My eight-year-old daughter said something to me the other day that really took me off guard.

“Mommy, I want to go skydiving.”

I have to admit that my first impulse was to tell her how unbelievably scary and dangerous it is to skydive. And how people get hurt or even die. And how one of my closest friends lost her husband in a skydiving accident. You’ve got to be kidding me if you think I’m letting my baby girl skydive. 

Seriously. Really.

Then I started to think about it. How beautiful and wonderful it is that this little eight year old girl is fearless and outgoing and amazing enough to even want to do something like that. At eight.

Seriously. Really.

So instead of saying what I really wanted to say, which was, “There is no way you are ever going to jump out of a plane! The. End!” I told her how proud I was of her being so courageous and how exciting it would be for her to do that. But yah, of course I added, “And even though it’s very scary and Mommy wouldn’t do it, I think it’s great you want to skydive, Sweetie.”

And then I started to think about how I need to be more like her when it comes to my writing. You know… fearless. I need to just grab a hold my story, clinch my teeth and jump.  Of course, I don’t have to jump without my parachute (which is the revision process that I’ll pull out eventually). 

So in honor of us all jumping into the new year, I’d love to know what makes you to “jump” into your writing process. What inspires you to pick up the pen or paintbrush and dive into your story?

Happy New Year to everyone and I wish you all a productive 2013!