How do you define yourself when people ask who you are?  If you had asked me in high school, I would have said, “I’m a tomboy, softball player.  I cheer because I like to stunt with the yell-leaders (boy cheerleaders)—not because of the little outfit.  If you see me wearing a dress, I’m on stage acting.  I don’t do girlie.”  At that age, my list of “I don’t do’s” was very long.  If something looked even remotely “girlie”—forget it—I wouldn’t even try it. 

After high school, I was forced to try new things.  For my theater scholarship, I had to take formal dance lessons.  You’ll never see me on “So you think you can dance”, but to this day, I love to watch all forms of dancing, and still practice pirouettes in my kitchen.  I had to have my lifeguard training to work at a kid’s camp for the hearing-impaired in Oregon.  I’m still an avid swimmer, and wish I could have competed in high school.

In this New Year, don’t be like I was in high school.  Look for opportunities to try new things.  You don’t have to be the best at something to enjoy it.  Everyone has hidden talents and gifts.  You have to stretch beyond what’s comfortable to find them.