Let’s picture the journey of life as a road with roundabouts in it – traffic circles that have opportunity to get out, but also have the option to stay in the circle.
Earlier this week, I discussed that fear can sometimes hold us back from moving forward. Life never completely stops, so it is in these moments of fear that we get stuck in our roundabout. Moving in a circle while others cross our path and proceed forward. We can often get stuck in this roundabout, and refuse to move forward because of the fear of possible obstacles on the upcoming road. What if I get hurt, or don’t make enough money, or get lonely – all become the flat tires and misread maps on your journey. But once you accept that all of these obstacles are capable of being overcome, you are faced with choosing which exit of the roundabout will you take? This decision seems so finite. What if you take the exit and end up unhappy, unfulfilled, heartbroken, humiliated – you picture these upsets as dead ends. But that thought is a complete illusion. Guess what, life goes on.
Life goes on, because you create your path. If you don’t like the road your on, turn down a different one, find an alternative route, choose a different destination. When you trust yourself and love yourself, you become in control of your life and you are capable of anything you want. Success and happiness is grounded in honesty and love.
We – maybe it’s our culture, maybe it’s most of humanity – are so scared of making the wrong decision that we just don’t make a decision at all. This leaves us following the crowd, doing things that please others’ agendas, and settling for less than we are capable of.
When you are pursuing your happiness, you can not make a wrong decision. You may make a decision that could have been done differently, but you aren’t going to ruin anything or destroy your life – you’ll just end up on a scenic route. So stop being scared of messing up, and let yourself move forward – take the next step.
When I graduated college, I was on the path of some one else’s dream. I pursued a life with a predictable outcome because that’s what people do – when you graduate college, you move to a new job, meet a partner who might end up being your spouse, you settle your roots, and you “start you life” as an adult. Well, the more I tried to journey down that road, the more I felt anxiety, disappointment, and unfulfilled. I met neat people, and was pleasing my family, but I was never satisfied. Anytime I tried to imagine my ideal life, the voice in the back of my head would laugh at the silliness of doing something different – the little voice would remind me that, “Everyone lives this way, and it works. So if I do something else, it won’t work because it isn’t normal, and I will probably fail.” Well, I’m just going to call bullshit – that voice was only my the illusion of doubt and fear. Finally, I let go of my reality, so I could pursue my dreams, and I have never felt happier, stronger, or more successful.
Life does not have to have a finish line – and when I say that, I mean that you don’t have to know what “success” look like. Life can be a journey that you constantly grow, and success is achieved through your growth. Maybe that looks like a big adventure like moving or a new career, and maybe moving forward on your life journey means bettering your health or connecting with new friends or reconnecting with family. In any situation, we all have dreams in our life that we aren’t pursuing because we are scared of failing, so we stay in the roundabout of being stagnant. It’s time to embrace your dreams, let go of the fear, and enjoy your journey.
I send you love and encouragement,
P.S. This week I got to see my great friend, J Robb perform. He is a passionate musician, and this was the last time I’ll get to hear his music before I leave. I also got to eat breakfast with my loving friend Danielle and her baby-pup Jolene. I am so fortunate to have such compassionate, and encouraging people in my life. Thank you to all of my friends that are supporting me!
Ananda Yoga & Wellness 