It's Time To Go For It!

Get ready for a harsh wake-up call! 

SIDE NOTE: This is as much a message to myself as it is to anyone else who might be reading this. I believe that sometimes we need to hear harsh truths in order to shake up what can easily become a stagnant life.

Your friends won't tell you this, so I will.

You get too lazy sometimes. I can tell you this because I do too. Actively and aggressively working towards a life you deserve/want is a learned skill for most. A hardworking attitude doesn't always come naturally.

I mean this with all genuineness believe me when I say, all praise to you 'Type A' folks out there who 'get shit done' one time, with a smile and with an extra 30%! I admire and envy you guys so much but I have accepted that not everybody is that way. You are who you are. However, I can learn to be. I can learn to be 'better?' I can learn to be more active and aggressive in the things I need to get done in my life.

So, you're tired? You know you're not using you smartphone to help you better your life but still, you can't stop scrolling? Let me understand this; instead of doing some research into your interests and aspirations, you went to Google the best place you can get the cheapest 'whatever trending thing' that's currently caught your eye?

Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you wanted a change. I thought you can't stop thinking about a certain life that you want. I didn't know you were all good.

If you can't stop thinking about it, if you can't stop complaining about your current situation, dammit if you can't stop obsessing about the life you want, that's your subconscious telling you that you can do so much more than you think. That your Phoenix wings actually spread a lot further than what you can see from your vantage point. That you need to give yourself, your creative mind a lot more credit. Adjust your focal point, realign your mind. It's time to work.

I am a Phoenix

Trust me, I know about darkness of the soul. I'm here to tell you that as sure as the sun rises, you will too.

Let me share with you a little something about myself. I like mermaids, I used to wish I could turn into one as a child every single time I saw a body of water.

It wasn't until I got a bit older that I discovered a mythical creature that surpassed the magnificence of the mermaid, and I try to adopt that persona in my everyday life. The Phoenix. It rises from its ashes, after enduring, seemingly, the worst part of its life (some say the Phoenix would burst in flames) and reclaims its place in the world as an amazing, powerful and majestic bird.

Act V Scene V of Henry VIII. A play by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher, the king says, referring to his young daughter Elizabeth:

Nor shall this peace sleep with her; but as when
The bird of wonder dies, the maiden phoenix,
Her ashes new create another heir
As great in admiration as herself;
So shall she leave her blessedness to one,
When heaven shall call her from this cloud of darkness,
Who from the sacred ashes of her honour
Shall star-like rise as great in fame as she was,
And so stand fix'd.

No matter how broken, beaten up, worthless or useless I feel, I try (hard) to remember (often times I forget, I must be honest) that there will come a time when I will rise a little higher than I was before. Usually when you fall down, trip or stumble, you get back up taking note of where and why you fell. Therefore, through experience and added (forced) knowledge, you become a bit wiser, a bit stronger and knowing what to look for in similar experiences along your journey. From your stumbles, your misjudgements, your failures, Rise.

Expectations

You're nobody's 'disappointment' but your own.

Viewpoint 1

It is natural that we all think that everyone has expectations for us. Some of us already saw the flaw in this and ditched that mindset.

You cannot live up to anyone's expectation but your own. You can't live your life constantly checking with other people, seeking validation, to see if you're 'making the right choice' or 'doing the right thing'  believe me, you'll only find yourself going around in circles, or constantly stalling! Believe in yourself, nobody knows what you face every single day, not only in your day to day life, but also the battles you fight in your mind as well. Therefore, only you can figure out your own path.

Sure, your closest friends and family know and see your true potential, but it is up to you to realize that you can get there on your own, your own way. Don't end up disappointed because you were afraid to step out of someone else's box they made for you. Besides, everybody has their own road map.

Our instincts tend to guide us through life and help us make the right decisions if you listen close enough. Have a goal, it starts with your passion, have a vision and trust in your own abilities. Set expectations for yourself and don't think about what others expect of you.

Viewpoint 2

Don't put the people in your life in small decorated boxes: Stop setting expectations for anyone but yourself.

Although this also seems natural, don't set expectations for your loved ones to live by, in the hopes that they become your 'perfect'... something. What happens if they don't or can't live up to those expectations? Well, that only leaves room for hurt, resentment and disappointment on either side.

Why would you want to force people to live or be a certain way outside of who they were created to be? Why not give them a chance to show you that given time to adjust to this new freedom, they can be so much more than you've ever imagined?

Everyone has great potential, nobody can live out their true potential if they are being contained in little boxes designed and decorated by someone else, can they? Imagine how much your loved ones will surprise you when you let go of those expectations and just allow them the freedom to find their own path and set their own expectations.

Most importantly, and here's what ties both of these viewpoints together: What if you set expectations of your OWN? What if you start focusing more on how you can be that 'perfect'... something, for YOURSELF?

You would only surprise yourself.

Dose of Inspiration

Rise

Though life gets tough and no one truly know what you are going through underneath it all. Deep inside, you die every single day and you know it is just a matter of time... Rise honey. You made it this far, you can make it through another day.

The sun comes up after hours of darkness. 

The higher it rises, the brighter, the warmer it gets until it goes down at its appointed time. 

It leaves an impression, it grants the opportunity for memories.

Don't regret opening your eyes this morning. Your eyes are open, now rise, be bright, be warm. Be kind to yourself today, give your inner self a chance to prove your mind wrong.