This week has been filled with many highs, and also with a few rough patches. I am not going to say that they were “low” points in my life, because I know what those feel like, and these rough patches were definitely more tamed. But compared to how positive and alive I have felt the last few months, these patches did feel like lows.

As I look back and reflect on the past week, I realize that a lot of these rough patches are stemming from the fact that I am simply trying too hard. Trying too hard to be the perfect employee, trying to hard to be the perfect friend, and just trying too hard to be the perfect person for everyone around me.

See where I am going with this? I was simply trying to be perfect, instead of being the best me that I can be.

The thing is, not only am I never going to be perfect for everyone, but I will never be perfect for one. I am not perfect, and nor will I ever be. We all have flaws in anything that we do. Perfection simply doesn’t exist in this life.

What happens when we reach for something unattainable, a.k.a, perfection? We start to doubt ourselves. We doubt because we know deep down no matter how hard we try, there is absolutely zero chance of attaining perfection.

So as we enter a new week, the thing that I want to challenge all of us to do this week, is when in doubt, do it for yourself.

Whatever it is that you are truly passionate about, do it for yourself. Not because somebody else told you to do it. Not because you think that you have to do it. And definitely not because you think others will like you more for it.

Now this isn’t to say that you shouldn’t help other people, or go out of your way to do what you know is right. What this means is that this is your one life to live. Why spend your life doing what it is that others want you to be doing? Why choose to spend your valuable time just for the acceptance of others?

As much as I have grown in life, these are some of the questions that I was forced to ask myself. This is my one life. This is my one chance at chasing my dreams. So why am I worried about anything other than that?

Whatever it is that you want to do, just do it. If you want to train for a marathon, start running. If you want to start your own business, and be your own boss, then work towards your dreams. Maybe you want to break out of your comfort zone and jump out of a plane at 50,000 feet, then just make sure to bring a parachute.

Whatever the case may be, just do it, and do it for yourself.

We oftentimes allow the judgements of others to determine how it is that we live our life. As much as I am telling you this, I am also trying to drill it into my own head as well. No matter what we do, every single person is always going to have a different opinion of us. Where one person may see flaws, another may see treasure. Don’t waste your time trying to guess which one it is. Just live your life.

The only person that you should worry about, is yourself. Do whatever it is that you want to do in life, be the person that you have always wanted to be, and remember, when in doubt, do it for yourself.

Go chase your dreams, and live your best life. That is what we should all be focusing on.

Make it a great week, and stay positive.

Michael Bonnell

12/3/2018

 

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