That’s always the struggle, right? Trying to figure out what we’re doing, where we’re going, what we want out of life. Maybe we don’t know what we want. Or maybe we do, but we don’t know how we’re going to get there, or that goal just seems so far out of reach. Maybe we’re starting to give up, and settle for something less. We’re starting to think that these goals just might be impossible to attain.
We have these big ideas, these big plans, things we want. We all want to do something good, make some kind of difference. But sometimes those dreams, those big ideas seem like just that – ideas. We need to figure out how we can shift from simply knowing what we want out of life to a place where we’re actually able to achieve those things.
Making the Extra Effort
The problem is that it isn’t easy. It’s as simple as that. If we have these big plans, if we want something bigger, if we want to make those things happen, we need to do the work. By “the work”, I mean sometimes we need to do things that aren’t particularly enjoyable or things that aren’t directly related to that end goal. The work can also mean making the tough decisions – doing things that other people don’t always agree with or understand. It can mean taking risks, leaving our comfort zones, doing things that might present more challenges. As long as it’s working toward that overall process, toward the end goal, we know we are going to benefit in the end.
And maybe by doing those things, making those tough decisions, getting out of our comfort zones, our entire path changes. Maybe we realize that we want something different and completely shift our perspective. Maybe we realize we want to go in an entirely different direction. And that’s okay. It’s all part of it.
Ultimately, through my own struggles and my own journey, I’ve come to realize we’re all trying to figure it out. Even if it seems simple for others, it doesn’t mean that it is. At least for me, it’s been an ongoing process. It’s a never-ending journey trying to figure out who we are, what we want, who we want to be. I still struggle with this all the time, and I’m sure that I always will. Because it isn’t easy… it simply isn’t easy. Life is complicated, full of endless choices and so many different paths.
Are We Okay With Being Just “Okay”?
I see so many people giving up and choosing to live a life that’s just “okay” and that is comfortable or simple. And maybe they will be “okay” with that life. But we need to ask ourselves if that’s really all we want? Do we want to be just okay, when we can be something so much more than that?
We all have goals and dreams and ideals for our lives. Maybe we’ve found ourselves a little lost or sidetracked, maybe we’ve gotten a little discouraged along the way, but I know they’re still in there. I’ve always been a little bit of a dreamer, and maybe even a little too idealistic. But I’ll never be sorry for that. Even if those dreams are something that I’ll never be quite able to reach, that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying. That’s one of the biggest parts of what makes me the person I am.
I’ve always been one to be overflowing with ideas, full of interests and plans. It was always hard for me to pick just one thing because I wanted to do everything. So it makes sense that I’ve tried a lot of things, and that my path hasn’t been and isn’t just straight and narrow. It’s never been easy for me to simply “settle”, or choose a life doing something that my heart isn’t fully in.
I’ve found myself in a lot of different places and trying things I never would have expected – some things I don’t even believe that I’ve done. I ended up in those places mostly because I didn’t know exactly where I was going or what I wanted, but I knew I wanted to do something. I knew I wanted something more. There were a lot of beauty moments in there, but there were a lot of struggles as well. Believe me, there were a lot of struggles. Despite all those challenges, I’m grateful for every part of my journey because it has led me right here. I’m sure that there’s going to be plenty more struggles on my way, but I know I can handle it and I know it’s all part of what’s leading me where I need to go.
A Never-Ending Process
The journey is never-ending. Right now, you might not know exactly where you’re heading or what you’re supposed to be doing. You might be questioning whether it’s worth it or questioning if what you’re doing even matters. You might even be doing something you really hate. Maybe you’re questioning who you are. That’s okay.
It’s okay for us to not have it all figured out. It’s okay if it isn’t easy. It’s okay to change our minds. It’s okay to reroute our lives. At the end of the day, we’re trying. We’re questioning because it matters. We’re struggling because we care, and we’re working toward something bigger.
There’s no set path. It’s not straightforward. Life is a process, a journey that’s changing all the time. We’re allowed to mess up, we’re allowed to change how we feel, to change what we want. We’re allowed to do things a little differently from “everyone else”. We learn, we adapt, we grow.
Find What Works for You
We’re all figuring it out, we’re doing that on our own. Our priorities, our goals, our paths are different. We need to find what works for us. It doesn’t matter if that suits others expectations or ideas for us. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, or what sidetracks or setbacks we take along the way. It doesn’t matter if everyone understands our path. Even if we don’t know whether we’re going in the right direction, what matters is that we’re moving.
We’re going somewhere, and we sometimes we just need to have a little faith in the journey. Trust the path. No matter how far we may stray, we keep on moving forward. No matter how lost we get, we’ll always find our way again.
Making Mindful 