I have always been somewhat confused by leap year. I’m not sure that I completely understand why (or when) we have it, but I know it happens. I always feel sorry for people with leap year birthdays – but I guess they get the advantage of being much younger than the rest of us due to only celebrating every few (four? three? I’m not sure how leap year works) years.

A couple years ago I took a strengths finder test – it pointed out all the stuff I’m good at. One of the labels it gave me was ACTIVATOR. Those are the kinds of people that want to DO things – make things happen. In fact, Gallup says this about ACTIVATORS:

You are not going to sit around waiting until all the lights have turned green. Besides, in your view, action and thinking are not opposites. In fact, you believe that action is the best device for learning. You make a decision, you take action, you look at the result, and you learn. You must put yourself out there.
You must take the next step.

All of this is completely true about me. I believe taking ACTION is important in life – that too many of us are sitting around dreaming about the possibilities, thinking about what we might do with our lives, and wishing we could change things.

Why not do something about it? You don’t have to be an activator to realize that there’s only so much dreaming, thinking, and wishing you can do. At some point you have to put feet to your words and try.

You need to take the leap.

I know, cheesy, right? It’s LEAP year, so I decided to write a post about taking the LEAP. But it’s really not as cheesy as you think.

What if you made the choice? Today. Right now.

What if you decided TODAY you would make that food change?

Write that story?

Start that business?

Go on that trip?

Change your lifestyle?

Start exercising?

Build that funky gazebo in the back yard?

Adopt a child?

Send a meaningful text every day?

Be INTENTIONAL in your relationships?

I read a really interesting article yesterday about Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Apparently, every year he gives himself a personal goal to complete – and he inspires his followers to do the same. One year he read a book every two weeks. Another year he ran 365 miles. But beyond that, I just love the fact that he is striving to better himself and DO things that recreate himself, give him joy, and keep him from being a workaholic.

I feel like my learning curve is on hyperdrive lately – I just want to read, inhale, soak in, and better myself. I feel like this life I’m living is full of more things than I have time to experience. And I want to experience THEM ALL. Right now, one of my goals, like Mark, is to read 52 books that make me better.

I’m currently reading Love Does by Bob Goff. Bob gave away 100% of the proceeds of this book to build a school in Gulu, Uganda. And like Bob, the book encourages readers to live a lifestyle that fiercely seeks out ways of showing love to others.

Notice the second word of the title?

DOES.

Doing stuff. Getting off our rumps. Making a difference. Taking the leap.

What if, by next leap year, you were able to look back and see that leap year 2016 was when you did it? The year you started something new? Made that change? Kicked it into gear? Made the choice?

What if this is your moment right now?

I’m currently working on a non-fiction book (cross your fingers – hoping to have it available in July) that’s all about choices. In order to live this life, you have to realize that a plate is offered to you every single day.

It’s a choose plate.

And although you can’t choose what happens to you, you can choose how you respond.

And it’s time, my friend.

It’s time to take the leap.

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Carrie Wisehart is a teacher, writer, bicyclist, mama, worship leader, speaker, and joy-chooser who is living the best day ever adventure. Follow more of her blog posts by subscribing to receive more inspiration in your e-mail inbox every couple weeks!

Want to make a whole list of take the leap things? Things you want to do? Check out this blog post about the List of Now. It even has a printable!

You can also jump in and join Carrie in her 30 day no complaining challenge, going on now!

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