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How do they do that?” asked the woman next to me on the ski lift. She wasn’t talking about the expert skier making effortless, smooth turns down a steep double black diamond slope.

Instead, she pointed to the man strapped in a bucket-shaped seat attached to a single ski, his disabled legs secured in front of him. With ski poles attached to his arms, he maneuvered himself over the bumps on the ungroomed run beneath us.

He did a much better job than I would do.

I admired his resolve (as I do all people, many who are veterans) to overcome obstacles in a sport most able-bodied people find challenging.

Being bold requires determination to succeed.

Maybe when you’ve already lost a lot, the risks don’t seem so enormous. For the rest of us, we need to be persistent.

Another day, I rode the ski lift with a ski instructor. I could see his prosthetic feet from below his ski pants. A teenage girl, his student, sat beside him.

I eavesdropped on their conversation. I couldn’t help laughing as he told the girl about the time his prosthetic leg, not attached properly, fell off while he was on a chair lift. It landed upside down in the snow, to the surprise of the person below.

This man gained my respect for his attitude.

Being bold requires belief we can succeed.

How often do we need to believe the impossible is possible?

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (NIV)

I’ve watched an instructor guide a blind skier down the mountain, and I don’t mean by the hand. He skied a few feet in front anticipating the hazards and making sure the person felt safe, as well as had fun.

Being bold requires taking responsibility for others success.

Not many of us will lead a blind skier down a mountain slope, but all of us have to show the way for someone at some point.

“Not like that, not like that,” shouted a man. I twisted round to see what was happening on the run below me. A woman sliding nervously across the slope. Even I felt agitated by his instruction. Soon the woman’s skis were crossed and she was a heap in the snow.

Being bold requires having a heart for others success.

We need to have compassion and show kindness no matter how frustrating the situation. Or we need to be generous enough to get the person a proper ski lesson.

The other day my husband told me I took a good line—nice wide turns and a direct route—down the mountain. I loved his compliment. I had been a good leader. It was a difficult run and I had made it easier for him to follow me.

Being bold requires putting others first to enable their success.

We must care about those who follow us and set a good example so they can develop their potential.

The next time I peer down from the ski lift, I’ll be reminded of how success is equal parts determination, support from others and belief, all wrapped up in bold action.

How has someone else helped you be bold? #BeBoldGirl

Linking up with Susan Mead at #DanceWithJesus and Dawn Klinge at #GraceandTruth

  • Having others believe in me is fundamental in my bold journey. They encourage me and push me beyond what I ‘believe’ I can do as often I will take the easier route. I also hope I encourage others to be their best, and be that person that even if it does not turn out the way they expected, or even fail, they still have a safety net in me. And always God is there!

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