I can remember the point when I had reached a level of financial stability and began living “well” for all intents and purposes, but was still so unhappy. I always felt like I had to discredit my accomplishments for the approval of others. And trust me, I wasn’t nearly living as bold a life as I wanted or dreamed but even at that, there was always of level of uncomfortableness regarding doing well for myself and my family. I was young, driving a nice car, had a nice house, and was more than excited to share my happiness and fortune with everyone around me. I always had a genuine interest in people and had more fun allowing others to enjoy the fruits of my labor than enjoying them myself. But there came a time when I couldn’t hold myself back any longer. I was watching life just pass me by and too many tragedies were happening around me that I could no longer sit idle and watch my life lay stagnant.
I began pursuing opportunities and allowed my life to flow in whichever direction my interests would take it. And what a few years that was!! I was having the time of my life meeting people, winning awards, creating the most amazing experiences for myself and others!! ...and guess what? Those who I would have thought would be the happiest for me, HATED it!! Yup, even though I remained humble and cautious to being showy or arrogant about my accomplishments, behind my back my “friends and family” were all mocking me. “Who does he think he is?” I was totally unaware of these for a number of years believing that since they always were more than willing to enjoy all of the things I offered and smile in my face, they were also accepting of my means to providing them. Apparently not.
Upon realizing this, I was devastated. I couldn’t understand why people would have so much negativity toward someone else’s happiness. See, this was all before beginning to study personal development and understanding “Choices” and realizing that we all have opportunity within our own lives to excel to whatever level we are willing to work toward. They were not responsible for my happiness just as I was not responsible for theirs. I realized that in order to reach the level of impact I had envisioned in my life, I am going to have to break free from the concern of others. This is the biggest barrier we all face in living out our dreams; getting past our critics. You can not limit yourself because of the choices others have made for their own lives. Regardless of the immediate consequences, recognizing this and repositioning your life in support of your dreams is not only the best thing you can do for yourself but is absolutely necessary to fully align and find true happiness.
Imagine a world where everyone encourages each other and is happy for another’s success… Eutopic right? I know, and it probably will never happen within our lifetime but that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t live by such standards. The world ONLY grows when creative individuals are able to overcome the limits set within themselves and others and fully express their ideas and passions. Therefore, once you feel as though you have a greater purpose inside you, it then becomes your universal obligation to pursue it no matter the costs. Playing small does no good for anyone. “Who do you think you are to NOT live out your potential?!”
