Hey! I know the title caught your eye. Yes, I know that you are afraid but guess what? I am too. I don’t walk confidently through this life every moment of the day. I have real fears about whether I have what it takes to do “it” but I know that I have to follow through. It is time to do something about it!
I have spent my entire life in the safety zone and out of harm’s way. I allowed life to just happen around me thinking that if I didn’t participate that it couldn’t hurt as much and I would make it through. That was a lie. I still got hurt along the way and still made mistakes by my simple lack of participation. What did I gain? Nothing—absolutely nothing.
Now, I am in a new season in my life and wondering about all the opportunities and chances that I missed simply because I was afraid to take a chance on me. I didn’t trust myself to do it perfectly so I said no or quit when I thought I would mess up. I have sat passively waiting for someone to choose me for something that I have to actively go after.
If you have followed me for a while, you will remember that I said that I would try my best to live today like it was my last. Apparently I forgot that for a moment and I am over it! I am fed up with my passive participation and ready to do something about it! What about you?
Are you over being afraid of being rejected before you even try? Are you over being afraid of not measuring up to some impossible standard that does not exist? Are you over being afraid to try because you might make a mistake? Are you over this foolish idea of perfection as if you are inhuman? I am over it and I hope that you are, too.
I am on a journey this year that is unlike any other that I have taken before this point in my life. I want to live the unstoppable life that I write about in Elation Magazine. It occurred to me that one of the reasons that I interview and write about people who are living an unstoppable life is not just because I want other people to know that victory is possible in their life but I need to know that, too. In my research and interview process I am searching for their secret. What I have learned in a short time is that there is no secret unless you call actively participating in life a secret.
Every interview has led me to the same answer. The only thing that they do differently than me is that they keep going. They never stop even when the cheerleaders and fans are not present. They don’t have this false sense of perfection that tells them that if they miss the mark they are not worthy enough to try again. They see lessons in missed opportunities and failures. They see a new path as a result of closed doors. They see another chance to get “it” right.
They are like the last team in the NFL, NBA, WNBA, or NBL. They keep showing up to the stadium to play their game. They don’t stop because the money and endorsements are not coming in. They keep playing because they know as long as they keep putting the work in they will eventually rise from being last to eventually being number one. They know that one game doesn’t take them to the top but being consistent in each individual game brings them closer to their desired goal.
So I am choosing to take the lessons learned from the people who have graciously allowed me the opportunity to share their stories of overcoming to do the same. I choose to actively participate in making my “it” a reality. Waiting to be chosen to do what I am passionate about is no longer an option. I trust God to guide me through the obstacles and setbacks that are inevitable in this journey. Sitting on the sidelines dressed for the game but never getting in doesn’t help me or the people who are waiting on me. I am all in and ready to go!
Care to join me? Share your “it” with someone and get started!
Just another day’s journey of realizing that I am fed up with life and ready to really do something about it! Peace.
Just Another Day's Journey 