You've Fallen - Now Get Back Up

During some recent mild weather this past week, my wife and I spent some time outside, trying to teach our daughter how to ride her brand-new bike. The experience reminded me of something about life:

I told our daughter that, as she learns to ride her bike, she will fall down. She needs to get comfortable with that fact and not be afraid of it. We got off the bike and went over to the grass. I then told her to fall down. Then I did. I got back up and told her to get back up. The ground is softer than pavement, so it was a good starting point.

Then I had Keisha run at me and knock me down. When I got back up, I told her to do it again, and this time when she pushed, I pushed back. We both fell down. I got back up, but she got upset and sat there on the ground. She was mad at me and wanted her mother, who tends to baby her more than I.

I've heard it said that the best way to practice martial arts for self-defense is to experience getting hit. Pulled punches don't really prepare someone for the real thing.

I think there's a real good lesson about life here, even to a job search. We will fall down and we'll get knocked down. Circumstances will happen that knock the wind out of us. We shouldn't be so afraid of this happening that we don't do anything. I think I've been prone to that behavior in the past I have missed golden opportunities.

When we get knocked down, we get back up and try again. When we fall down, we get back up. That's the only way to get better.

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crossposted to journeyinsidemymind.com