Taking the plunge

Submitted by Lisa Steadman on August 26, 2008 - 7:28 pm

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This afternoon, I did something 36 years in the making.

I took the plunge and went swimming in the Firehole swimhole in Yellowstone Park. Silly as it sounds, this is something I have always wanted to do but never done, even though I’ve spent time in Yellowstone Park almost every summer of my entire life.

So why today?

It was time. Growing up, my family would drive by the swimming hole, but never stop. I would look out the window enviously at the kids swimming and playing in the water. My mother would warn me of the dangers of fast currents and unsupervised hooligans.

As an adult, I had other reasons. I was too body-conscious, thought I was too old to play in the water, you name it, I made an excuse for it.

I’m done making excuses for living a small life. As owner of a company called Woohoo, Inc., my life is dedicated to helping others experience the best life has to offer them. From fulfilling relationships to embracing life in all its complexity to building a passionate business, my clients look to me for inspiration.

What a shame it would be if I continued making excuses for why I’ve never taken the plunge.

Even this morning I made excuses. It was too cold. I had work to do. But when the sun came out at noon, I put on my bathing suit, got in the car, and drove to the swimming hole. While it sometimes gets pretty crowded, there were only a few people hanging around. And no one was in the water. That is, until I took the plunge.

Setting my towel and car keys on a nearby rock, I waded into cool river water. And once I got deep enough, I completely submerged myself. When I resurfaced, I let out a Woohoo! The water felt great. I felt empowered and alive! And even though I’m not the best swimmer and the current was strong, I stayed in the water for as long as I felt like it. I just swam around, splashed, laughed, and felt pure joy in my heart.

Afterwards, I wrapped a towel around me, scaled the big rock, and just sat there, relishing in my accomplishment. I stayed there until I was warm and dry.

As simple as taking the plunge was, it was monumental because of what it meant to me. I had conquered a fear of sorts while treating my inner child to something she’d been waiting 36 years to experience. Talk about a high!

This isn’t the only plunge I’m taking these days. After getting back from New Zealand with Mr. XY, and spending one week in Los Angeles, I packed my bags and headed to Montana for my last single gal adventure. In a month, I’m getting married. Not only that, I just finished my next book and turned it into the publisher. And I just launched my first e-book Bad Love No More!. It’s all about taking the plunge and breaking free of limiting love beliefs.

I guess you could say I’m getting comfortable taking the plunge. Can I get a “Woohoo!”?

Every day, people go through breakups. That plunges them into a whole new journey in life. As difficult and devastating as breakups can be, they’re also freeing and fabulous because after the plunge, you discover so much about yourself. You discover your resilience, your fabulousness, your ability to survive and thrive and eventually move on with your life, etc.

If taking the plunge today taught me anything, it’s that sometimes the greatest obstacle in our path from Boohoo! to Woohoo! is ourselves. By getting out of our own way, we give ourselves permission to live, really live the way were meant to. We let go of fear. Stop holding on to what no longer works. In doing so, we reconnect to our authentic self, which ultimately leads us to the life were meant to live.

What plunge do you need to take to get where you need to go? Why not give yourself permission to let go and leap today?

And when you do, don’t forget to loudly and proudly exclaim, “Woohoo!”