The warm glow of the autumn sunrise contrasted beautifully with the frost that covered the ground. The air was crisp and sharp but the palate of the changing leaves against the bright blue morning sky drew me outside. I had skipped my run yesterday under the guise of busyness and frustration with the promise that I would do better tomorrow. And so this morning, I pulled on my gloves and took off down the street before I had a chance to talk myself out of the run.

There was nothing extraordinary about this morning’s run. It was an easy pace. It was on one of my typical routes. It was a typical distance. But the autumn light, the colors, the feel of the air, set me at peace. And from this peace, I was able to think about being brave. It is in being brave, stepping away from our comfort zone, moving toward what simultaneously excites us and terrifies us, that we begin to create amazing things in our lives. The leap doesn’t need to be big. It just needs to be taken.

Sometimes the bravest thing is to listen to yourself. Your true self. Some call it listening to your heart. Others say go with your gut. Or follow your instincts. It doesn’t matter what you call it. What matters is that you find a way to be brave and follow that pull. Maybe you let it lead you for a day. Or for an hour. Or for five minutes.  Just listen and follow with curiosity. Don’t worry about where you’ll end up. Often the beauty comes not in the finished product, but in the bits and pieces you create along the way.