What Would You Change?

Imagine, if you could go back in time. What would you change? What career would you pick? Would you work more or less? Would you go to school, or study something different? How would you invest your money? Would you get married? Would you travel more? Where would you go? What would you do differently? 

Some people are living their dreams, or have learned to change their views.  On the other hand, so many people live with dreams instead of living their dreams.  They feel unsatisfied and unhappy, but do not attempt to change their attitude or conditions.  Some continue on the same path and never think about it, and others think about a different life but never do anything about it.  You have a gift.  What can you do with it?

As I follow the news about the U.S. economy -- the “Arab Spring;” the revolutions in Africa; the earthquake in Turkey; and the Occupy Wall Street movement -- I cannot help imagine how our world would change if we all could see our greatness and follow our passions.  

Our passions are pure.  Even though there are exceptions, most people are passionate about creating, learning, building, and helping others.  We want to do something positive with our lives.  We want to make a difference in our lives, and in the lives of others.  Hence, most, if not all, of the things that we are passionate about can benefit everyone.  

You are at your best when you are following your passion.  Think about the surge of energy and excitement that you feel when you are doing what you love.  You feel powerful when you are following your passion.  It seems as if limitations disappear, and all you can see are opportunities.  Your mind suddenly starts to work differently.  Ideas come to you effortlessly.  Your body performs differently, and you feel the newfound energy source that moves and energizes every cell of your body.  You smile more often and feel the real joy of living once again.  All that could become part of your life by following your passion and aligning with what you love.  How does that sound?

Having passion and pursuing what you love is very powerful.  Think about a powerful experience that you have had.  Think about your first love; your first kiss; receiving your first paycheck; graduating from school; seeing your child for the first time; winning an important game; and all the other experiences that were important and memorable for you.  The feeling you get from following your passion is very similar to those experiences, except it is even more powerful and lasts much longer. 

Have you noticed something special in people who love their job?  They are excited to go to work every day.  They talk about their work as if they are playing a fun game.  Their energy is so infectious that you feel excited around them.  You wonder, “How can I get some of that energy?”  It is understandable to want that.  We all want to feel true excitement and joy in our life.  We all want to talk about our life, work, and relationship with passion and excitement; it just feels good. However, only a small number of people actually choose to feel that way, and we have no one to blame but ourselves.  

We are the source of it all.  We can choose to follow our passion, or to stay unexcited and unhappy.  Yes, it will take effort and work to do the things that we want.  However, we spend our energy and resources no matter what we chose to do.  Attracting a great job opportunity or a rewarding relationship requires commitment and focus.  On the other hand, staying in a bad job, being alone, or avoiding issues create frustration, stress, and other challenges that require just as much, if not more, energy.  Here is the question for those who are unhappy or just want to live differently.    

Can you afford to stay the same and follow the same path?  

Ultimately, the choice is yours, and what you decide is the right decision for you at this time

I know some of you want to change.  You want to follow your passion, but do not know how.  Some of you are afraid to pursue what you want.  Change is not easy.  You know how to deal with your current frustrations and stress.  After all, you have done it long enough to know how to deal with it, and you have mastered it by now.  You know pain is there, but you know how to hide and how to deal with the pain when it comes.  Staying the same is definitely an option for you.  However, I know some of you are tired of hiding.  You are tired of being afraid and worrying about the future.  You want to feel free.  You want to fly.  You want to live the life of your dreams.  You are eager to get out and follow your passion.  You are excited to integrate with life, and be who you really are.  You have been acting for a long time, and you are tired of it.  You know that you can continue on this path, but you know there is more that you want to experience in life.  Congratulations! This is an exciting time for you.  Now, it is time to take that first step.  Sign up for that class, update your resume, and look for what you want. Nothing is stopping you.  With each action your energy rises.  You will feel amazing and when your friends and family see you, they wonder, “How can they get some of that energy?”  

We all have a gift to offer to others.  We either make a choice to follow our passion and offer our gifts, or choose to continue on the same path.  Ultimately, we are the ones that have to either pay for the cost, or enjoy the rewards of our choices.  Here is a beautiful quote from Lucille Ball, "I would rather regret the things I have done than the things I have not."