Somebody was sharing today how they were feeling about becoming a parent via adoption.
The synopsis was excited at the prospect, but nervous at the thought of messing it up.
And what occurred to me was how great of a guide that excited/nervous mix is for uncovering meaning in life.
Excited alone isn’t as accurate because it could come from something inconsequential or that’s well within your comfort zone like playing a video game, shopping a sale, or going to bed early.
Nervous alone isn’t as accurate either because it could come from self-sabotaging thoughts or something too far outside of your comfort zone that makes you not do anything at all.
But, the things that you’re excited-mixed-with-nervous about? Those are the things that indicate you’re heading outside of your comfort zone (nervous) in a way that deep down you know you can handle (excited).
When I think about the things that have provided the most meaning for me in my life, this excited/nervous mix was almost always present.
…I think about times when I spoke publicly, taught classes, published vulnerable pieces of work, asked and went out on dates, performed in martial arts competitions, rose into new leadership positions, navigated important/tough conversation landscapes, stood up for what I believed in, started a new business venture and so on.
…Think about the most meaningful moments in your life and I bet you’ll see a similar pattern.
And if you do, remember this moving forward. Excited-only could mean well within your comfort zone. Nervous-only could mean too far outside of it. But, that excited/nervous mix could indicate that you’re on a path that’s just right and you should lean in.