No Chainsaw Massacre Here

My dad always taught me “safety first” to the point I only did things that were safe.  That meant I didn’t grow up around power tools, building anything or fixing anything.  I may have missed out but I have longevity on my side.  Maybe by now I would have fallen to a terrible accident involving a piece of machinery or equipment if only I’d had the opportunity to use any.

But the other day I had the opportunity to use a power saw.  I borrowed my neighbor’s tool to help clean up heavy tree branches that walloped my backyard and side of the house (thanks, Hurricane Sandy).  These limbs weigh more than I do.   I couldn’t just toss them in the garbage.  They needed to be cut into pieces.

My hand-held ax and pruner weren’t up to the job.  Neither was a manual saw.  I needed to bring in the big guns.  I found using it rewarding, exhilarating, and fun.  I felt proud of learning a new trick, one that saved me some money in the process.

I wore gloves and goggles and heeded the tips for using it safely from my neighbor.  I was a cutting machine.  I even scored some points showing off for my wife.

The experience opened me up into wanting to take on new challenges.  Would I rewire the house, do drywall, and build a deck?  Probably not, but maybe I could do things I never pictured myself doing, whatever those things may be.

I at least proved to myself that I can overcome what is really just a mental barrier.  Where a fear for safety guided me in the past, I want to instead be inspired to take a calculated risk to pursue what’s a little less familiar or common to me.

Today I conquered a chainsaw.  Tomorrow, who knows?  Who really knows?

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2012 ©