Shirley George Frazier

I recently evicted a family from my home.

This family of four squirrels, living in a crawlspace adjacent to my attic, received their “papers” on Monday, and I watched as the parent and three offspring exited the space to find a new residence.

The children watched as the parent shimmied down a gutter and onto a wire attached to the house. One brave child straddled the gutter head first. It held on to the metal surface for seconds before losing its grip and falling five feet onto a lower roof.

He survived as do most bushy-tailed rodents. Now paranoid, the other two siblings retreated north to a higher area, scared to make a move until later in the day.

Watching this family reminded me of the chances each of us takes and the paranoia that sets in before trying something new. There’s healthy paranoia that guards you against getting burned by fire or driving without a seat belt. Then there’s fear of moving forward to complete goals and projects just because it’s an unfamiliar endeavor.

If it works out, you move up the ladder to a new sense of achievement, possibilities, and opportunities.

If it flops, you learn from the stumble and, after additional trials, move up the ladder to a new sense of achievement, possibilities, and opportunities.

If animals perceived to be of lower intelligence take chances, survive, and learn from the experience, don’t you believe you own trials can achieve the same?

1. Identify the goal.
2. Write down the steps from beginning to end to maintenance.
Here’s the hard part. Are you ready?
3. Complete the first step. When finished, complete the remaining steps.

One of my clients signed a lease agreement this month and is opening a new retail store. She’s nervous, but rather than allowing fear to stop her, she’s focusing on the excitement of bringing fun and value to her community.

Falling is nothing new. You’ve done it before, starting with standing upright after all the initial failed attempts, which is no different from what squirrel learned.

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