The First Time

You know the thrill, the surprise, and sometimes, the anticipation.

Every experience takes on a "Land of Oz" quality.

Wonder can often be seen, especially in the face of a child.

Colors seem brighter.
Names can take on an odd, fun or silly quality.
Sounds and how they are made make for absolute fascination.

Textures, no matter the founding source, such as fabrics, plastics, and even metals based items, are handled with pleasure, fingered for their unique design or purpose.

Mastering new tasks can often be met with dazzling delight.

But do you feel that "Oz" like sensation or quality when you experience something in life for the first time?

If not, it may be due to the questions in your mind:
Will I do this "right"?
What if I make a mistake?
What if I end up humiliated because of what I don't know?

Trying something for the first time can seem risky, especially if you're unfamiliar with the source.

Plus, the Inner Critic has a loud, cacophonous, belittling voice that can intimidate us and cause us to pull back, second guessing ourselves from trying something new.

But if you pay very close attention to what that voice is really saying, you'll notice its vagueness, its fuzzy indiscriminate message that has no true foundation for such a protest.

Instead, listen even more closely to that sweet, courageous, intuitive sound of flow, fun, and the fantastic.

When you watch a child learning something new, when they hit on success (which is usually something very small they've accomplished), they will let out a shriek of delight, a laugh of "A-ha!"

They revel in the sensation, the mystery of discovery of every day life. All is novel to them. They follow their instincts and intuition naturally.

It's when we begin to stop listening to the right voice that we lose our sense of wonder, glee, and delight in our life experiences.

But you can get it back.

Listen carefully to that sweet, inner voice that gets your curiosity aroused, your creativity sparked, your intuition humming, and your heart inspired.

And then actually do it--whatever it is that it leads you to--as if for the first time. Even if you've done it a million times before.

Then watch your life experience take on a whole new glow.

Welcome to your Land of Oz where you'll find there's no place like the home in your heart.

© 2012 by Dawn Herring