Getting stuck is a natural part of life. Getting unstuck can be difficult especially when we don’t know what change might bring. Maintaining the status quo seems to often be a better option than jumping into the unknown. But is living a miserable life a better option? I don’t think so. Having been on both sides of the fence, I’d choose living to coasting any day.
Tell me more, you say. Well in order for things to be different in your life, you’re going to have to do something different. You can’t do the same old thing and expect a different result. You need a new variable. Some of us are ok with taking major steps but I suggest starting small and building on that success. Once you survive a small change, you may amaze yourself. Control may not be front and centre in your mind – happiness can take priority.
Take Jane for example. Jane was tired of her job and really didn’t enjoy her neighborhood. She sometimes allowed herself to dream but then she worried about where the money would come from, what would her family say and how could she start over. Instead of taking a step toward change, she did what we all do. She told herself a lie.
“Things aren’t that bad. There are people worse off than I am. Life is hard. I’ve got it pretty good. She may have convinced herself but she did not convince anyone around her. Jane started to wonder why people were avoiding her. No one called her to go out and she would often hear of a get together after it had taken place.
If you asked her friends their side of things, they would tell you that Jane was painful to be around. She was miserable and she was making everyone else miserable. Jane was a wet rag – given an opportunity to rain on someones parade, she would do it. She found it difficult to share in someone else’ joy because she was so miserable herself.
We’ve all been Jane at one time or another. Think about what got you out of the Jane mode? For me it took shaking things up a bit. It meant kicking myself in the butt and going out on a limb. It meant taking risk.
Going out on a limb can mean different things to different people. For some it may mean joining an organization or moving to a new department at work. For others, it could be quitting your dead end job and moving halfway around the world. Yes, you may upset the apple cart and people around you may not support your change. But once you take charge of your life and start doing more of what you love, you’ll grow.
This advice isn’t for the naysayer who has no desire or courage to change. This note is for you – if you’ve ever looked at your life with boredom or wanted more than what you have. Take the wheel. You don’t get to control the road but you are the driver. Where are you driving today?
