I hesitate to write this because blogs like this usually involve some cheesy rah, rah advice that’s not practical for making it in this messed world we live in today. I lived a life that could best be described as existing—for years. It took years of hard work and taking action, but I was able to break free. I paid off $180,000 in debt, moved to my dream destination of Maui, Hawaii for a time, and now travel to 30 plus countries a year for consulting gigs at companies. Every day, life feels surreal. When I pinch myself, I smile because I’m living my dream life.
Now, I realize there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to what each of us may be going through in life. But, we all have a choice to make. We can choose to accept our circumstances, or we can choose to make the effort to rise above them. That choice usually starts with what you believe about yourself and your dream.
Everywhere you look, there is bad news. Every day there’s something in your life that doesn’t work out the way you wanted it to. You can let those circumstances make or break you, and too often, we’re broken. Despite what you’re going through and despite where you are, you can live a life most people only talk about. Here are five ways you can start living your dream life today.
1. Get honest about what you want from life. It’s scary to admit what you want to do and what you want from your life. You may want something that’s well outside of your comfort zone and even scares others in your life, but those dreams are in your heart and mind for a reason. Sit down and say it out loud. No matter how crazy it sounds—get real and honest about what you want.
2. Use the Internet to research your dream. We live in a time where information is readily available. If you own a smartphone or have access to the Internet, you can research what it would take to make your dream life a reality. You don’t have to guess, chances are someone has mapped out what you need to know. Get that knowledge and research. Get as much as you can and in as specific steps as you can.
3. Put a plan together and take the first steps. If your dream life is going to become a reality, you’re going to need a plan. It’s amazing how many people “wing it” and end up failing. If you want to quit your job—you should have another job/business in your plan and an emergency fund. If you wish to lose weight—you should map out a healthy diet and exercise plan. You get the picture. The plan, implemented over time, is how you’ll reach your goals.
4. Ignore self-limiting beliefs and negative people. Along the journey to your dream life, you’ll encounter doubt, fear, and self-limiting beliefs. There will be people in your life who don’t get it and will make their opinions known. If you listen to any negativeness, it will convince you that what you want is impossible, and you won’t take the necessary steps to make your dream life a reality. Ignore them and the limiting beliefs. Believe in something bigger than yourself.
5. Choose to live life every day. You can miss so much that life has to offer with the chaos and busyness of life. It’s easy to get caught up in routines and what feels comfortable. The problem is that all anyone is guaranteed is this moment. It’s important to live each day as if it were the last because it very well may be.
It bothers me to see so many people who are not waking up every day and experiencing freedom in their life. I realize this is a short article among thousands you’ll probably read, but my hope is that this is a starting point. It will be hard and it will take time. There will be many times along the way that you’ll feel like giving up—don’t.
Your dream life is attainable, but more than that, it’s important. Life is short, and each of us only gets one life to live. Choose to believe in yourself. Choose to believe in what’s possible, and then do something about it. Start today and don’t give up until you wake up experiencing true freedom in every area of your life.
Are you living or existing?
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Photo Credit: Flickr/ i.fernando
