I’m playing office assistant this week for our esteemed leader while he and his beautiful wife take in our company villa in St. Maartens.  Not. Jealous. At. All…  But he sent me a picture of a gross spider, so I hope it rains )  JUST KIDDING Julia!!!  I am answering emails, phone calls, doing paperwork, putting out fires and generally being the awesome machine behind the team while they’re gone.  It’s a good practice in focus, and an excellent learning opportunity since I’ll be in this position in 158 days.

Wow.  Time is flying.  Eep.  I’m still on track though.  I just need to make sure that I do that little but important bit of activity every day between now and then and it will happen.  

It has definitely been a lesson in keeping my head up and my convictions strong.  When you do something that not many people have pulled off before you, there is a lot of unintentional negativity.  People don’t want you to set yourself up for failure, but they fail to see that their concerns are a rain shower that you don’t need.  All I want around me is cheerleaders; I don’t want anyone telling me to be careful, or to aim lower.  I’m doing this to prove something to myself and to those growing up in the industry – that it can be done in a short time if you are focused and passionate.  I want to set an example and I will not be able to do that if I accept anything as “good enough”.  My negative experiences are learning opportunities right now, not setbacks.  My “no’s” are just filters to get me through to the people and situations that will help this massive momentum explode into reality.  I am so excited right now that negativity makes me look at people as if they have three alien heads talking.  I just cannot tolerate negativity in my life.

I want to correct people when they complain; I want to teach them about choices.  At the very least, I want them to take their problems somewhere else.  Don’t get me wrong: if someone needs my love and support right now, I’m going to be there for them.  I’m talking about in the insidious habit of complaining about things.  We all do it.  But it’s like I flipped a switch a few weeks ago, and my threshold for complaint is at an all-time low.  I want people to take responsibility for their choices and their place in life NOW.  It was all a series of choices that led you to where you are today.  Sometimes, it felt like you had no choice, but we are born we free will – we will always have a choice, it’s simply whether or not we feel comfortable enough to exercise that choice.

Let me tell you this: it’s a lot easier to stay comfortable than to accept responsibility.  The funny thing is, the more “comfortable” you are with the initial choice, the more uncomfortable it will become.  It will start to eat away at you.  The immediate discomfort you feel in stretching your self and your capabilities will be overshadowed by the rewards you reap from taking a chance and making the best choice, instead of just the easiest one.

I am living proof of that today, so don’t think that I am preaching without practice.  There have been so many situations and relationships that I have taken the easy way out of and lived to pay the price of confinement later on.  Breaking through those habits has been hard, but every ounce of discomfort has paid off and has been completely and thoroughly worthwhile. 

The best example I can think of is a broken relationship that I am gently trying to heal and mend.  It’s hard to find the right words and gestures to express my feelings and wants after all this time because I chose to take what I thought was the easy way out.  From that day forward, the mistake has compounded and caused so much hurt and anger to be poured out into the world that wasn’t necessary or needed.  But in my weakness, I made a poor choice.  I live with the regret and pain of that every day.  I have been taking little steps to rectify my wrong-doing, but I don’t know if I will ever truly be able to heal that which I broke.  But I made a choice that I would do everything in my power to fix my mistake, and I will not let discomfort and fear hold me back any longer.

That is why, when people are uncomfortable with my goals and dreams, I shake it off.  I want to succeed in this business challenge so badly because I know that if I can push through and persevere through discomfort here, I can do it anywhere in my life.  People will never tell you that you have an ugly baby, but they wont think twice about criticizing your dreams, goals or actions.  Like I said in a previous post, they judge because they are too scared to do it themselves.

So what is our lesson for today?  First of all, check your thoughts.  Be it with me, or when you are alone, listen to what you are saying and thinking.  Are you thankful for all the good and potential in a situation, or are you only focusing on the bad?

Secondly, stop settling.  Whether you are settling for your current situation, living with the consequences of past actions, or shrinking your dreams because you are scared of failing – STOP.  We are put on this Earth with limitless potential that is meant to be harnessed and used.  Every day that you waste is an insult to the beauty and power that you hold inside yourself.  Make a choice; do what it is that makes you happy.

Be worth it.