I have recently made some big changes in my life. I suppose if you’re reading this you may already be aware of that. I had been stuck in a rut for quite some time, unhappy and unfulfilled with how I was earning a living. I have 12 year old twin boys at home and a daughter away at university so the thought of leaving a job that provided a very comfortable living was terrifying. I had been thinking about or should I say dreaming about a change for a long time. I had become apathetic and no longer felt motivated to get out of bed and tackle my day. A quote that speaks to me comes from one of my favourite authors; Kurt Vonnegut, “Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are: “It might have been.”
I have always been the type of person that looks for deeper meaning in silly little signs that I like to believe are speaking directly to me. Since I made the decision to make a change in my professional life, it’s as though signs regarding change are all around me. From generic emails, to the books that I was reading, songs on the radio, movies, TV shows, editorials in newspapers, and different blogs that I follow. All these had a common theme of making a change in ones life. How could I ignore that?
So with 2016 half over, realize that you have a priceless opportunity! Forget the broken January 1st resolutions and make a new mid year resolution. Forget your age and what could have or should have been. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. At the end of it, let there be no excuses, no explanations, and no regrets. . A pair of bloggers that I follow, and seek inspiration from, Marc and Angel Chernoff , sent me an email with 4 great ideas for positive change, happiness and fulfillment in your life. I will share those ideas with you here as it was this email that pushed me past what I will call, the stay where you are and put up with it roadblock in life.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~Mark Twain
- Be the leader of your own journey. – There are far too many capable people who don’t pursue their dreams and goals because they let their fears and others talk them out of it. They give up before they even try, and simply let life’s river flow them downstream. Choose to be stronger than that. Choose to swim upstream when you have to. Choose to do the things in life that move you. Let others lead small lives. Let others argue over small things. Let others cry over small wounds. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands. But not YOU.
- Take calculated risks. – There is no excuse for being an amateur forever. Life is short. The day is rapidly approaching when the risk to remain perched in your nest is far more detrimental than the risk it takes to fly. Fly! Spread your wings. Start now. What a disgrace it would be for you to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of your full potential.
- Think you CAN. – If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you. And change breeds growth. So when a goal seems big and a plan looks tough, just start, push through it for awhile, and soon the next thing you need to do will look possible. Step by step you can get through anything – this is the truth and you have to believe it. In the end, you’re going to succeed because you’re crazy enough to think you can
- Say “goodbye” so you can say “hello.” – In life, goodbyes are a gift. When certain people walk away from you, and certain opportunities close their doors on you, there is no need to hold onto them or pray to keep them present in your life. If they close you out, take it as a direct indication that these people, circumstances and opportunities are not part of the plan for the next step of your life. It’s a hint that your personal growth requires someone different and something more, and life is simply making room. So embrace your goodbyes, because every “goodbye” you receive sets you up for an even better “hello.”
So I have said Hello to a new business, Planet Print, and I am excited and I feel re-invigorated.
“In the end, I’m going to succeed because… I’m crazy enough to think I can.”