You Never Step into The Same River Twice

Heraclitus famously said, “No man ever steps into the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”  

Simple, yet so profound at that same time. Life is in constant flow and we, like the river, are in a perpetual state of change. These states of change can be at the micro level, tiny changes we may not even notice, or they can be major, rock your world, types of events that leave us forever altered.  

I am speaking at TEDx Southlake this month and I sat by a river while camping recently, reflecting on my journey. It became clear to me that both the micro and macro moments played a role in getting me here. I applied for TEDx Southlake before a trip to Egypt, when I got an intuitive nudge after reading the event’s theme, “Innovating the Human Experience.” It felt like the perfect match for what I teach at Disrupting Gracefully, so I took the leap. 

Then, while I was in Egypt, I received news that I had been promoted to the next level in the selection process. This meant creating a video while immersed in the ancient energy and history of Egypt. It was surreal (and stressful!), and at the same time, it made perfect sense. All the small shifts that had prepared me for this moment came to a head. I wasn’t just in a different physical space; I was in a different internal space as well, ready to take this on. 

It wasn’t just about the application or the video. Although, I think the enthusiasm in my video helped!! But seriously, it was all the micro moments before that. The times when I followed my intuition without knowing where it would lead, moments when I said yes to challenges and opportunities that stretched me beyond my comfort zone and there were plenty! It was these subtle, almost unnoticed decisions that paved the way for this larger leap of faith. 

Transformation is often the accumulation of small decisions and actions that shape who we become. These micro moments of change, each step we take, each risk we embrace (even when we feel like we are free falling without a parachute!) are what prepare us for the bigger leaps. Without them, I wouldn’t have had the clarity (or perhaps even the courage) to apply for TEDx Southlake and share my message.  

Have you had moments like that? When a gut feeling pushed you to leap, even if you didn’t have a parachute? Did you trust in yourself or ignore the nudge? I leave you with this for the month of October... Trust that the river of your life is taking you exactly where you need to go, even when the current feels uncertain. Go for it!