I love the Nike Find Your Greatness campaign. I have been searching for the Greatness Factor for quite some time now. I decided to check back on my humble beginnings for The Edmonton Tourist Project. Elvis and Other Really Old People was my very first post as a blogger. It’s good to know where you came from and where you are going. I was stuck and I needed momentum to push me forward so I came up with this concept:
I have decided to become a tourist in my own life.
I have been fortunate to have been able to travel the world with my family both as a child and an adult. There is something about traveling that allows you to explore and try things that you likely would never do at home. Ding Dong! Now you get it!!! I am throwing caution to the wind, taking the plunge, allowing my free spirit to stretch and run. AND it starts tomorrow on my 43rd birthday. My inspiration will be pulled from books I have read, people I have met in person and on facebook. But most importantly, the inspiration for my Edmonton Tourist Project, will be me.
This journey has really become more than risk taking. It’s finding out want I need and how to achieve it.
I have reached the next step or pinnacle of this journey. I need to leap with eyes open and take a giant risk that will change everything in my life. It has become more than finding the perfect job, or gaining the degree. It is more than mentoring or being a role model. It has become learning what my limitations are and moving past them. Believing in myself when no one else will. Why? Because I don’t let myself down. People are disappointing and I realize depending on them is not helping me find my direction. I have that fire or spirit that can move mountains with tenacity. I need to tap into that and do it myself.
I had a conversation with two important people in my life. One gave me a metaphor for rejection. For the record, I should be suicidal I have been rejected so often – I am not. I thought about what my friend said to me:
I understand how it feels to be rejected. Think about it this way:ever go fishing?
I used to go fishing almost every day when I was a kid. After work in the boatyard, I’d go fishing for snapper right off of our pier. I’d cast my line into the water and reel it slowly back in. I’d do it over and over again until one of them decided to take the bait. It usually took MANY casts before I scored a fish. To be honest – I never really got mad when I’d reel in my lure and I didn’t score one…I just needed to be patient. But when I caught one…THAT was fun.
So look at it this way: you’ve cast your line into the water a lot. You’re bound to snag a fish. OK – the big one spit the hook out and took off on you. No big deal. You’ll nail this one and celebrate!!!!
I am not sure if catching the next one will happen soon, but I have a contingency plan for that. A couple of people have said, “The right fit will find you”. I am not sure about that, I think I need to find it. Faith plays a big part in that. Faith is something I have lots of. I have faith in my ability, faith in myself and faith that things turn out the way they are suppose to.
The second person I talked to gave me an idea for a back up plan. It is about being more aggressive about my education and taking time away from other pursuits while I do this. Although I am not in the financial position to take a sabbatical, I do have options. This will be my fall back plan…and it might end up being quite lucrative in the process.
Since deciding on the back up plan, I have felt more relaxed and confident that I have in a while. I can go on vacation next week and be worry free. That is what makes for a fun and relaxing holiday.
Meanwhile, while I am away, I will be reposting some old blogs that most of you have never seen before – back in the day when I had 15 readers and 14 of them were my family. Now 864 of you follow me. I am stunned, humbled and most of thankful for your continued support in my project. I love hearing from you, the comments, emails and private messages keep rolling in. I know I have inspired you, just like you have inspired me.
Thank you for following my journey.
Musings of The Edmonton Tourist 
Go for it! And kudos to you for having the courage to leap into the unknown!
Thanks!! It does take courage, but I’ve learned anything worth while usually does.
As a former wannabe struggling author, I too faced rejection so many times I lost count of the number of “No”s I heard in my life. But I didn’t give up and pursued my dream to the bitter end instead, making it happen myself. I happen to think that’s also a great metaphor for life!
As Nike says, “Just Do It!”
I actually looked to you for inspiration Mark. “Making it happen” words to live by.
I love that campaign, too. My Bug recently climbed up to the diving board for the first time in his four years of living. He’s skinnier than Nike’s boy, and not quite as brown, but that head-down look into the abyss was bang-on. So many of us are right there, right now. We’re at the edge of sending our kids off to school all day, or sending them away to college. We’re standing at the edge of life-changing decisions for work, school, and family. We’re each of us struggling to integrate our multiple selves, truths, choices and experiences into one big leap that will leave us golden, and whole, and finally where we are supposed to be. I share your faith, Robyn. We’ll get there 🙂 *fist bump*
There is much comfort in your words Desi 🙂