Dear reader who says, “I’ll start tomorrow or in a month when I’m ready”,
Let me guess, more time than you planned has passed by and you’re still sitting there saying, ‘I’m not ready”.
Guess what? No one is ever 100% ready. There is no perfect day. There will always be an event, birthday, or holiday approaching. This thought of having to be 100% ready is something we make up in our minds because, well, it’s scary and our brains are programmed to protect us from harm.
Do you remember what it was like jumping into a pool when you were a little kid? If you were like me, you stood there at the edge of the pool with your toes curled over the concrete edge debating jumping in. How cold is the water? Is the water too deep? What if there are sharks in the pool? All while you think to yourself, just jump already! You know in a few seconds you will be enjoying the water just like all the other kids. Still you're stuck standing there for a few seconds, scared of the shock, scared of that quick change from one environment to another.
Stop waiting and make your dreams come true.
When will you be ready to start pursuing your dreams, your true passion? When your family and friends support your choice without judgement or reservations? Maybe when you have enough time to plan? How about when you feel like you have saved enough money?
Say enough is enough to the never-ending excuses and just get started. Take that leap of faith. You don’t need a million dollars, a million days to plan, and most of all you don’t need anyone’s approval other than your own.
My dad used to say, “Ashley Kaye, you catch more fish when you pay attention to your own bobber”. Yes, it is a classic lame dad quote comparing fishing to life. None the less, it’s true.
On the daily, most of us spend hours scrolling endlessly on Facebook, Instagram, and the plethora of other social media apps out there looking at what everyone else is doing with their lives. The real question is, what are you going to do with your own?
Was I ready to quit my job and travel full time? Six months ago, I would have smiled and shouted, absolutely! When it came down to submitting my official letter of resignation and telling my director that I was leaving, I felt awful. There were real tears. It felt almost as if I was starting a grieving process. Perhaps that's why so many put retirement off year after year? It's scary.
This year, don't let fear of the unknown rob you of opportunities. Wayne Gretyzky said it best, ‘you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.
You got this!
Remember, every day you get to make a choice, what will your choice be today?
