The First Step

117 • 4/13/2026

“Taking the first step forces us to confront our fears and reassess our priorities, enabling us to chart a course forward with purpose.”

The First Step

I recently read a poem I had written to my poetry group, and it was very well received. The poem is titled, “The First Step,” and talks about how important a first step is in one’s life.

The first step can also be thought of in many different ways. Upon researching this topic, I came up with several items that can be classified as first steps:

• Initiation of Momentum: The first step sets the tone for progress, creating ripples that extend beyond its initial impact.

• Overcoming Inertia: It disrupts the cycle of stagnation, paving the way for personal development and self-discovery.

• Building Confidence: Each step taken builds upon the last, accumulating into a reservoir of confidence and self-belief.

• Clarifying Goals: Taking the first step forces us to confront our fears and reassess our priorities, enabling us to chart a course forward with purpose.

• Symbol of Commitment: It signifies a conscious decision to make a shift, a mental commitment to do something different.

These aspects highlight why the first step is often considered the most significant in any journey of transformation or growth. A baby’s first step, however, is probably the most significant of them all.

“The first step is the initial action, movement, or event in a series or process, serving as the beginning of a larger task, goal, or undertaking. It can also refer to the fundamental starting point in any endeavor or a small, initial action towards progress.” (according to Miriam-Webster)

The process of each issue of the starter begins with a bit of research to discover items that resonate with me and which might elicit something positive in a reader. This writing is usually the last piece to the puzzle that is putting together a newsletter. Once-in-a-while things fit. It was that first step in me deciding I wanted to do this that has made it a practical and viable undertaking.

Over the course of my almost 80+ years of existence on this planet, I have taken many “first steps,” but none were taken without a bit of effort along the way. Some resulted in a positive outcome, and some…not. All first steps begin with a desire to get something started, even if it is not perfect!

We will always be taking first steps, sometimes we will fall and sometimes it may even hurt. The satisfaction comes, however, when we get up and dust ourselves off, and move forward, again, again, and again.

My latest first step was deciding to publish a zine. More about that later. How about you? Are you planning a significant first step toward something exciting? I certainly hope so.

******

I am switching to a subscriber-only offering. Periodic posts will be released to all subscribers but only paid subscribers will receive everything I post. If you are a paid subscriber to “the starter,” it will come into your inbox at 8am, each Monday morning. I very much appreciate your support as it keeps me in the “kicking the box” mindset!

---

“A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery

---

Peggy Oki | Allow things to unfold and you will find your purpose in life: With an appreciation of flow and motion Peggy’s life has always been driven by passion. From surfing and skateboarding to the intimate appreciation of what she calls the ‘Cetacean Nation’. Discovering the transformative force of participation artwork through her Origami Whales project was the first step to realising that passion could be harnessed, amplified and ultimately inspire for a deeper purpose. TEDx Talks, Queeenstown (ed. This is definitely a must view. Peggy Oki should be an inspiration for us all in how she lives her life. Be ready to be surprised!)

---

Madeleine Dore | Everything I learned from (finally) completing The Artist’s Way: Maybe you’ve heard people referring to the morning pages or talking about going on an artist date. Maybe you’ve just started reading the first few chapters, or adopted some of its core practices into your daily routine. Maybe you’ve abandoned it halfway through, or dipped in and out, or even completed the entire twelve-week course.

For those not familiar, The Artist’s Way is a seminal text for creative unblocking and was published in 1992 by Julia Cameron. It has sold over five million copies and has helped demystify the creative process and transform countless lives, from philosophers to illustrators and authors. ©Madeleine Dore (ed. I know I am like like many readers who began this book several times, never actually finish it. This essay enables us to finally “finish” it. This is another of those books that contain eternal answers to the creative process.)

---

Nathalie Seaver | Fleeting Florals: I met Nathalie Seaver a few years ago while attending an opening of another artist. I was immediately captivated by her free style of seeing still life as a whimsical art form that she utilizes with different subjects. ©Nathalie Seaver, image (note: all artists featured in this section have been previously published in Shadow & Light Magazine)

---

Poetics | Tim Anderson: This poem will be part of my next poetry book.

Special Delivery

Cast into
the void

my will upon
the night
to be carried
where it may

and touch
who it touches

a hand reaches out
to grasp
the meaning of
words written
on the wind

and tucks them away

into a heart
too long on the mend.

©Tim Anderson

---

To produce this newsletter it takes a bit of time, research and effort to create. If you would like to receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.