Girls and Guns: A Day in the Life Sunday

Annie get your gun. I have mine. Annie Oakley shot a Winchester1873 .44-40 caliber factory-made rifle. I am shooting a Smith and Wesson 9mm.

I bought my LadySmith in 1990-something when the Army was switching from the .45 to the 9 mm. For the military, it meant standardizing NATO ammunition. For a female officer with something to prove, it meant frequent trips to the Rod and Gun Club to meet up with my favorite Vietnam Veterans and practice until I was spot on.

I haven't fired much since separating from the military but when a new indoor range recently opened in town, the husband and I headed out to get a few shots in.

I settled into a groove warming up with a .22. Shot by shot, it all came back - steady breathing, even pressure, and a clean trigger pull. Moving up to the 9mm, my shot groups were close to center and respectable.

I still got it.

This weekend I took a pistol class to refresh my foundational skills and I plan to take a permit to carry class. It was a thoughtful (non-political) decision to ensure that I am confident and able handle myself in a self defense situation. Self defense is important and it's not just for male homeowners anymore.

Men and women who haven't had a lot of exposure to shooting are often surprised to know that there is more to shooting than self defense.

Shooting in a safe, controlled environment is fun; shooting requires a focus that, coupled with precision and required ear-protection, is guaranteed to quiet an active mind. Nothing beats the confidence of learning a new skill and improving upon it.

People learn to shoot and sharpen their skills for many different reasons. When it comes down to it, I am because I can.

Girls and Guns, by Lisa Rosendahl, first appeared on lisarosendahl.com

Be Inspiring

I have a few boards on Pinterest. As I scan and search for items to pin, I always come across an inspirational quote or two . . . or one hundred. What I do when I see a quote depends on my mood that day and whether or not it calls to me.

If I don't pass them by, I may observe a moment of clarity, laugh at the absurdity of human nature, sigh with recognition or comment, "Now, why didn't I think of that?" I pin the ones I like, share one every now and then on Facebook (not because I am stingy that way but to keep my status updates quote-free) or I tuck them away in Evernote for future use.

These quotes are fun in passing and can bring a point home in a slide deck but not one has ever resulted in a change of my behavior. I am not inspired by infographics or intentions.

I am inspired by action.

I am inspired by:

• A superintendent passionate about unlocking potential in every student in her school. When she speaks about her favorite parts of her day (lunch with students and inspirational TED-Ed clubs), I look closer at the leadership choices I've made.
• A teenage daughter who, despite her fears, continually tries new things. When I see her fearlessly spreading her wings, I quiet the reticence in my voice.
• A 5 am CrossFit group who push physical and mental limits each and every day. "Can't" is not in their vocabulary and I've made a mental note-to-self to remove it from mine.

I am inspired by veterans and their families, Boston Marathon runners and people who, against all odds, put themselves out there because they believe. I am inspired by empowering students and TitleIX.

Keeping posting your inspirational quotes and I'll keeping pinning and sharing the ones I like but when you really want to be make a difference, stop trying to inspire.

Instead, be inspiring.

Be Inspiring, by Lisa Rosendahl, first appeared on lisarosendahl.com