Do you remember the game truth or dare?
We always played this coming-of-age game–either at sleepovers or late nights while working at camp. I can honestly say, I’ve never really had good experiences with this game. The last time, I played with some friends and my ex-boyfriend. One friend had the guts to ask my ex, why he cheated on me. So that’s been my experience.
This is not a feel-bad-for-me story.
I always liked to play it safe, so I would pick truth. Truth is freeing. It’s honest. And rarely would I have to do anything stupid or risky. Like lick someone’s toe or run around outside in my underwear.
Then I got older.
I realized that in life, you have to take risks. Lots of them. If you don’t, you’ll get stuck. Believe me, I’ve been stuck many times before.
Stuck in a job I didn’t like. Stuck in a co-dependent friendship. Stuck in what I wanted for my life. Stuck in my relationship with God.
Being stuck isn’t the end of the world. It happens to everyone. Here’s the good news, there’s a way to get unstuck. It might be painful. It may be uncomfortable. All it takes if for you to move.
Last night, I saw Switchfoot in concert. I grew up listening to Switchfoot. Jon Foreman is a genius. Musically. Spiritually. Emotionally. I can honestly say there aren’t a lot of people that think the way he does in doing what he does.
One of my favorite songs by them is Dare You to Move. It’s such a powerful song. I sing it loudly any time I hear it on the radio or when it comes on my iTunes. Seeing them perform it live last night was no exception.
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before
What keeps us stuck? Fear. I believe it’s fear.
Fear keeps you from stepping out of your comfort zone. Fear keeps you from accomplishing great things. Fear tells you that you’ll fail and so staying stuck is better than anything else. You stay stuck. You stay miserable.
But you can change that. All it takes is a little movement. Forward motion. One step.
Risks don’t have to be scary. They actually might just be what you need, let loose and not worry so much.
Dear friends and family reading this, if you’re stuck, I dare you. I dare you to move. I dare you to take one step forward. It might just be the momentum you need to propel you in the direction you’ve always wanted to go.
Lauren Brooks 