Friday, October 26, 2012

Fearless Fridays: Are You Living or Existing?

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.  ~Judy Garland

A friend of mine posted an interesting question on her Facebook page the other day, which caught my attention. It was simply: Are you living or existing?

Talk about powerful! Often, we are just existing and don’t even realize it. It’s easy to put your life on auto-pilot when you’re comfortable in your everyday routine. But being comfortable doesn’t always equal happiness. Remember that you determine your life’s story. You make decisions along your journey that will take you on a certain path. Getting used to a familiar and comfortable routine in your life is essentially just getting by. You’re not being your best self by just getting by.

See, in life, it is not enough to just get by and be comfortable all the time. Life has so much more to offer than that, if you choose to take a chance and seize those opportunities. You are here for a reason and it is not just to exist. I know life can be hard, believe me. We are faced with setbacks and disappointments on a daily basis. However, pushing through those dark times are big wins. And learning the lesson from those moments is the ultimate victory because it will help you to be one step closer to being your best self. 

But when you let those dark moments keep you from living, you are just giving up and existing. That is no way to live life, especially since you only have one life to live. Your mindset is very important in being your best self. Your thoughts shape your actions and your life. Positive thinking can do a long way. It won’t eliminate all of your problems but it will help you to deal with them in better way. And it will help you to let go and move on.

Life is meant to be that story where there are more happy moments than sad. It is meant to be a great story where we realize our potential and pursue our dreams. Life is what you make it to be. So think about it, if you decide to make your life wonderful, think of how much you can do with your life. Honestly, all it takes is accepting responsibility for what you are doing in your life and making the decision to not just get by anymore. Why settle for mediocrity when you have dreams in your heart, which when pursued and attained, will turn your life into something awesome?

First things first, you have to be honest with yourself and see yourself for who you are, flaws and all. No one is perfect so stop criticizing yourself and second guessing yourself. Instead, think about how you can change what you are not happy with. For example, want to change jobs? Then make the decision to revamp your resume and start looking for opportunities out there. Make a list of things you’d like to change and then make decisions on how you can make your changes happen.

Second, you have to accept yourself, all of yourself. Love yourself, flaws and all. Accept that while you may not be a rocket scientist, you are meant for something great in your life. You won’t find your true calling unless you accept you for who you are and honestly, do some soul searching on where your strengths lie and how you can align those strengths with your dreams.

Third, you must change your mindset. It’s like I said above, your thoughts are such an important part of being your best self. You can either be the president of your own fan club or your own worst enemy. It’s your choice. Once you change your mindset, you are looking at your life with a new set of eyes. And once you change your mindset, you are actually allowing yourself to open your mind to the possibilities out there.

Lastly, you have to put yourself out there in the world and simply live your life to the fullest. It’s all about action. Once you take action in your life to be your best self, great things will start to happen. The right people will come into your life. The right opportunities will come into your life.

So don’t wait until tomorrow to make a change. Make the decision to change TODAY. You owe it to yourself to be the best you that you can be. Don’t talk about it, be about it! It’s like the saying goes, “Be that person you want to meet.”  By changing yourself for the better, you are changing your world for the better. Don't just exist. Live!

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. ~Steve Jobs


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