Choices & Change

Fact: people want to break free from pain, suffering, financial distress and major fear so their life’s work can take wings.

Fact: most people don’t want to do anything about it. Most people want someone else to come along to fix it and they will wait, complain, blame a million things until one fine day they realize they actually have to DO something to make it happen.

Lara Casey wrote this in her recent post and it really hit home for me.

We live in a world of playing the victim. Have you ever found yourself saying…..”If only I had more money” “I am just too tired to…” “I am so busy, I don’t have time.” Excuses, Excuses, Excuses. We CHOOSE to use these excuses and scapegoats either because we are scared of change or too comfortable. Now lets drop the victim role and tackle each of these for a minute.

• “If only I had more money ” | Where are you CHOOSING to spend your money now?
• “I am just too tired to” | What are you CHOOSING to do instead of sleep or rest?
• “I am so busy, I don’t have time” | How are you CHOOSING to spend your time each day?

Hmmm. Now does the word CHOOSE make you feel uncomfortable? (I could put it in all caps again if need me too. hehe.) This word sure did make me feel uneasy.  I realized that in all of these situations the accountability (my choice) falls back on me, everytime. To be truthfully honest I can think of countless times I would complain and grumble about how busy my schedule was this summer, looking for others to provide the feedback of “poor baby, you must work sooo hard” or “How do you keep up?” HA. Now I fully realize my dramatization and want to slap myself silly and say…”Gina, this is all your choice. You chose to be this busy… and you are continuing to choose the same path. idiot.” Either make a choice to change, or stop complaining.

Yet change is uncomfortable and often inconvenient. This week I came randomly came across this blog called Life Without Pants by Matt Cheuvront. He caught my attention with his latest post Don’t walk… Run out of your comfort zone read it.  He also had this great e-book titled the Inconvenience of Change. Check it out its powerful message.

So stop waiting for the change, start being the change. It’s starts with you.

I have started my change in paying attention to how I am spending my time. Whew, this was a big eye opener for me. How many countless hours have I spent on Facebook, Twitter, blog surfing, watching my favorite tv shows? Granted all of these things are good and have their purposes, but they are also places that can suck you in going from page to page and then all the sudden you look at the clock and hours have gone by. This is where they become dangerous.

Time is a super valuable and scarce thing in my life right now. Do I want to waste that time numbed out in front of the television or perusing facebook? NO. I want to spend that time with my husband, cuddling with my puppy, reading a book, drink tea with a friend…things that are going to make my life fuller & richer. I am choosing to change.

So what are you going to choose to do next? Continue to play the victim? or step up to the plate and own it. It starts with you….