Do you remember what it's like to be on a swing? When was the last time you felt that sensation of flying...back and forth...higher and higher...not wanting to stop...When I was a kid, I loved to swing. I guess I was a little daring in my youth because I also liked to jump off said swing! That's another story.
But yesterday it hit me that FLYing is a lot like swinging. When you sit down on a swing, there are a couple of things you can do. First, you can take a running start. Remember that part...stretch back with the seat behind you, then a little running start, jump into that seat and hope like crazy that you don't miss. When we were older, that was the way to start off.
But think about when you were a baby. Someone had to push you, to give you a little nudge. And they couldn't stop pushing you or the momentum would eventually slow to a halt.
When you got a little older, and a little more self-sufficient, there was our third method. Sit down on the swing. Dead standstill. Start to kick your legs back and forth...back and forth...until you got going. First a little, then a little more, and finally you were pretty proud of your accomplishment. It took awhile, but you did it!
So how do these childhood recollections related to flying? Let's start with the run and jump method. That's our "seasoned" flyers. They know they have to hit the ground running. They have a plan, followed up with action, and they FLY in no time! They have taken the time to create routines that work for them and have practiced those routines. A good swinger doesn't happen overnight; we aren't born with the ability to know how to operate a swing! FLYing doesn't happen overnight; we have to learn and practice our skills.
The "I-can-do-it" approach are those of us that have the basics, and we can get ourselves moving. Some days "getting moving" takes longer than others. We don't ask for help, but we haven't quite gotten all of the pieces straightened out yet. This method of swinging can be painfully slow - and painfully slow for flying, too. Sometimes we fail to even see our progress, as if we are just moving our feet back and forth and never getting anywhere.
So here lies the final method. Getting help! A gentle nudge to get us started, sometimes a full on push...whatever level of help you need, think of that baby in the swing. Where do we get these nudges? Visit flylady's website. Read the emails, especially the ones from other flybabies. Visit flylady chat, which I've blogged about in the past. Whatever it takes to give you the support you need.
At different times in our FLY lives, we will utilize the above methods. There is nothing wrong with any of them. There is no shame in getting help at times, especially when we are new or having difficulties in life. And it's good to have the "I-can-do-it" attitude. That attitude, patience and practice is the only way you will ever get to the run and jump method. Of course, we aim to be at the run and jump method, but even when we get there, sometimes it's just nice to flying with someone at your back giving you a push...higher and higher...until you feel like you are really FLYing.
