This post originally appeared here on Medium.
Stop Letting Fear Rob You From Living The Life Of Your Dreams
Mark this day, because you’re the youngest you’ll ever be for the rest of your life.
Plain and simple. That’s not meant to be discouraging. It’s meant to be empowering. If you want to make something happen, you’re going to have to get out there and make it happen.
Listen up, people. All we have is right now.
You’re not getting younger. If you don’t start taking the risk and go after your dreams, you might wake up one day and find yourself trapped in a life you don’t want forever.
It’s tragic to know that so many people are constantly looking back to the past and reminiscing about what they’ve lost. Don’t be one of them. Wouldn’t it be better for you to look into the future while reminding yourself how much you have in the present?
Being too enamored with future planning keeps you from noticing the moments you are fortunate to experience right now.
— purposefullifenow.com
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Photo by Dimitry Anikin from Pexels
Sometimes you find yourself at a crossroad, not knowing where to go or what to do with your life. You’re not exactly miserable with your current stage, but you’re not very excited either.
You’re unsure how to proceed because you don’t know what to expect. Your brain shifts into maintenance mode, getting the necessary routines of life done, earning a living, tending to the house, the bills, grocery shopping, etc. It’s the daily things that keep you afloat.
If this is you, perhaps it’s time to reevaluate your life, passion, and purpose.
Success is not guaranteed. Everything will not turn out exactly the way you envision it. Failure and disappointment happen. It is inevitable. Yet you continue to show up day in and day out. And then what?
There’s so much talk about planning for the future, and I’m not proposing that we should spend less time planning. That would be misguided advice. But being too enamored with future planning keeps you from noticing the moments you are fortunate to experience right now.
If it’s something you really want to pursue, you have to be willing to go with a certain amount of discomfort.
— purposefullifenow.com
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Photo by Dimitry Anikin from Pexels
Time indeed moves at warp speed the older we get. If you are serious about pursuing your dream, you better get on it. Don’t get trapped in a life that isn’t right for you by fear and inertia. Take those first steps. Stop procrastinating and get working.
The time will pass anyway, whether it be four months, four years, or four decades. What’s it going to be when you reach the end of the four months, four years, or four decades? Either you’ll feel more joy and satisfaction of going after your heart’s desire, or you’ll find yourself exactly where you are right now.
If you have a sense of emptiness that something is missing, that feeling is a clue to your fulfillment if you only dare to claim it. Nothing should hinder your yearning to pursue your life’s direction.
Of course, stuff happens. You may not have enough money to do all the things you want to do. You may have to give up some luxuries or make some sacrifices along the way. If it’s something you really want to pursue, you have to be willing to go with a certain amount of discomfort. Maybe once you try it, you may even realize that this might not be what you really like after all.
You take the uncertainty of life and turn it on its head because all is not lost. That moment of truth will enable you to move on to the next path, instead of holding you in a place of yearning, not truly knowing what it would be like if you’ve had the courage to go after what you want.
Original Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels
What would it take for you to finally stop dreaming and start doing by getting your hands dirty? When trying to figure out what to do with your life, no action is an action in and of itself.
Be brave enough to decide and go ahead with it, even if it means you might end up doing something else later. If the thing you attempt didn’t work out, you will soon have another opportunity to succeed at something else. Who knows if that closed door is really a signpost that will lead you to your next great success?
Happiness isn’t an end goal or final reward that awaits once you’ve made it through the rocky paths. It’s a decision you make on a day-to-day basis, in the present, interacting with the world around you. It comes from appreciating what you have and being thankful for the moment. And how can you be happy if your heart is always longing for that mythical tomorrow somewhere in the uncertain future?
Even though you know that it’s never too late to start going after your dreams, please don’t delay one moment longer, because you’ll never know what tomorrow may bring. Don’t play it too safe by allowing the fear of failure to keep you from taking some risks and disturbing the status quo.
Life is constantly changing and some things we all take for granted today, like time, health, and strength will soon be gone.
In the end, what is worse? Failing or not trying at all? Which is going to leave you with regret?
Stop settling for less than what you want. Go out and make it happen. Because life goes by incredibly fast.
Think about it, what is holding you back?
