Lessons from Hamilton

It is so easy to get stuck in our old habits and ways of living. Waking at the same time, eating dinner at the same time and calling it quits at the same time everyday. As a creature of habit this is how I have lived much of my adult life. There is nothing wrong with this way of living however; it lacks the room for play and new experiences.

Not all together sure where I learned to live my life safely but, having a teenager and teaching him to drive and be independent has forced me out of my comfort zone a lot in the last year. So, last week when I noticed there was an opportunity to see Hamilton in Hollywood, CA on a Tuesday night I thought what the heck, you only live once.

As my son and I drove up to Los Angeles, every San Diegans worst nightmare, I began to think about all the opportunities missed if I stay close to the shore and never deviate from my normal “safe” life. What would I be teaching my son if I NEVER did anything adventurous?

Taking the opportunities presented to us is scary and can be nerve-wracking. Letting our kids go and watching them learn to fly can be hard and heartbreaking but, if we keep their lives small they may NEVER take chances and begin to soar on their own.

As I have watched my niece move away to attend college over two thousand miles away from home I have been reminded of how much growth and development is made when you learn to live away from your family. The fear of leaving and yet, the courage to do it anyway is astonishing.

If I would have never taken to leap to leave home at eighteen I may have never traveled the world or landed in San Diego which has become home.

Leaving home and attending a Broadway show on a work and school night may seem like polar opposites but, what if taking adventures with your children is exactly what gives them courage to leap from the nest to find their own way in life.

As Hamilton came to a close these lines made my eyes water:

Let me tell you what I wish I’d known

When I was young and dreamed of glory

You have no control

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story By Lin-Manuel Miranda

All of us have a story to tell but, will we tell it or will someone else tell it or will our stories die when we die?

As I have contemplated shutting down my website and hanging up my writing hat I was reminded that my words matter, my perspective on life matters and what I am learning while healing matters. If we don’t tell our stories or even explore the stories swirling in our heads we may spend the later part of our lives stuck in old self sabotaging habits.

Not everyone has the means to attend a Broadway Show (thank you VETTIX for the opportunity) but, we all have the ability to let go of our routines to play and explore.

Taking a shot at living a bigger more expansive life is scary. In the last year we have taught our son to drive, I pushed to change my position at work and I went camping for the first time in my adult life (more on this in a later post). All of these things were scary and nerve wrecking and still I showed up!

It’s easy to quit when things get hard. We live in a world of quick fixes and fast dopamine hits via the internet but, maybe there is something to be said for leaning into the hard things and coming out the other side stronger and more confident in who we were created to be in this life.

Let’s look for inspiration in our everyday lives to keep moving forward.

Inspiration can be found in BIG things like a Broadway Show in Hollywood but, they can also be found during a walk in your neighborhood. Opening our eyes, minds and hearts to receiving inspiration and encouragement in our daily lives can be just that thing we need to NOT quit and keep showing up for ourselves and our people.

Take a few minutes today to look for something that brings you hope or encouragement.

Until next time.