W is for Willingness by Conlee Ricketts #atozchallenge

is for Wisdom whoops...Willingness

When I wrote “T is for Trust” I explained where my words came from and how I hadn’t changed any of them—until now, and I think it’s appropriate that my W word became “Willingness” because I needed to be willing to be flexible when it came to changing my word.

I was having trouble writing for Wisdom.  I had an idea of what I wanted to share but it just wasn’t working.  I was discussing my list and my W woes with my new friend and co-worker, Eric.  Out of 72 computers in a room I was lucky enough to get the assigned seat next to Eric.  My row of 6 people are wonderful, but to end up next to a person who is a Reiki practitioner and who offers monthly guided meditation circles can’t be any better sign from the Universe that I’m on the right track. He and his wife own Transformative Balance, LLC in Columbus, Ohio.  I'm glad to have found this resource.

So Eric asks me, “Does it have to be wisdom?”

“Well...I wrote down my list of words months and months ago, and I’ve never changed one…but I guess it doesn’t have to be.” I could feel myself getting all bristly at the thought of changing a word--my word.  I had already been so prideful about my list assuming each word had something to teach me.

“How about willingness?”

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner.  I knew he was right the moment he said it, but I sort of felt interior resistance for a moment about changing my word.  It was a fast realignment inside and I realized that I had to be willing to change.  Duh.  Maybe this was Wisdom’s lesson for me after all.  Stop being so frickin’ rigid, let others in, let someone else help, and for Pete’s sake be willing to do all of the above.

So keyboard and virtual paper in hand I will make a list of willingness with the BIG ONE first:

• I will be willing to fail
• I will be willing to succeed
• I will be willing to meet new people
• I will be willing to take advice
• I will be willing to listen to opposing points of view
• I will be willing to change my opinions after getting new information
• I will be willing to smile
• I will be willing to play outside
• I will be willing to go out to dinner
• I will be willing to wear make up for no reason
• I will be willing to try to put effort into my appearance (wha? no more pajama pants? not yet-they're the only thing that fit right now)
  
• I will be willing to eat more veggies
  
• I will be willing to drink less wine
• I will be willing to not feel as if the world will end if I spend money on a treat for me or my daughter (like pants that fit me)
  
• I will be willing to get rid of some things
• I will be willing to be less afraid
• I will be willing to be less critical of myself
• I will be willing to love me
• I will be willing to listen to criticism without feeling pain
• I will be willing to dust myself off and try again

Willingness is the key to having any new experiences at all, or to making any changes whatsoever in the way things are going.  I can feel it in my belly when I am unwilling—sometimes that’s a good thing; it’s a warning that I need to pay attention, but sometimes it’s just regular run-of-the-mill fear trying to keep me in my rut.  Fear knows that getting out my rut would require a change, perhaps a new me, with new friends, and new ways of seeing the world, and that might make my old friends very uncomfortable, but I am not responsible for how they feel about me. 

I am excited about my list and need to take some time with each of them, but all I really need to do for the traction to start getting out of my rut is to start using this phrase, “I’m willing to consider that,” and then see where it takes me.

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