What Are You Waiting For?
It’s funny, I was sitting down to write and I found so many of THESE words coming back out on the paper along with the need to share them again. If I could encourage anyone to do anything it would be to take action on THE THING you want to do. The one thing that seems to hold us all back is fear. It holds me back too, but here is what I’ve learned about fear… It can ruin us, or it can save us. Over this past year I have gotten so much braver and made choices to do things I would have never done before. With each brave decision I’m strengthening that muscle and learning how to get past fear. That’s what happens! At the same time if you decide not to face your fears each time it gets harder.
What the world needs now is someone brave just like you to do the thing on your heart. People need to see more people like themselves going for it. If we learned anything from the tragedy with Kobe Bryant and the rest of the people on his helicopter, we learned that time is limited and unpredictable. So, what are you waiting for?
A few months back I found a journal that I had written in when I was 25. It was full of pages and pages of uncertainty, confusion, and stress about the future. Oh to be 25 again! I mean, really? Page after page of “woe is me” nonsense, and I realized that some time between then and now I have REALLY changed. Back then my thoughts were LIMITING to say the least and I was acting like a victim. I didn’t believe I created my life and circumstances, I thought everything happened to me. My job was hard and I wanted something new. My relationship with my boyfriend wasn’t progressing like I wanted it to. I wanted so many changes in my life but had no idea how to move forward at all and was completely stuck. Poor me! Wah wah wah!
Reading this journal made me a little bit sad because I was so young and I really could have done anything I wanted with my life. I should have been more grateful, I should have cared less about what others thought, and I just should have taken the time to figure out what it is that I really wanted out of my life and just went for it. #wouldashouldacoulda It made me realize that the saying is actually true!
“You’ll only regret the things in life you didn’t do, not the things you did.”
So very true! I’ve taken risks and made mistakes, but the only thing I actually regret in my life is the time wasted on hemming and hawing over what to do next!
I recently went to the funeral services of a young woman from a mom’s group I’m in, and it affected me deeply. Nicole was 32 and when I met her a few months ago she was in the later stages of her battle with cancer. She left behind 2 little boys, loving parents, and tons of adoring friends. She was a wonderful person, and her faith in God during her life, especially during her last days, was so incredibly inspiring and amazing- definitely touched me more than I can ever express in words. Her death at such a young age is a tremendous reminder of the short time we have here on earth. We only have ONE CHANCE be the person we want to be, to accomplish the things we want, to have the life we want, and to make the impact or leave the legacy we want to leave.
What are we waiting for?
Part of the reason I wanted to start blogging is because I feel like I have made so many positive changes in my life in recent years, and it all started with a shift in mindset and to take ownership over my life. I’ve learned that the main thing that had held me back in life was simply FEAR. Fear of what people think and fear of failure. I have turned this around and truly want to help other people do the same. I realized that my life is happening NOW. If I wanted to change careers, start a blog, or add anything else to my life, I didn’t need to wait for the stars to align, I didn’t need permission from my parents, husband, or friends. I didn’t need to let FEAR run the show anymore!
I think each and every person has gifts to share and a purpose here on earth and the time to pay attention is now. Think about what you want your life to look like, how you want to feel, and what you enjoy doing most, and then design your life around those things! If you are thinking, “oh ok easy for her to say,” then you are thinking with fear. I am not suggesting that anyone does anything drastic, but taking the time to think about what you want out of your life is just so important, and then taking one step at a time to get there. Having kids means that I will forever have little eyes on me watching my example. They see if I’m happy. They see if I’m grateful. They see if I’m fulfilled- they really do. They’re not looking for rich, perfect, or beautiful, they’re looking for happy.
So, maybe you want to get healthier. Maybe you want to learn a different language. Maybe you want to travel. Maybe you want to go back to school. Maybe you want to start a side business… whatever it is, it is all figure-out-able. My road here wasn’t what I thought it would be. I thought I’d be working as a nurse practitioner in an ICU, but when I really stopped to think about it that wasn’t really the life I wanted. It was just the next obvious step for a nurse with a bachelor’s degree and I knew I wanted more than what I was doing.
Sometimes your road is hidden, and a little less obvious like mine was. For me it started with making a brave decision to take a risk and start a business in an industry I knew nothing about and truly was not passionate about, but something about the idea of being apart of lit me on fire. That choice has opened all the other doors. Sound strange? Well, what I’ve found is that God (or the universe or whatever you like to call it) rewards brave actions towards finding your calling in life. It may not be obvious, but you just get a feeling sometimes. I think God plants a little spark or a little light in all of us, and he wants you to let it shine! It’s your gift and gifts are for giving.
I don’t know what’s at the end of my road yet, all I know is that I’m loving the journey. For now being mom and wife, business owner, and blogger is perfect for me, but I know there is so much more to come. Each and every brave step is 100% worth it.
What are you waiting for? #letitshine
Since this post was first published in July of 2018 so many things have changed, and all because I took my own advice not to wait. Every single decision was scary (as hell) but with each decision the next got easier. I tell you this because now is YOUR time. If you read this last year and still haven’t done THE THING, it’s time. Let your light shine, my friends.
