Take the Leap!

As many of you know, I am a sorority woman.  I am a member of Tri Delta.  I pledged in the fall of 1986 at the University of Washington. Both my collegiate and alumna experiences have been an important and cherished part of my life.

The following is an article I wrote for my chapter’s newsletter Husky Highlights.  I wrote it in the fall of 2021 and it was published just this month, March 2022.  I feel it is solid advice for anyone so I’ll offer it here!

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It was September 1986.  I was sitting in a classroom on campus, a pen poised over a piece of paper.  Up to that point I had rarely been presented with a decision that would affect the trajectory of my life. I had finished the last round of UW sorority recruitment, the preference parties and now I was listing my first, second and third choices.  I knew what I wanted…would Tri Delta want me?  I felt it was a long shot that I would end up a Tri Delta. If I played it safe and didn’t stretch, didn’t go for it, I’d always wonder.  So, I decided to take a leap of faith and put Tri Delta first.  I figured if I was not invited to join Tri Delta, I would be happy wherever I landed.

I am certain all of us have been in situations where an opportunity or possibility opens up before us.  It can be trying a new activity or shifting careers. As we make our way in the new Covid world, I encourage you to take more chances.  Open yourself up to the possibilities that could enhance your life.  From a career change, a new hobby, a new friend, a new place to live, writing a book, taking art lessons. There are endless possibilities that can enrich your life in ways you never expected.

Taking a leap of faith can be as scary as it is exhilarating.  I find that if you do the following, the “leap” isn’t so intimidating.

*Make a plan.  In many instances, mapping out a timeline and “to-dos” help you close the gap between thought and action.

*Gather your support team.  Confide in your friends and family.  Seek out your cheerleader, your listener, your mentor.  These important people want to be there for you!

*Don’t overthink it! 

As I launched my career as a life coach, I relied on all of these tactics.  Sure, there have been moments of doubt.  However, I’ve experienced more joy than I would have imagined.  The leap has been worth it!  Many of my biggest supporters have been Tri Delta friends both near and far.  I’ve drawn on both my collegiate and alumna experience in my personal and professional life through the years.  Leadership, philanthropy, friendship and service to others are the foundation of our Tri Delta experience.  I’m certain that without my leap on that fall day in 1986 my life would be much different.

So, if you’ve been considering or seeking a change, a shift, or wanting to try something new, go for it!  As author and poet Julia Cameron says, “Leap and the net will appear.”