choice

Get up and move

This helmet was mine after a paintball game, not too long ago. Let’s just say I was grateful for the coverage! I grew up in a family of all girls. There were four daughters to be exact. Even the dogs we had were female. Add in my Mom, and my poor Dad was completely surrounded. We had a lot of fun in our family, but he didn’t get to play much catch or practice throwing the football. He taught us how to shoot a gun briefly, but let’s just say that hunting wasn’t part of our family tradition.

Even so, I somehow developed a love for cap guns.

I wish I had the picture now, but I used to run around dressed up like a “cowgirl” firing gap guns left and right. I remember it as one of the joys of my childhood. I guess that explains why the introduction of paintball …

I grew up on a set of books called “ValueTales”. They’re a collection of stories published in the 70’s retelling the stories of famous people from the perspective of a little voice inside their heads, or “invisible friend”. Their little friends are of course, a bit corny, but the stories themselves are solid portrayals of the values built into their character by struggling through the moment by moment decisions of real life. They break down the larger accomplishments of these iconic people, who changed the world, into themes of consistent choices that shaped the people they became and ultimately, the way they impacted the world.

Over the years, those stories randomly pop in my mind as I encounter difficult circumstances.

They filled my little girl head with hope and curiosity and perspective. In the middle of struggles I never knew I’d face, or could even really comprehend, some of these characters and …

by Crystal Gornto Female Social Entrepreneurs Inspirational Leaders Inspirational Women Love In Action Loving Others Loving Yourself The Journey Through Life Leave a comment chat

Waking up to a world in this much pain can cause even the strongest among us to want to pull the covers back over our heads or make a mad dash for the safety of the hills. Some days the news of the plight of our fellow humans is almost unbearable. It devastates us. It breaks our hearts.

It makes us angry.

I’m currently reading Brené Brown’s book, “Braving The Wilderness, The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone.” It is simultaneously poking me in all the uncomfortable places, while giving me a sense of being completely understood and seen. It intrigues me to the core, in my tireless work for connection and community between women, because she gets right to the core of the lines that divide and isolate us.

As much as we think it’s anger, it’s really pain.

“Most of us were not taught how to recognize pain, …

by Crystal Gornto Inspirational Words Love In Action Loving Others Loving Yourself Roadblocks in Life The Journey Through Life Leave a comment chat

This word, choice. Over the last few days, it keeps popping out at me in books, blogs, social media posts and even back to school paperwork.

It seems like everywhere I look, I keep seeing this word.

There are so many chances in life for us to make choices. But often we miss them, because they’re disguised. Sometimes they’re disguised in emotional reactivity. Like when I almost instantly yell “STOP IT!” as soon as the boys start to argue over a Nerf bullet for the 15th time today. When I do that, I miss my chance for a choice.

Because I don’t pause long enough to look for it.

Sometimes choices are disguised as a long, hard journey to a place you’ve never been. Like when you’re faced with an opportunity to do something generous and meaningful, but the finances just don’t line up. You can keep waiting for the right circumstances to …

by Crystal Gornto Inspiration Love In Action Purpose Roadblocks in Life The Journey Through Life Leave a comment chat

When it was time to head home after one of our family adventures last, Oaks found himself in a predicament. The path he and Scott rode down to the creek on was covered in tall “weeds” that apparently didn’t bother him on the way down. But when it came time to head back up, they looked a little more daunting. So he decided to take his bike up the concrete embankment on the underside of the bridge, in his water-filled mud boots. I offered to throw his bike in the back of the jeep and give him a ride, but he was insistent. My instinct was to demand that he ride up with me, because we were all hot and tired, and ready to get home.

But I paused, and consciously made a different choice.

Of course it would have been easier for him to ride with me. We would have gotten home …

by Crystal Gornto Inspiration Loving Yourself Roadblocks in Life The Journey Through Life Leave a comment chat

I don’t know how he does it, but my dad seems to make it to almost all of the boy’s ball games (& all their cousin’s games too!). It doesn’t matter if it’s rain or shine. Inside or out. Soccer, football or basketball.

When that whistle blows, he’s usually sitting on the sideline.

He’s an encourager. Over all these years, he’s looked for the best in people and learned how to encourage them to see it too. He notices even the smallest wins or minor improvements and celebrates them. He sees what makes people special and he’s trained himself to find the opportunity to speak it.

Guess how he sees it?

He keeps showing up. Game after game. Weekend after weekend. Eyeball to eyeball. He’s paying attention. He’s looking for the good.

It’s his lifeblood.

As we were driving away from a game this weekend, I was thinking about how special that is for our boys. That over their …

by Crystal Gornto Inspirational Words Love In Action Love in Family Loving Others Priorities The Journey Through Life Leave a comment chat

Get up and move

A lifetime of little choices

Two options

It’s a Choice

If anyone can do it, you can

Choose your legacy