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Following Your Passions Is Not Always Easy

Happy 2011 fellow passion followers, life livers, life lovers. It’s occurred to me that many posts are about following your passions and living life to the fullest. I do realize however that it’s not always the easiest path to take. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but I understand that when I’m saying “go follow your passions”, some people may be thinking “easier said than done buddy”.

The easiest path isn’t always the best path in life though. If life was easy and we all got what we wanted, well, I can’t even imagine that so I’m not going to bother. We all know it’s not reality so why spend time on it?

Perhaps you’ve heard the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost:

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

My point? Take the easy way out and not only do you miss out on something new, but life’s rewards are usually given when you stand up for what you believe in and what you want.

Here’s a simple analogy to that point…imagine you’re walking down a trail and you see some raspberry bushes. If it’s the easy trail, more than likely all the raspberries have been picked off. However, if you were to take the less traveled path, or even fighting your way through the briars and brambles, behold…you are rewarded with the big juicy berries. Yum!

Are you willing to fight for what you want? You know…it’s not always a “fight” but rather just standing up for what you believe it. You already stand up for your family, your spiritual beliefs, what foods you like or dislike, your favorites sports team, whatever the case may be. Apply this to all of life and you aren’t really fighting, you’re just being you.

Is it easy to follow your passions? Not always. Is it worth it? More than you can imagine.

Do you want to be a writer? An artist? Change careers? Do it. You may have to forgo  eating out every night or going to the movies but being who you really want to be is certainly worth the effort.

This is the perfect opportunity to rethink who you are and who you want to be. We’re being rocked by recession, there really is no “safe” path to follow. It’s time to evaluate things and go for it. What have you got to lose? Now…what have you got to gain?

Enjoy!