Take the Leap

“Watching someone else totally go for it can be incredibly upsetting to the person who’s spent a lifetime building a solid case for why they themselves can’t.” 
- Jen Sincero, Author

It can be pretty easy to fall into our patterns of what feels safe and routine. However, what if you took a leap? Jumped into the unknown with outstretched open arms and warmly welcomed whatever came. What would happen if each day you decided to do something that scares you? Too radical? Maybe let’s settle for doing something each week that pushes you outside of your comfort zone. Would your life as you know it crumble to pieces at your feet? Or would you maybe gain a new perspective and change for the better? You can only know…if you take the leap.

It’s human nature to want comfort and stability. Taking a leap requires a tremendous amount of courage, and I want to applaud those who are even thinking about it and those who have pushed past their fear. CONGRATS!! For it’s in these moments that we can each find what is at our core as human beings. Many societies consider taking a leap of faith reckless or irresponsible; many people fear the unknown. But what would happen if we looked at life with compassionate curiosity? 

My first trip to Kibera is coming up this July, and I would be lying if I said I weren’t nervous. Sometimes there is a little voice in my head whispering “you can’t do this.” But above that whisper, another voice shouts, “YOU CAN AND YOU MUST!” If we each let ourselves live with that whisper in our head, we’re limiting our ability to discover what drives us and where our passions lie. 

The world is an increasingly complex place in which everything is interconnected. Our individual actions may seem small in the context of the world; however, it is naïve to assume that our individual actions do not affect the world around us. For example, your choice to buy that plane ticket to Nairobi and pack your bags for something unknown could unlock a whole world of possibilities for a child's future and for a community. 

I challenge you to take one small step in the world towards creating positive change.

Alyda Twilley
Crossing Thresholds Director of Trips