3 words that have changed the world

Last night I had the incredible opportunity to learn from David Ziser as he passed through Salt Lake City for a tour. I still have so much rolling around in my head that I'm piecing together, but I wanted to write to you today about something he said that really hit home with me. I know this is not new information to anyone out there, but if you are anything like me, sometimes we take the obvious and throw it away because we caught up in life and the daily rituals, etc. David said something though that made me stop and think. There are three words can change the world, and already have. Three words that sometimes we forget to ask ourselves, or don't dare to ask ourselves, but encourage us to push boundaries and discover new things. They don't have to be new things to everyone, just new and undiscovered to us. (Okay, so I'm really expanding on what he said, but this is what I took from it, and I believe this is what he meant.)

So what are those words?

"What happens if...?"

Sure, he was talking about photography and figuring out how to change things up---discover the unexpected, learn, and so on. But can't we apply this same idea to our lives? I tend to get stuck in the same patterns in my life, and I don't think I'm unique in that. I get comfortable, and stepping out of my comfort zone can feel intimidating at times. There are so many ways to apply this line of thinking to the decisions I make in how I live my life that could push me to discover something extraordinary about myself, or about the people I surround myself with, including my kids.

I'm a typical mom. I feel guilty for not being a perfect mom, for not doing all the things I think I should be doing. Sometimes it's just easier to sit back and go on with life as usual. Yet there is this part of me that wants my children to pursue their imaginations, their dreams, those things and thoughts that make them curious, innocent children. Yet I feel I don't do what I need to encourage them and foster their curiosity and their genius as well as I could. Why not? Well, there are a lot of reasons, but all of them end up sounding like excuses and I don't like that either. So what happens if I take action? If I stop our cycle and do something new? Something unexpected?

And what happens if I do something I'd never normally do? Just for me? Could I fail? Yes! But could I discover strength? Enjoyment? Skill? Absolutely. Could I learn something incredible? Experience something incredible?

What about you? Think about the things you are doing in your life, and what you could do to change things up. I'm guessing we'll all discover something bigger.