This post originally appeared here on Medium.
Stop Waiting For The Magic Button And Take Action
Some days I wake up to a cloud hanging over me. On days like these, it’s easy to put on blinders and forget about everything that’s going on. I refuse to see anyone because I’m not ready to deal with the world. I pull the covers over my head and secretly wish my troubles away.
I hope that if I wish hard enough, a beam of sunlight would pierce through the hazy gray and bring on a bright sunny sky. But life as we know it does not turn out that way. Despite staying in bed all day, eventually I have to get up and deal with what is bothering me.
There are times I whined and complained because I had refused to take responsibility. I was oblivious to the fact that I had the power to create. I don’t have to wait for solutions to fall out of the sky and into my lap.
I forgot I have the ability to change what I was unhappy over. It is up to me to create what does not yet exist but should and take back control of my life.
Too often, we undermine our ability to adapt. To adapt does not mean to throw in the towel. It means accepting the need for change, unlearning, and relearning. To adapt requires that we view life from a different lens.
— Purposefullifenow.com
Subconsciously, I was waiting for the magic button to appear. The one that I could press at any time to get me through challenging moments and make everything easier. This magic button would grant me the ability to start over at any stage when I am stuck in life.
I hate to admit it, but there is no magic button except for my ingenuity in working things out. I accept that the world does not revolve around me. Whenever I come up against a brick wall, it’s up to me to do something about it instead of playing the victim.
Often I end up tolerating what I’m unhappy with because I refuse to deal with the underlying issue. I make excuses to justify my misery rather than focusing on being constructive. I’m expecting compensation or reward for minimal effort.
Nothing will get me through tough times except my perseverance and determination. It’s the hard truth that seemed obvious enough. Yet I dwelled on the illusion that something would eventually fall out of the sky. So I continued to wait.
It did not occur to me that I could stop tolerating and begin exploring the possibilities of change. If it’s true that life is what we make it, I owe it to myself to make a change. Every minute I sat and procrastinated, I contributed to the delay that continued to affect me.
We continue to live in regret and misery, knowing we could have done something but didn’t. Nothing shows up in our world unless we invite it in. Some days we have to bolt the door.
— Purposefullifenow.com
My reaction toward external factors affects my thoughts and behavior towards myself. No matter what I do, I will come across someone who disagrees or finds fault with my ways. No matter how much I invest in my goals, another person will have made it better and accomplished more than me. I have to shift my focus back on improving myself rather than criticizing and comparing.
Too often, we undermine our ability to adapt. To adapt does not mean to throw in the towel. It means accepting the need for change, unlearning, and relearning. We come out of the box and find new ways to survive and thrive. To adapt requires that we view life from a different lens.
Regardless of what we are going through, we can overcome any obstacles, big or small. We are never completely in control and don’t always have the answers. Instead of fighting against what we cannot change, what if we quit waiting? What if we make the conscious decision to create momentum? The good news is we don’t need to have everything figured out. We only have to focus on moving forward.
When we take action to create momentum, the ground beneath our feet starts to shift. We quit waiting in uncertainty. We start taking risks to embrace discomfort. We look for possibilities where there is none. We go where we have to and attempt what we have not, trusting in the unseen. With every step forward, we discover we are not lacking but equipped with the power to create.
Original Photo by Liza Summer from Pexels
Sure, I get it. Taking action alone doesn’t guarantee results. Our path may include detours, roadblocks, stop signs, and missed steps. But if we don’t take action, only one thing is sure. Our situation will have no chance of improving.
We continue to live in regret and misery, knowing we could have done something but didn’t. Nothing shows up in our world unless we invite it in. Some days we have to bolt the door.
Nobody is going to change my story except me. The sun does not always shine. Nor does the rain always pour. As long as there is today, I can either continue to wait for something to happen or take action where I am. At this point, I know exactly what I will do.
What about you? Are you still waiting for the magic button to appear?
