"It’s time to start living the life you’ve imagined" Henry James
What would your life look like if you lived the life you imagined? How close are you to that life? If you are not living that life or actively pursuing it, why not?
Are you waiting for it to happen magically? The lottery. Prince Charming. Miracle diet pill. People start behaving the way you think they should. That is a fairytale, not life. Life is growing and expanding by deciding what you want, committing to it, and facing and overcoming the challenges that lay between you and what you want.
Think about how rewarded you have felt when you have worked for something you really want, and you finally have it versus how you felt when it just fell into your lap somehow. You may have felt lucky or grateful, but did you feel fulfilled and proud like you do when you put in the work.
I’m not asking you to run a marathon or invent the next iPhone (unless that is what you are already imagining). What I’m asking you to do is honor that little voice inside your head that is saying, “if only I could.” YOU CAN. “I should have when I had the chance.” DO IT NOW. “If would be so great if could.” GO FOR IT.
If there is something you genuinely want to do, get off the couch and make it happen. Be the kind of person who takes charge of your life and is willing to make an effort to have the life you have been imagining.
Don’t be the person sitting around with friends “wishplaining” (wishing and complaining). You know…
“I can’t wait for the weekend. I hate my job so much, but there is nothing out there. It is the same everywhere.”
“My house is a wreck, but I’m so tired I just can’t even deal with it. I wish I could just make it all go away.”
“I wish I could lose weight, but I’ve tried everything, and nothing works.”
Instead of using that time and energy to create a change in your life, you constantly “wishplain.”
There is no genie waiting to jump out of a bottle and grant you three wishes.
There are, however, three steps you can take:
Decide what you want.
Commit to your decision.
Take action toward your goal.
We were not only given the ability to hope and dream; we were given the ability to make those hopes and dreams come true.
So go out and start living the life you imagined.