” It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly… who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while DARING GREATLY.” Theodore Roosevelt

Amazing words that I am continuing to go back to…. I’m reading a book right now called Daring Greatly by Brene Brown.   The book speaks to me on so many levels.  Brene writes about vulnerability and shame, not exactly topics that everyone wants to talk about but… if you, like me am pursuing your dream, trying to be your best, true self, honoring yourself, taking a risk, starting a business or just trying to make the relationships in your life meaningful, rich and alive, vulnerability is the basis for allllll of it.  I’m so reminded of my own need for control this morning as I am preparing for a friend to come and stay, and how I want everything to be perfect.  Bathrooms clean… check, floors mopped… check, dusting done… check the list goes on and on and I get a little crazy trying to make everything seem perfect when in fact less than 24hrs ago the sink was piled with dishes… the floors were covered with dog hairs… the bathrooms not sanitized… and as I was up at 6:45 this morning mopping I thought what if my friend saw my dirty floors… would she care about me any less?  No, and if she did what would that say about friendship. I know that the more vulnerable we are in relationships, business and life the more connected we are.  I know that my closest friends are those that share the down and dirty of their lives and vice versa.  We walk along side each other in the rough spots, crying for each others pain, telling jokes to ease the stress and saying we’re gonna get through this together!  There is no perfection in those moments… there is however… bad language, dirty houses, snotty noses, running mascara, empty bottles of wine, laughing till you snort and such a deep level of love and trust you cannot get without vulnerability.

Daring greatly means to be in the arena of life with dust and sweat on our faces pursuing our dreams.  The outside critics are not there in the arena getting their hands dirty and bruised…, their sitting on the sidelines telling us that we have failed, that were not perfect enough, that were not good enough but….We are!… just that way we are.  Dare greatly today, be vulnerable…. Get in the arena!

Big Smile=Shawn Petite