Do you remember the last time it was that you fell down? I mean really fell down where you ripped up your skirt or jeans, your knees were bloodied and the palms of your hands looked liked ground beef with sticks and stones sticking out of them. Unless I miss my guess, you’ve not fallen like that in several years.

Have you ever thought about why that is? Well for one thing most of us have traded in our bicycle for a stationary one at the gym, and the roller blades (in my day they were called skates) or skateboards have been traded in for Prada pumps and Florsheim oxfords that we don’t dare scuff up. Our childhood exuberance and daring is not gone necessarily, but we have certainly traded in the bloody scraped knees for most likely a jacked up pride or ego.

But here’s the difference. When we were children, as soon as we were bandaged we were back up on the bike or strapping on the roller-skates for more action. Yes, the wounds hurt – and we cried, but they didn’t stop us from moving forward. Today, when we get our pride or ego banged up, it can take days or weeks (sometimes even much longer) to get over and past it so that we can truly move forward.

As my mentor Debbie Ford would say, we have to learn to turn our “wounds into wisdom”. We cannot stop taking risks because we are afraid of falling and scraping our knees. So go pull the 10 speed or mountain bike out of the garage or storage locker, and go for a spin (I promise you will remember how). As you speed past people walking along, or as you fend off chasing dogs like some jousting knight of old… remember… remember your youth and the risks you allowed yourself. If a 10 year old can do it… so can you.

Love and Bright blessings ~ Richard