xo,
Sunni
Want to listen to this instead? Read or listen below…
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I asked this precious little being (in this photo) to help me write my post today, and thankfully she was much obliged.
You wouldn’t think little birds would have business and life advice, but they do. And they’re happy to share it if you ask.
So I did ask… and she was delighted to tell me what she knows about learning to fly… in any way or area that you choose to:
1. If you want to learn to fly, you have to learn how to fall. Falling is the first part of flying. You’re not going to know if it will work, or if you have what it takes until you fall. So just step out off that ledge and let your body’s wisdom take over. It knows what to do when you don’t.
2. Flying is not about flapping. Too much flapping around will land you right on the ground. Just open up wide, and catch the current. Even when you don’t see them, they are there. A flap or two, and then glide. A flap or two, and then glide. If you let life carry you more… it will. If you flap a lot, you may still get there, but you’ll be awful tired when you do.
3. Flying is not about size or strength. Nor is it about impressive colors. Look at me… have you ever seen anything more breakable? vulnerable? delicate and small? And yet I can fly great distances, hundreds of miles in a day, thousands of miles in a month. New beauty is created and sustained in my flight, from the smallest hops down from a tree, to the longest voyages. I am no Eagle, no Toucan or Phoenix… but these wings move mountains just the same.
4. I was made for ease, life built this ease into me… in the form of these wings and in the form of my desire to migrate where it is more comfortable for me and my kind. I do not take pride in punishing conditions. I do not win prize for staying in the cold. I care for me and my loves by moving with life when it calls me to more comfort and abundance, I don’t question that call, I just follow it.
5. I am fragile. It is more obvious with me, but it is true for us all. Look at my tiny feathers, look at my tiny eye, look at my fleeting life… look at yours. If I did not accept this face and hold it in my heart, I could not step out, and I could not fall, and thus, I could not FLY. Fear is part of the beauty of all this, hold it closer. Feel it, but don’t let it stop you.
6. Softness is not weakness. Smallness is not lack of power. But if you are disconnected from life, and from your inseparable connection to the universe and to all things, you will certainly see it that way. I can fly BECAUSE of my softness and smallness, and others can fly in wholly different packages—giant ones with sharp teeth and claws! And still, we both can fly in our own ways.
7. There is no top of any tree, anywhere, that I cannot perch in, or build a nest. I set my sights where I’m called to from within me, and I go there. All you sweet muffins can do that too. The only difference between me and you is I don’t question my instincts, and you do. Just trust them more, and you’ll be fine. At the very least you’ll enjoy your time here much more.
So that was my conversation with our guest this week. 😉 I hope you have enjoyed her love and wisdom as much as I have.
May we all learn to fly in our own ways, gliding more and flapping less, supporting ourselves and eachother in our soaring, and our falling. Embracing our softness and strength, and building our nests in any damn tree we want to, no matter how high or how low.
xo,
Sunni
P.S. My new book is here! Your pre-orders really help me out with Amazon’s stocking of the book when it releases. You can find out more about it and pre-order right here ✨💞 + those of you who pre-order get free access to my BRAND NEW mini-course: Make More, Doing Less, Being YOU. You can sign up for that right here »
