Set Off The Lines

Have you ever heard the saying, “A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships were built for.”?

I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately.

How many of us are quietly anchored in harbors we’ve outgrown?

Not because we lack dreams.
Not because we aren’t capable.
Not because we were meant to stay there.

But because the harbor is predictable.

The harbor has calm water.
The harbor has familiar people.
The harbor protects us from storms.

And if we stay there long enough, safety begins to feel like….. Purpose.

But ships are not built to sit still. To stay tethered to the post. To be still in the fluctuating tides.

They’re built to explore.
To chase horizons.
To discover coastlines they’ve never seen.
To endure waves, uncertainty, and nights where the fog rolls in so thick you can barely see beyond the bow.

That’s what gives the the journey meaning.

Yes, there will be currents that push against you.

There will be storms that batter your sails and moments where you question whether turning back would be easier. And many times, it’s true, turning back may be easier….

Heck, there may even be sea creatures lurking beneath the surface, fears, doubts, failures, heartbreaks, rejection, all the things that seem terrifying from the safety of shore. Where the waters always look calmer.

Here’s the thing though, your boat is more capable than your fear wants you to believe.

Most people never discover what they’re capable of because they never release the lines.

They stay tied to the dock waiting for certainty.
Waiting for guarantees.
Waiting for permission.
Waiting for the perfect weather forecast before beginning the journey.

But adventure has never worked that way. NEVER….

At some point, you have to leave the life raft on shore. Don’t give yourself the out.
You have to untie yourself from the version of life that only exists to keep you comfortable.
You have to trust the vessel beneath your feet.

Not because the ocean isn’t dangerous.

But because something inside you knows you were meant for more than watching the tide from the safety of the harbor.

And maybe that’s where freedom begins.

Not when the water becomes calm.
Not when fear disappears.
Not when the journey becomes easy.

But the moment you finally decide to set sail. And that when the wind is pushing against you and your boat with all of its might, that you will keep pushing through it. Not hoping the wind gets weaker, but that you get stronger. You WILL get stronger. And that is what I hope for you, today and always.

— Tim