This week has been one of deep reflection and also progression. Yesterday, I wrote about evolving the mission statement for Dirt in Your Skirt and today I am reflecting on that one tiny decision that changed my life over eight years ago.

Earlier this week, Facebook reminded me I did my first obstacle race eight years ago. In fact, the first Spartan Race. I have spoken and written pretty extensively about that race. The part I think I often forget to mention is how much of a random occurrence it was that I even signed up.

I know I was searching at the time, lost, and needed to find something new. I had just gone through a total life change and was drifting. I had a friend “like” this thing called Spartan Race on Facebook and something compelled me to sign up for it. Signing up for a running race made no sense I hated to run and had no real interest in competing at something. But my sister lived nearby and I had an open weekend so made the hour plus drive from Killington, Vermont to Burlington to just go try something new.

I remember crossing the finish line feeling something new, feeling alive for the first time in a while, and thought this will be fun to do on my weekends. Little did I know that two years later I would be quitting my job in education to be a sponsored athlete and work on my website fulltime. I had no idea I was going to meet my future husband at a race, move across the country, write a book, write for major publications, have a web series, and create a whole new life, just from that one small decision.

The Pebble in the Lake

Have you ever thrown a pebble into a glassy lake or pond? The pebble may be no larger than a pea but it sends ripples out across the calm water.

Much like those ripples those small micro-decisions we make in our life can have profound effects. These can be for both the positive or the negative. It is a reminder that the person you meet in the grocery line, the book you read, the race you decided to sign up for, the online course you decided to take.

All of these moments can lead to profound life changes. If you are open to them. The key is being open and aware that at any moment your life could forever change. It can be scary but also exhilarating to think that every decision and interaction could change your life.

For me, it was deciding to sign up for a new race and that one micro-decision, tiny pebble, would forever set my life on a new course to where I am today.