The plan was to spend this Leap Day lounging all day after the week/weekend I’ve had.  Well, that’s not happening.

My alarm was not set for my 5:30 am workout session, and guess who woke up at 4:45.  **points to self**  I said my plan must align with God’s plan.  A question dropped in my spirit almost immediately after waking up.  “How bad do you want it?”  Honestly that question applies to a lot of things in my life right now.  Jumped up, took a shower, got dressed, and put in the work!

I’ve told you before that there’s a lesson in everything.  We choose to identify or ignore it.  Two of my oldest friends (Seriously over 25 years of friendship, preschool and 1st grade) held community events on Saturday in my hometown of Benton Harbor, Michigan.  I split my time between both events, and I must say I am without a doubt overjoyed that I was able to attend both.

While they were both running around last week finalizing things for their events, I was given the task of presenting a video for the Boys and Girls Club of America’s Benton Harbor Teen Center.  Can I be honest?  I was nervous.  I mean I can take constructive criticism, but it’s nothing like being judged by the community that raised you.  I was now apart of a team that was driven to produce an amazing event, and I didn’t want to let them down.

The pressure was on.  The morning of the event the video would not transfer from my editing software to a MP4.  I became frustrated because I was having the same problem on Thursday and Friday, audio issues etc.  I finally said, “God, I’m believing this is going to work out for this event tonight.”  I calmed down.  Arrived at the venue spoke with the tech team, and was informed that the video must be converted.  I went to the corner, and tried ONE…MORE…TIME!

BOOM!

It worked.  I saved the file and headed back to the tech team for setup.  I ran to the back of the building and came back to the main stage to witness the person that believed in me was watching the video.  At the conclusion of the video, he turned around and reminded me why I should have never doubted that it would work.

Teamwork makes the DREAM WORK.

I can be quite critical of myself sometimes.  Okay, a lot of times.  I will find something to correct when I know it’s fine.  That perfectionist zone I was in was going to keep me in a box.  When you think like a perfectionist nothing seems good enough.  That can be a dangerous zone.  It can keep you from moving on to the next level.  The zone can also come off as fear, we call it perfectionism because we aren’t ready for the criticism from our peers or the public.

Guess what?

That fear will keep you from receiving valuable feedback and hinders growth.  I don’t ever want to be in a place where I’m keeping myself from growing.

Three things I was reminded of this weekend:

1.  Continue to surround yourself with positive people that are seeking to change the world.

   

    

    

2. The importance of a tribe.  When people believe in your greatness, believe them.
3. Take the first step.  Do something scary and outside of the box.  It creates growth.