Sometimes finding the courage amidst the abyss of to do’s is all you need to do. In between working, volunteering, doing laundry, going food shopping, exercising, caregiving, texting, calling, there must be a relief, some dancing, some reflecting, some stretching of the mind and the routine.

My husband and I have quarterly finance meetings to review our status and think about larger goals. This time we reviewed the details and our budget at home in the morning and went on a date that evening. It gave us a chance to think big, over wine and tasty things and to gaze at the full moon and the Chicago skyline and think, “What if?” The truth is that lately he has been slowly “calling me out” on my dreams. I’ve written and published poetry, stories and essays for more than twenty years. However, I have a finished novel which has sat sleeping for nearly two years. He asked me pointed questions about what was keeping me from the next step. And so I tell you dear readers, nothing is keeping me from it. I woke up early on Sunday morning, made the final edits and will be sharing it with the world in the coming months.

Part of what got me to this point, was also stopping for ten minutes. I’m serious. Ten minutes. Please consider CLICKING ON THE JUMP PICTURE to watch this ten minute video with a simple (and fun) approach to ten minutes of mindfulness. You might be surprised by your own courage and your willingness to jump. (Art by Jessica Swift)