Mindful Monday

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we spend so much time yearning for something different yet keep on doing the same thing. We want a different life; we dream of more adventures, freedom, excitement, love, fun, and money, but we don’t change our day-to-day life.

How can we expect change without making changes first? Having dreams is great, but what is even greater is putting in the work to make them a reality.

I was sorting out my room a couple of weeks ago and came upon a stash of my old journals. Flicking through them I found year after year of the same thoughts. Of feeling trapped in an unhappy marriage, dissatisfied with my life, and wanting to break out and create something more. Yet year after year, nothing changed. Simply because I kept hoping for a miracle to come along and change everything for me.

Now, of course, that is very unlikely to happen. The changes started when I started changing what I was doing. Instead of continuing to believe my lifelong narrative that I couldn’t drive, I took lessons. Now I can drive and have a car of my own; as they say, the world is my oyster. The freedom it has brought me is priceless. I rely on no one; I can go wherever and whenever I want.

Change can be uncomfortable. We are creatures of habit; it is easier to stay stuck safely in what we know than to put ourselves out there and risk failure, hurt, and fear.

I don’t want a quiet life. I want adventure. I want more. I want freedom.

I’m challenging every single belief that is holding me down and keeping me stuck in this {un}comfortale rut. Bravery is the first step to change. Knowing it might be uncomfortable, but knowing that from that discomfort comes growth and growth brings change.