being heard

I'm thinking about Diana Nyad today. She is the endurance swimmer who is going to swim for 60 hours to cross the span between Cuba and Florida in shark infested waters.  She has been training by swimming for over 12 hours a day.  12 hours a day!  She is almost 62 years old and says she is in better shape, frame of mind and more prepared than she was when she first attempted this, and did not succeed, in 1978.  Back when she was 29!

What is making her do this?  She said in an interview that she has been "listening to herself" over the past 10 years and could no longer ignore the little voice that was telling her that, after all these years, she was ready.

That makes me think about listening.  When people share their stories with me do they feel heard?  How long does it take me to actually "hear" what they are telling me?  I think I am often hesitant to actually listen to myself.  I wonder why?  A painful message?  My heart knows that I need to be nudged out into the unknown?  I am committing to listen more closely.

How effectively do you listen to yourself?  What has been nagging you that you need to hear?

Middle school geek and really pretty okay with it

It is 9:15 and my children are still asleep.  Yesterday they didn't wander up until 10:30!  Really boys?  10:30?  They haven't been staying up extremely late and we haven't been training for a marathon during the day.  What's up with that?  Is it possible that their little bodies are preparing for the stress of starting middle school and 2nd grade so they are sleep loading all summer?

I have been thinking about the similar way I approach life.  How I mentally psyche myself up for anticipated challenges or difficulty.  I know most people likely play this mental game differently.  I like to think through all the angles, anticipate all the different scenarios and how I will handle each.  God and I usually have some significant conversations about the best way to tackle things and after I have thrashed through it and gotten myself intensely wound up, he reminds me that he has already worked it out for me.  (and I carb load, but then I do that all the time....just in case.)  

What do you do?  How do you approach a new or challenging situation that makes your heart beat just a little faster?  Do you remember when  you started middle school?  Were you terrified or did  you just walk right in like you already owned the place?  Did your fears come true?  Was it easier than you anticipated?  

I was a geek.  Big time.  I made a fabric cover for my trapper keeper notebook.  It was yellow quilted fabric and I think I even embroidered some hearts on it somewhere.  (hearts?  Really Tanya?)  Oh Yeah!  Tanya is ready to ROCK and ROLL!  Not only was I gawky with hip length hair and HUGE bangs but I could sew my own smarmy yellow notebook cover.  Look out world.  My sister practically dive tackled me when she saw it.  (she was a big 9th grader at my school)  She gently informed me that I might not have increased my hip quotient with that yellow, quilted monstrosity.  (Thanks for the insider intel Rene')  

Things improved from there.  I continued to be and still am a pretty huge geek.  That's fine with me and I am less concerned about making a fool of myself these days!  How did you fare in your formative years?  What did you learn about yourself?  Who did you learn from?  I'd love to hear your tales as we take this step into middle school.