Jumping into a pile of leaves is a time-honored autumn tradition. This past weekend, my children attempted to step up their leaf-jumping game. They devised the brilliant idea to collect wagonloads of fallen leaves and pile them onto the trampoline. (In my previous post, I said I admire resourcefulness, but this particularly ambitious attempt had me a little nervous.)

For me, the beauty of their plan was not in the adventure and adrenaline it would guarantee but in the teamwork it spawned. Watching the three of them scamper to gather as many leaves as they could and load the wagon as speedily as possible was a thing of glory. They wanted to jump into extreme fall fun and they were doing it without sibling rivalry or fussing. They were working together. (Insert tear drop of joy here.)

As we face a new week, I encourage you to step up your jump. How can you increase your adventure, team work, and appreciation for what’s been given to you? What can you do to enjoy the simple pleasures that fall at your feet? Who can you team up with to devise new ways of doing things? What can you do to scare the crap out of yourself and grow as a brave, strong, and victorious person?

Our energy and intents will always produce greater results when we push our own limits. Here is your chance to jump into something new or leap forward with a fresh perspective. Step up your jump, and you just might experience the best adventure you never knew you could bargain for.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. I did not get a group photo of the extreme leaf jumping on the trampoline because is started raining and my little dare devils ran for cover before they believed the leaf pile was “huge enough.”

P.P.S. I was very grateful for the rain.