The Wish is Drawn Inside

On my left wrist is a black rubber bracelet that a friend gave to me. It looks like any number of the different designs that you can buy. This particular one is printed with the name of a band and acts as a semi-permanent reminder that life only happens when you get up and do something about it.

Like any musician, the person who the band belongs to is desperate to get their music out there. However, despite numerous offers of help, they refuse to do anything, instead leaving the band to linger through a slow and painful death.

My friend, who had the wristbands printed for the band, has helped this person on a number of occasions. Yet, despite the financial help, late night phone calls, early morning text messages, and everything in between, the only thing this person remembers is the one thing that my friend hasn't done for them as opposed to the wealth of jobs that she's already undertaken for them.

No matter how much advice and help that was offered, this person continued to complain about the things that people hadn't done for them. They complained about their life, their lack of money, the competition from other bands, the lack of interaction on their social media accounts, and venues that wouldn't call them back. At no point, did they look at themselves and say, “Okay, what can I do to get where I want to be?”. Instead, they relied purely on their looks to help them get through life. Sadly, that isn't enough.

The people around you aren't always going to help you get to where you want to be. They're not going to help you achieve your dreams. Sure, they'll walk the path with you. They'll share your highs and your lows. If you support them in their endeavours, they'll support you in yours. But the only person who can make anything happen in your life is you. Only you have the power to stand up and start working on what will get you to the top of your game.

It takes real grit, and a lot of heart, to keep following your dreams especially when the going gets tough. Sitting back on your heels and complaining about the life that you currently have isn't going to help you to change anything. You have to be the proactive one. You have to assess the situation and see what you can do in order to achieve your goals. There are so many tools out there to help you. All you have to do is look (or ask someone. But don't rely on them too heavily to help you reach your dreams. If they give you a helping hand, turn around and offer them one in return).

To paraphrase my friend, unless you get off your arse and work on your dreams you'll forever be stuck with the life that you don't want.

The moral of this story? Get up. Work hard. And keep on going. Because you don't know what's going to be at the top of the mountain.

New Beginnings

Spring is a beautiful time of the year. The days get longer and the weather becomes warmer as the world eases its way out of another winter. Around us, plants and flowers begin to grow again, new leaves and petals unfurling from branches and stems. Parks and gardens become a riot of colour and we begin to feel better.

This fresh, new season can also be seen as a time for ourselves to be reborn. Often we struggle with ourselves. We see ourselves as unchangeable, as people who must stay the same from one day to the next. We carry baggage from years previously, refusing to let it go because it's the only thing we know. That baggage, whether its the ghosts of past relationships or the hooks of a previous job that have become buried beneath our skin, feels like it defines us. It feels like that's all that we have to offer to the world and that nothing we can do will change that.

But, like the flowers that are starting to sprout, we too can decide to shed the darkness of winter and leave our old lives behind. We can become new people, reborn in to a brand new world.

There are so many quotes that relate to this evolution:

Every day is a new day.

Every day is a new chapter.

Every day is a chance to start over.

Every morning starts with a new page.

Each morning we are born again.

That's because every day is a chance to start over. It's a chance to shed the skin of the person that you once were and become the person that you want to be. You're not confined by your job title, relationship status, social media profile, or medical issues. You are a person who can choose to change their life. Your life probably won't change over night but, like the coming of spring, you go through the slow process of changing a little something every day. Finally, at some point in the future, you will find yourself in the place that you want to be.

Don't allow yourself to become inhibited by the person you believe that you are (or the person that you believe you should be). Don't allow yourself to be imprisoned by the thinking of others whether that's friends, family, or the media. Don't allow yourself to believe what people tell you about living your life. Most importantly, don't give up, no matter how hard the process may seem.

Instead, allow yourself to grow and flourish. Let the petals of your life uncurl and live your life your way.