messy.

The title of this blog post could not be more on the nose.  

I have the title, and usually that begins the writing process for me with more than enough to say.  More than enough to fill this page and then some. 

Friends, we are doing it messy today.  We are rolling with it all, because a deadline has to be met.  

And you may say - just take a few more days, you make the deadline. 

But I'm here to tell you, I haven't slacked.  I have 100% thought about this topic all month long.  The words just aren't there for me. 

However, this may be apropos (I have never used that word before, how exciting).  Because maybe this chapter is just supposed to be a lot of messiness to make the point of - doing it messy.  Getting it done.  Doing it all despite it not being perfect - in no way.

So here we go.  A very messy chapter on doing it messy. 

It has hit me in the face over and over again recently.  You want to do something, it is on your bucket list or goal bingo card, but you are just afraid of taking that first step, for many reasons.  

Maybe you're afraid of failing.  Well friends, we all have to fail.  

Maybe you're afraid of no one liking it.  This isn't about them, its literally about you.

Maybe you're afraid of it not turning out how you want it.  Yeah, that's gonna happen. 

The list is long.  But in the end, the last thing you want to be doing is... nothing. 

The outcome of trying these grandiose ideas we have is going to be so. much.  better. than not trying them at all.  That is just the way life works. 

Your first version of the book, the first time you take a photo, the first step you take in the marathon training, the first time you stand up for yourself, the first time you set a boundary, the first party you plan, mug you potter, appointment you make, weight you lift, plant you dig a hole for may absolutely fall apart, crumble, suck, hurt, fail.  

Thank goodness you tried it the first time.  Now we can get on to the second attempt and make it even better. 

DO.  IT. MESSY.

Please.

Do it messy, and get it done.  Get the hardest part over already so you can get to the good parts.  Once you do make the first attempt, you then get to the part where you feel like its making you better, filling your cup, giving you something to look forward to during the most mundane days.  Completing something.  Fulfilling a promise to yourself - finally!

It doesn't have to be polished and pretty.  It just has to be.  The polished and shiny versions are the most recent versions that were preceded by all of the versions that got done, but got better, every single time.

Thank goodness those first versions were ever created.  

I was listening to a podcase recently and the guest host said the greatest gains are made when you go from zero to five.  Those are also the hardest gains.  Everything from five to ten and on up after that is consistency where the gains come more even and with more to brag about.  

But in those first few steps from zero to five is where the real work is being done.  The getting up and just getting started.  

Stop sitting on stuff.  Stop waiting.  Stop trying find ways to excuse yourself from the room when you're meant to be in it.  

If you remember back in January I got to go to a newbie pottery wheel class and made three sweet little mugs that I immediately decided were for my tea lattes. 

Finally got to bring my little baby tea mugs home and the are so dang cute - I probably drink too many lattes now just to use them.   

The process has been so very fun.  But I think the best part about it all was the realization that I really loved enjoying new things, getting messy, and just doing it without trying to control the narrative or the outcome. Doesn't mean I didn't have ideas, during the painting process I knew exactly how I was going to paint them, surprise to me because they turned exactly how I wanted. 

During our spring break trip we visited a slime experience called SlooMoo (take the vowels of your name and replace them with two os.  SlooMoo = Slime.  

We spent two and a half hours in that building.  All of us enjoyed it way more than we ever thought we would.  Who would have ever guessed there were so many types of slimes and they would all be so satisfying to experience. 

And once again, had I not given myself permission to get messy and just stood around while my daughter raced through the place we would have been in and out in 45 minutes, I wouldn't have made my very own slime, nor found out how much getting messy really is, or what it feels like to slow down during an experience that uses most of your senses and just enjoy the process.

Remember what joy is?  Lots of adults grow out of it.  I think I have a new goal to show my daughter what play, joy, and getting messy means daily.  We are so quick to shut that down, turn off that light, and get back to work or race to the next thing on the to do list.  Maybe that is where most of our worldly problems come from. 

During spring break we also got to visit an aquarium.  One of our favorite attractions in every location we go.  

We took two whole days to really be there.  Even though we circled the place both times, we saw something new in every exhibit.  We got to slow down, just experience, and let the chaos (messiness) happen around us.  

We did our first ever out and back, quick turn around trip - fly somewhere relatively close, get off the plane and start having fun, do things all the way up until we have to get on the plane, come home and enjoy the weekend to ourselves without getting straight back into the muck of it all. It felt fun, spontaneous, and like we were taking advantage of just the few of our days instead of being stuck at home and doing what we normally do when we only have a few days to do anything. 

The ending of this is not any more streamlined or profound as beginning or middle.  But I think that is really because, we all already know all of this.  Nothing new here.  You quite literally find something you want to start and just do it.  Go somewhere.  Go feel something.  Get messy. 

It'll be worth it.  I promise. 

If you’re just joining me, A Journey of Beautiful Things is a monthly series that I write to bring to light the most precious moments I’ve witnessed, felt, or created – amidst all the chaotic noise I live through daily.  It’s a chance for you to get to know me a little better.  The person behind the camera is actually a person beyond the camera.  The person you’re letting into your life to capture your most precious moments.  This is a chance for us to connect and to relate with one another.  I’m a Woman, a Wife, a Mom, family photographer – not necessarily always in that order – just trying my very hardest to leave some good behind when I go and I know you are too.   

If you need to catch up here are the first chapters released:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Feel free to hit reply, or post a comment here, of how any of this can relate to you.  Let me know the season (beautiful or not) you're currently in and the recent moments you've lived where you have sought out or felt joy or beauty in some way.  Remember, constantly finding the beauty will make it second nature, and the beautiful moments will start finding you, and then find gratitude that you'll get to see them.

Until the next chapter, enjoy the journey...