Genius Hour Part VI - Staying Motivated

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

When learning something new, fear is to be expected. Fears of failure. Fears of the unknown. Fears of the struggle. Fears of overscheduling yourself. Fears that whisper, "Just give up. It's not worth it."

How do you crush those fears and continue on your learning journey? That's what this week is about. Perseverance and Stick-to-it-ness.

I will not give up on my passion. "Why?" you ask.

My commitment to self-improvement and peace of mind.

My commitment to my family and future adventures.

My commitment to granting myself "me time".

Just a few minutes a day already has me feeling more confident about operating a boat safely. Learning about and talking about boats with my husband has me excited about our upcoming summer adventures. This pushes me forward in my journey.

Anchors Aweigh

I've nearly completed my BoatUS online boat safety course. I have to admit that understanding the responsibility and potential dangers of boating scared me at first, and I thought my plan had backfired. The course was supposed to help me feel educated and at ease. How can learning about everything that can go wrong - running aground, fires, COB (crew overboard), and collision - help me feel better about a leisure activity that already had me on edge? But, the deeper I get in the course, the better equipped I feel to avoid dangers and handle the responsibilities that accompany boating.

I've learned about:

• Safe Boat Operation
• Boating Equipment
• Trip Planning and Preparation (a personal favorite of mine)
• Safe Boat Operation - "Rules of the Road" (not a personal favorite of mine - just a little scary to see images of boats and boaters in very precarious situations.)
• Emergency Preparation (again a little nerve-wracking)
• Boating Activities (Finally, we get to the fun stuff that my husband used to sell me on this whole boating idea!)

Online boating course nearly complete.  Feeling confident so far.

After this module, comes the big final exam! But, I think I'm ready for it. When in doubt, the answer is always to wear a PFD (Personal Flotation Device).

After that, I'm going to investigate places my family and I can enjoy boating this summer. A boater's bucket list, if you will. Now, who wouldn't be motivated to keep going with that end in sight? If you know of any places we have to visit, leave your suggestions in the comments.