Forging or following: finding your own way

A couple weeks ago, I grabbed my trekking poles and followed a trail from our neighborhood into the national forest. Normally an easy route to navigate, deep snow rendered the path undetectable. With no human tracks to follow, I drew on past experience until a few familiar landmarks confirmed my location. And I started thinking about how each of us forges new trails when we choose to pursue our dreams. We might follow someone else who’s paved the way until we’re comfortable to continue on our own—either in the same direction, or one of our own making. Or, we may not like the path we’ve chosen so we return to where we started and revisit our plans. Of course, how fast and far we move forward will be dictated by our present life season. Regardless, wherever you find yourself today, remember to step off the path often and celebrate how far you’ve come.

Do you prefer well-worn paths to lead the way or to forge your own?

Photo by: Steffen Lemmerzahl on Unsplash