The Single Woman’s Dash of Sass: In 2013: Less Talk, More Action

Quote of the Day:

“He who deliberates fully before taking a step will spend his entire life on one leg.” ~Chinese Proverb

The Single Woman Says:

Confession time.

I don’t put myself out there enough. I don’t take enough chances. I deliberate too much. Sometimes I will literally sit in the parking lot of Target or Barnes & Noble or wherever and ponder whether or not to go in. I’ll think of the reasons I want to (I want new shoes or a new book or new mascara)…then I’ll think of the reasons I don’t need to (I already have too many shoes and seven books I haven’t read and don’t need new mascara…plus I don’t really need to be spending money.) I have found myself, on occasion, sitting in my car for up to an hour, just letting the day waste away while I ponder such silliness. And this is just over a small decision like what store to go into or not go into. Imagine what an ordeal I turn major life decisions into.

Though parents usually give very conservative advice (especially my parents) when it comes to major life changes, recently I was debating one such Major Life Change (doesn’t matter what for this particular illustration) and just couldn’t decide if I was ready yet. Even though I’m 34, at times I just still feel so unprepared for all the really big steps, like marriage and babies and owning a house. So while I was wavering back and forth on said Life Change, about to talk myself out of it, my dad interrupts my chain of thought with: “If you wait til you’re ready, you’ll never do it. Sometimes you just have to do it and get ready on the way.” And isn’t that so true? I mean, think of all the times we weren’t ready for class or work, but we hopped in the car anyway and finished our preparations on the way. (As a side note, this is a GREAT way to hit all the green lights in town.) My point is – We were still in rollers and bare-faced and sometimes even in our pajamas when we left our houses, but knowing that ready or not, we were cruising toward our destination, we found a way to GET READY ON THE WAY. And sometimes in life, that’s what you have to do. I mean, even when jumping out of a plane, you JUMP first, and inflate your parachute on the way down. Whether we like it or not, all the really big, really amazing, really worthwhile decisions in life require us to act first and think later.

So, in 2013, I am going to work on deliberating and pondering and thinking and planning LESS…and acting MORE. And I invite you to join me. Chances are, sometimes this plan of less thought and more action is going to inevitably lead to mistakes and mishaps and maybe even rejection…but isn’t DOING and KNOWING better than WAITING and WONDERING? In 2013, I want to wonder less and wander more. I want to hesitate less and jump more. I want to talk less and DO more. By constantly hitting the “pause” button in life, we’re missing the movie. OUR movie. And whether our movie is meant to be one of great drama or action or comedy or even tragedy…it is most of all meant to be LIVED.

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Something wonderful is on the horizon
Life doesn’t always look the way we want it to look. In Mandy’s upcoming book, Turn Toward the Sun: Releasing What If and Embracing What Is, you’ll find encouragement to live in the moment, sit with your experiences, and trust God with the unknown.
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Something wonderful is on the horizon
Turn Toward the Sun CoverLife doesn’t always look the way we want it to look. In Mandy’s upcoming book, Turn Toward the Sun: Releasing What If and Embracing What Is, you’ll find encouragement to live in the moment, sit with your experiences, and trust God with the unknown.
Preorder from Baker Book House for 40% off and free shipping!*
*US shipping only