The Gentleman Magazine Issue 15 | June 2019 | Page 84

The thing is; you have to take risks; don’t you..?
By Elinor Eaton
Risks! They’re scary things! But if we don’t take them, can we
every truly understand what possibilities life has for us?
Taking a risk ultimately means you are opening yourself up to
fail. Or perhaps worse; be seen to fail!
But why do we worry so much about failing? Isn’t failing just
learning?
I look back at my life and I have taken plenty of risks! Some
paid off; others not so much! But there are times that I didn’t
‘risk it’ - and now I look back and wonder what might have
been. I look back and wish I had been braver, but more than
that, wish I had trusted myself; been less cautious and actually
taken the chance of change.
Many of my friends, all in our late thirties and early forties are
now realising a lot about life; about ourselves, but more so,
about ‘risks’!
If we could do things again, start over, knowing what we know
now; many of us would…that is until we really think about it!
It’s actually not about undoing or redoing – it’s about
understanding and making change for the future; looking
ahead NOT looking back!
You know the things! Wishing we had been more accepting
of ourselves. Our frizzy hair, the 6Ibs we have always been
unable to shed; the times we didn’t take the risk because we
worried that we would flop on our faces in front of the world
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and then the world would see us for who we really were: or
who we thought we were. Insecure and concerned, concerned
way too much by what others thought – rather than our own
thoughts of ourselves!
So. Would I start again?
No!
Would I be more courageous in the risks I’d taken?
Yes!
You see, right here and right now, I wouldn’t change a thing! It’s
taken me almost 40 years to get here, but I wouldn’t go back. I
wouldn’t make amends and edit my narrative; and I certainly
wouldn’t be anywhere other than where I am right now.
Often I wonder what I would say to my younger-self, knowing
what I know now.
Growing up I was known as ‘the risk taker’ in the group! In
part because, if I’m honest, I’m rather competitive! But mainly
because I learnt at a very young age that life has to be lived; it’s
a gift and as far as I’m aware, there is no return ticket!
My sister died; an end to a short, beautiful life and an unfair
theft. So, I have always felt that I had to live two lives; making
the most of every moment; both for me, but just as importantly
for her.
, Securing the Internet of Things”