Inspiration & Fear

Inspiration & Fear

Many of us live our lives doing what we were brought up as children to do. Following the norm, doing what is expected of us as we grow up. You know the stuff, study hard at school, get good grades, leave home, go to university, get a degree, get a proper job, meet someone, settle down, buy a home, have kids, maybe add a dog or a cat in to the mix, save to buy the nice things, a car, a holiday, find money for the broken down car or the unforeseen vets bill. The story is as old as time it seems.

And for some this is happiness. Others realise very early on that this road is not for them and they break their own trail and live a different live that doesn’t fit with the perceived norm. And this is fabulous for both of these groups of people!

But what about the ones that do what is expected for years, then one morning wake up and realise they want different? That the dreams they had as a child or a teenager could be where they want to go, what they want to do. It can be terribly scarey to change your life the older you get, the longer you’ve been doing the same. The fear grabs hold of you and your mind comes up with many and varied excuses and reasons why you shouldn’t change your path. Your mind tells you to carry on like before, doing what you have always done because that is safe and known and predictable.

But if you want your dream and want it enough, sometimes all it takes to start you on your new path is a nudge, a little push, someone who believes in you, someone you admire or who inspires you to give you the courage to be bold and take the step into the new future. And these people aren’t the ones in the newspaper, or on TV. The nudge that makes a difference doesn’t generally come from the guy we follow on youtube or the inspirational meme. More often than not it comes from people we know. The people in your everyday life that you meet at work or the gym. Friends in the pub, someone you meet at a networking meeting or someone you admire who has already pushed their boundaries and changed their life.

One conversation can change your life. That one person that believes in you, that doesn’t think you are crazy for shaking up the routine. One person that tells you that you can do it. We are all so influenced by those around us and sometimes when you are thinking of doing something new or different you can huddle in to yourself and stop talking for fear that you will not get support or people will laugh or call you crazy or tell you you can’t. But this is probably the worst thing you can do. People on the whole are generous, caring souls who love to be able to help and support.

So get yourself out there. Talk to people, tell them your passions and ideas, find out theirs. You never know what common ground you may have, how much support you can get and give. You’ll find many people who inspire you if you listen to their stories. Open yourself up and you will hear that person who’s comment or support settles in to your mind and enables you to take that first step on your new path to your happiness. Life is too short to live someone elses dreams. Don’t let the fear of change stop you. Surround yourself with family, friends and colleagues who have a positive outlook and talk to them about your hopes and fears and dreams. It will help you manage your fear of change and could easily help someone else’s fears too. You could be someone’s inspiration and change their life as well as yours!



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