Since I am new to Blog4Change I figured this was the best time and place for a confessional blog. One that explains why I am who I am, and how I am going to become a better person.

I am a person who is afraid of making a fool out of herself, afraid of being wrong (until it happens), afraid of showing her faults and weaknesses, afraid of learning new things, and afraid of risks.
The past year I have spent a lot of time trying new things, but I did this without the closest people to me. I did not have to struggle in front of those who already knew who I am.

My new years resolution this year is to take risks. Now you must understand, a risk in my mind could be something as small as learning to play crib or cooking a meal for my boyfriend or as large as taking a trip by myself or skydiving (this might not happen.)
I have recognized that my doing this will actually have a huge effect on my ability to "change the world" as well as impact the lives that are around me now. And I will try to document this for you as I do it.

...Risk #1-Crib...
Who knew that by simply playing a game with my boyfriend, his day would significantly improve. And so would mine. I can now say that I can play crib. Not well yet, but I've only played one game. =)

J tried to teach me a year or so ago, and I ended up in tears. It ended up in a fight. All becuase I was so resistant. He never bothered to try again, until last night. We played it openhanded, he taught me to count points (rather slowly), I felt somewhat like a child learning to play Go Fish. It was painful, it was agrivating and would have been embarrasing if I had let it be.
But I did it! He seemed so proud to have passed on a skill of his and that I had bit the bullet and put aside all fears to learn it from him.

This may not seem like a huge accomplishment for many people, but to have lived as self-consiously as I have and to have been as paralyzed by fear as I have...this was an amazing moment.
I challenge others to do the same. Join the journey with me. What will you risk today?

-Kristi