I was sitting at dinner with a client back in early November when she shared that she’d said yes to hiking the Grand Canyon with her husband. “Oh, by the way, we have two extra tickets if by chance you want them,” she added.
Funny enough, I don’t think I even acknowledged out loud the mention of the tickets at the time. I just quickly shared in her excitement and anticipation at the adventure that awaited her. But the idea got lodged in my brain and I couldn’t stop thinking about it on the drive home. I woke up suddenly that night with the idea, “Tom and I could go!” It was as if a light bulb had gone off in my head.
A little context: Tom is my oldest son who is getting ready to graduate high school this May. I’ve been freaking out that his time living in our home is coming to a close, so the idea of taking a mom-son trip felt like the greatest thing ever. The thought of having 4 days with my son to get to know him all over again, share something we will never forget, and have hours on end to just be together —filled me with joy. The crazy thing is that I had imagined taking a backpacking trip with him from the time he was a little boy. And now we were going to make it happen.
So, it happened. Two weeks ago we took the hike to Havasupai Falls at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It’s a 4-day trek. This photo was taken after our 10 mile hike in when we arrived at the falls. It was the hardest thing I have ever done physically. The sights were stunning. It took me way outside my comfort zone. And, the best thing about it was the time with my son – doing everything and nothing.
This is what I call an Inspired Action: an idea that appears to come out of thin air and sends a surge of excitement, thrill, and energy through your being.
Inspired actions can lead to remarkable things. Sometimes they call you out of your comfort zone, other times they require loads of trust. Frequently they benefit others, and quite often they’re like breadcrumbs that lead you to something important that you were meant to do.
What I didn’t know when we planned this adventure was that my son would soon share and take the steps to join the Navy and he will be heading to boot camp this August. This is exactly what I mean by how powerful these nudges can be. I’m so grateful to have had this time with him before he spreads his wing and begins a new chapter of his life.
For me, inspired nudges come from God – they stem from something far greater than our own knowledge and wisdom and following them can lead to some amazing places.
Doing so requires:
• Listening & catching the idea
• Mustering the courage to act on it
• Noticing the ripple impact of the action
• Savoring the experience
Let life nudge you. Something far bigger and grander than we can even imagine is available to guide your life. Will you let it?
