Wednesday Sponsor Giveaway: Freehand Scraps, Big Picture Scrapbooking, + Paper & Co. Show

My leap of courage is just beginning as I have finally exhaled and am taking steps to leave the job I have had for 20 years in order to pursue fulfilling work teaching, and creating art. I have worked hard to pay down my debt and get my "house" in order. I hit that 20 year mark in January, but am now extending my full leap into age 51 in a new career in this market. Wow! it is empowering!

My leap is that I've decided to quit my part-time job (only working 8 hr/wk). I was feeling very guilty about this since so many people are losing their jobs. I kept thinking I should be happy to work these few hours. But honestly, I'm not enjoying it anymore and it's starting to show in my health and my attitude. The good news is I have another lead on a different job. I also received a daily Bible verse today which really spoke to me so that was my signal that this decision is ok.

I'm currently transitioning from full time parenting to empty nest. My sons still live at home but they attend college full time so home is more like a pit stop. :-) My leap is rediscovering ME after so many years of being just mom. Thanks for the encouragement.

Thank you for writing those comments about courage, fear, and change! We are moving to the Northeast from the Midwest in a month or two - and I am really feeling the stress of moving! I am so concerned about our 4 boys and how they will fit in at their new schools and about making friends. Thanks for some encouraging words today - I really needed to hear them!

My "leap" consists of a 15 year old daughter being tested and retested for an auto-immune disease this week ... boy, did I need to hear something about "leaps" and "courage" at this time. It's hard being the mom and watching your child in so much pain.
Thanks for your encouragement and advice.
And I LOVE all your give-aways!

Wonderful quote Ali! Thanks for sharing it with us. My biggest leap lately has been to start my own photography business. It's a big leap and has started pretty slow but I have faith it will get bigger with time. I know I take little leaps all the time but my brain just can't seem to recall any right now. Thank you and your sponsors for the wonderful giveaways! Enjoy the last few days/weeks of your pregnancy and I hope you have a wonderful and happy birth!

Most recent leap of courage: I retired!

My most recent giant leap and act of courage was to encourage my husband to leave his career so we could support our family of 5 by podcasting full-time. Yesterday we celebrated a successful 4 months into this new venture.
The next big leap we're working for is to uproot ourselves and travel with our children while we podcast. We're doing a little practice travel this summer to go to K.C. with our dogs for as long as we feel up to it. Once we've tried working away from home-base, we're planning to go backpack-style to Costa Rica for a few months.

I recently took a big leap from being a SAHM to a full time supervisor position outside the home. My husband is self employed and health insurance was sky high and with my new position I am eligible for much better insurance at a much better price.

My small and big moments of courage will come over the next year while my dad is away from home on his second deployment with the Army National Guard. Although this is not the first "leap" for my mom and two younger sisters, this time around feels like it will take more strength and courage then the last. It will be in moments when we're shoveling the driveway, or unclogging the kitchen sink, or even changing a lightbulb, (all things he took on and made seem simple) we'll miss him the most. But I have faith we can conquer. We'll get through this.
Thanks for all the cool stuff Ali and for making me think about brave my mom, sisters, and I really are.

We haven't taken our biggest leap YET! But are planning to if DH is laid off. He is a school teacher and the budget here in CA looks bad. We are going to Texas--half way across the US from us--we are willing, ready and able...
Not sure how I will fair in a "red" state but we will make the most of it.
Here's to new challenges aka leaps.
Cindee

I started a new job December 10th, might not sound like a huge leap but my old job was as comfortable as an old pair of slippers and this new job involves a whole new skill set. I'd be lying if I said I loved it, but I'm learning so much, and growing so much more quickly than I was in my old job (I do miss my old coworkers though!)

My most recent leap was to move from full-time career lawyer to work from home 1/2 lawyer + full time mom. It is weird, new and wonderful!

Thanks Ali. I know I really needed to hear it. Wow...wonderful giveaways, too.
My most recent leap of courage is me losing my job due to cut-backs and realizing that it's not the end of the world and that it's okay because I will find another one soon. My little leap is getting myself back there in the job market. It's kinda scary after working for the same company for eight years.

My biggest leap was this past fall to set up an Etsy store and sell my artwork www.redletterwords.etsy. that was not at all in my comfort zone, I really like to just make things for friends and then give it to them, but after much encouragement I did it :) And its been fun! I would be absolutely thrilled to win any of these great prizes!

my leap was about trusting someone also. and it involves my grandson, so it was HUGE for me and my hubby!! i went ahead and took a leap, and blessings abounded!!

My leap was losing my job and deciding to do without in order to be a stay at home mom instead of getting another job. Oh how I want to take Stacy's class...was planning to this year but with the job loss, not a chance of that happening! Maybe next year.

My word for 2009 is "enrich" and my leap was to let go of my fear of technology and enrich my life by learning digital scrapbooking. Half-way through my second online course I absolutely can't believe how much I have learned!

My leap was joining facebook and suddenly have found myself reconnecting with people from my past.

my biggest leap was to agree to coach third grades volleyball even though I was quite nervous about it!

10 years ago I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I struggle with it most days. This week I joined 24 hour fitness and will be taking water aerobics classes. This is my first step to reclaiming my health. I know it will be painful, but worth it. God is good!

For the past few years I've kept a list and made it my goal to try one new thing for each year of my life. This year I'm aiming to try 37 new things by Nov. of 09. Sometimes things I add to my list are easy to accomplish (last year I tried Goat Cheese which was something I had never had before-silly, I know. OH, it was super yum btw!). Sometimes things are harder... We are relocating to a new state for a job-the problem is selling the house... So my big leap is getting a house ready for market and trying not to "loose it" through the process... Trying to keep the worries in check (what happens if we can't sell, what if we can't break even?)... My kids are worried simply because we are moving away from everything and everyone they have ever known. I want to be calm for them. To keep our family on an even keel even though everything is in upheval. Some days I do this better than others. I think somewhere here I got off topic... Thanks for the prompt Ali-very thought provoking.

A friend recently reminded me that timing is everything and your post this morning couldn't have been more well-timed. It gave me a real boost because just this Sunday we made the huge decision to withdraw our boys from public school and begin home-schooling. My oldest has been struggling in the public school setting from the start and all the advocates, therapists, and countless IEP meetings have not made a dent in the situation. So halfway through 3rd grade we've finally said enough-is-enough. We'd rather put all of that time and energy directly into our kids and get results than constantly fight a system that doesn't truly understand a child with Asperger Syndrome. I don't think a camera exists that could have captured the enormity of his relief when we gave him the news; all of the anxiety and stress of the last 5 years melted away in an instant.
I'm not second-guessing the decision at all. In fact, I'm dismayed I took so long to get the courage to make the leap. I never considered myself “homeschool mom” material and I let that doubt overrule my instincts about what my children really needed. Now I find myself surrounded by an amazing support network of fellow homeschoolers—a support network that didn't exist for me in the traditional setting. My kids are relaxed, engaged, challenged and thriving in just 3 days. I may not have much “me” time at the moment and I'm ok with that. What I do have now is lots of smiles from my children. And I get to smile with them.

I graduated college a year ago, and got a job in my hometown, so I had been living with my parents to build my savings back up (graduating with no student loans really depleted it). Recently I took a leap of courage and moved into my own place. I considered living on my own a leap of courage because it is a big financial responsibility, especially being single in today's economy.

My most recent act of courage was forgiving someone I really, really wanted to be mad at for a long time. Boy, it feels so much better to not hold a grudge. Actually, it feels even better than I thought it would. Glad I found the courage to forgive.