When I was a kid, my orange 10 speed bicycle was my primary method of transportation back and forth to after school activities and meeting up with friends. Up and over asphalt hills, through city intersections, and in between buses, trucks and cars, I would have complete control of that bicycle. There were many times, I would balance a friend or two, one sitting on the handlebars and one on the seat while I stood and pedaled. We were free to get where we needed to be with no fear and much laughter. There were many a tumble off that orange 10 speed, a couple required trips to the ER, but that didn’t stop me from getting back on that bike. I was determined to get to my practices, games, and meet my friends all on my own.
This fall my husband and I started biking the Old Airline Trail. This beautiful scenic trail through several Connecticut towns was once a railroad route that transported passengers from Boston to New York. Traversing this trail on my son’s orange mountain bike up and over dirt and rocky terrain, across wooden bridges, and in between hikers, runners, and walkers, I am transported back to riding my orange 10 speed. Although the surroundings are very different and the cyclist much older, the experience is the same. After a few minutes of pedaling, I re-gain my confidence and am in complete control of that bicycle - free to speed down hills with the cool breeze against my face. What an exhilarating feeling - I feel like a kid again with a big smile on my face!
What about you? Are you ready to get back on that bike? What’s stopping you from moving forward with a personal or professional aspiration with confidence, freedom, and joy?