like the eagle). I was thinking about writing a blog post and Tweeting and sharing on Facebook and pinning on Pinterest–and I felt a curious mix of fear and excitement at the thought of moving on from my cozy, family weekend to a week of social media. Again.

Because every week when I think about putting myself out there, I feel like I am dangling off the edge of that ramp, suspended over a dark pool of insecurity.

And it’s usually due to over thinking.

I’m too much of an introvert–this isn’t natural for me. I am far more suited to hours of solitary writing than social media and marketing. This blog topic sucks. Who is going to read this? It takes up too much time–instead I could, oh I don’t know, learn how to juggle or teach myself Swedish. Or I know! Finish knitting that lumpy scarf I started years ago or bedazzle . . . something.

Over thinking creates obstacles, diverts attention.

Better to be present. It’s easier to get to the other side, the place you want to be, when you focus.

Even if you’re not quite ready to jump, you can always lean into the leap.

Then catch some air.

And it’s a relief to be on the other side, to finish something that’s not easy, to take another step, reach another goal. There’s the sense of accomplishment, both in getting it done and pushing thru the hesitation.

It’s even kind of exhilarating.

Even when it doesn’t go so gracefully or my blog topic is well, a little meh. It’s okay.

Flops are a part of life’s menu and I’ve never been a girl to miss out on any of the courses.

– Rosalind Russell

And yes, the hesitation will be back, but:

The best way out is always through.

– Robert Frost

Because something happens every time you leap through to the other side:

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face.

– Eleanor Roosevelt

Are you soaring through this week, or is there something causing you to want to wallow?