No matter where you grew up, what you have chosen to do with your life, or your level of success or failure, there is never a lack of people to tell you exactly what they think of your personal life choices. There’s always a relative, friend, friend of a friend, or complete stranger who is all to happy to tell you what you are doing right or wrong and what they think you should do about it, because “If I were you…”
Here’s the catch: they’re not you.
Every single life is on a different kind of path, with different phases at different times, different goals and values, and trying to base your life based upon other people’s wishes is like trying to build a house on sand. The foundation will always change, never settle, and never be stable enough to remain consistent, so in the end it will leave you exhausted and without much of anything to show for it. Instead of going a mile in one direction, you’ll end up going a single foot in 5,280 directions, and wonder why you don’t seem to get anywhere for all the effort you’re putting into it.
It takes confidence to strike out on your own, make choices that parts of your world just cannot understand, and follow the path that was made for you. It takes confidence to know what you want and chase after it relentlessly, even when people doubt, criticize, name-call, and do not understand. There will be days you take a hit, days people beat you over the head with their negativity, and days it all seems hopeless — but getting through those days will show you that you can survive bad and worse, and come out on the other side better for it. Your abilities, knowledge, empathy, and confidence will all grow from moving through the storm, but first, you must be confident enough to take the first step.
Are you going to live someone else’s plan with your one life, or are you going to get confident, go for it, and make your own life happen?
signedsarah.wordpress.com 