Lesson Learned ~ Don't Avoid The Puddles

This episode challenges the cultural obsession with staying clean and safe, offering instead an invitation to get messy, push boundaries, and rediscover the childlike wonder that knows how to find joy even in the rain. Because sometimes the very thing we're trying to avoid is exactly what we need to jump into.

Perfect for anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or afraid to take risks in their personal or professional life.

Transcript

I was out on a run recently and the night before it had rained so everywhere around me there was puddles and it was all drying up and every time there would be a puddle next to the sidewalk or on the street I would obviously jump over jump over don't get your feet wet well I missed one puddle and my right foot went right in the puddle and soaked it right to the sock and I thought to myself man that sucks because now I have another three miles to run with a wet foot however what came into my mind was something different and it was very interesting it brought me a little bit back to living in East Nashville and what I saw of the neighbor I thought to myself why why is that memory coming is it because of my wet foot and I thought no it's because this neighbor had a little girl she was probably I would say like maybe 10 months old and whenever it rained the end of their driveway there would be a big puddle kind of mud puddle whatnot and every time it would rain I'd say like maybe 80% of the time this little girl would run to the puddle jump in the puddle play in the puddle and if for some reason it made me uncomfortable and it made me think back to kind of how I was raised where everything needed be tidy and clean and this little girl was having the time of her life and it just brought me so much after the trigger it brought me so much joy to think wow she is getting dirty and nasty and she's loving life and I went to the mom one day and I said hey are you okay that she does this she's like absolutely I thought my my inner self was like man I feel I feel uncomfortable she's getting dirty she might get sick she's like no I just take her in give her give her a bath or give her a quick little shower and she's fine and I thought about that moment on this run as my right foot was sopping wet with every step and I came up with this concept in my mind of don't avoid the puddles and I started opening that idea up a little bit in my own mind and thinking about where do we avoid puddles in life where do we avoid the things that could bring us joy because we're scared of the outcome or we're scared to get dirty that seems to be an interesting but simple lesson that this little girl taught me is don't avoid the puddles where in life are you avoiding puddles where in life are you avoiding the things that are going to actually help you grow help you change where are the sticking points that are difficult for you where are those puddles because just like the little girl for you when you're through the puddle you have the strength of the capacity now through mindfulness and through some of the inner work to take the shower take the it doesn't work out it doesn't work out and the most of the time the fun and the growth and the excitement is in the puddles and I took a 10 month old little girl and a wet right foot for me to realize that it's true don't avoid the puddles peace and love

Reviews

Love this analogy! I recently watched my 1 1/2 year old grandson and another little girl have the best time playing in a mud puddle. My daughter in law was apprehensive at first, but finally relinquished when she saw the fun they were having. Yes they were washed off afterwards. 😊