Trying to create the life you always wanted can feel draining and near impossible.
Someone close to you dies. There's some kind of horrible third-world tsunami that makes you reflect on the fragility of life. Then poof, a spark is lit within you. You want to grab life by the hand and take photos like Murad Osmann.
Claims I have made:
- Will travel the world
- Let go of the past
- Live more boldly
- Have more confidence
Making these claims a reality would be a dream come true.
I haven't given up hope, but it's dawning on me that in order to make these claims real instead of just lofty goals, I need to acknowledge some serious truths I've been avoiding.
The goals I have carry zero substance. What does it mean to live more boldly or to have more confidence? These achievements need to be quantified.
Instead of saying I will travel the world, I will instead say I will go outside of my city, province or country 3 times per year for a vacation. Or I could write down my top destinations and BOOK. THE. FLIGHT.
What about money? What about the time? If there's anything I've learned from being part of a mastermind group, it's that once you put things down on paper, it becomes that more real. And that phrase, "Put your money where your mouth is" exists for a reason.
The mastermind group has also sparked days just filled with writing and stripping my wants into step-by-step measurable actions.
Once I placed deadlines to each action, they started to become real. In the past few months I've crossed off more bucket list items than I have in the past decade.
It all becomes real when we dig deep enough to put our ego and fears aside. Why do we, as humans with limitless potential, settle for the mundane? My truth is that living for the status quo and nothing more is comfortable, it keeps me out of the spotlight and if I'm honest enough about it, there's a part of me that thinks I don't deserve the kind of happiness and fulfillment I dream of.
I'm working on it. But as for you...
Are you willing to do the work?
Can you break down what you want into actionable steps to get you there?
If you answered yes to the above two questions, get ready to start the life you always wanted. Get past the uncomfortable feeling, the naysayers and online trolls. Your ideal life can be 100 per cent real if you are willing to fight for it.
Jessica Young left the world of traditional media and started her own business in 2015. She is still scared out of her mind but happy as ever to be pursuing her dreams. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.