On Twitter yesterday I was tweeting innocently away and stumbled across a blog post. I read it, smiled, read a particular line, kept reading and heard the sound of breaks screeching in my mind. I backtracked. This line practically knocked me over:
"I encourage you not to wait for that life changing experience."
Had someone told me that on this day exactly 10 years ago I would have blinked and said, "Um, okay, thanks" and went about my business. Went about my business of being scared. Scared of who I really was. Terrified of "what if". What if I really was great? No, I mean really, really great. The thought terrified me. Little parts of me would try to sneak out but were quickly squashed by my gremlin voice. Or I would literally be told by some one to shut up. And I would. But my gut would say, "Tell them to fuck off."
In 2006 I had that life changing experience. My world fell apart in 10 seconds. Standing in Barnes and Noble I shook so hard when I hung up the phone I probably looked like I was having a seizure. Life. Changing. Experience. My future sighed with relief and said thank you, although I didn't know it at the time.
So, I also encourage you to not wait for that life changing experience. Because I did. Or if you do, that's okay too. Hopefully you'll have an equally dramatic story to tell that makes people's jaws drop like I do. But, please, don't wait for it. Seize your opportunity to live. Your future is waiting for you. Patiently.
2 comments:
I need to remember to make mental notes during my highest highs. I tend to forget to do that because, well, I'm enjoying the high, to put it simply.
I think I can relate to that bolded statement in a sense. Everyone tells me I'm too young, yet expect me to be this grown up...so I tend to get stuck in the mindset that nothing great will happen until after I get my degree. Which, now that I think about it...isn't a good place to be. Living so far ahead in the future, that I pay no attention to the present? I wonder how many of those life changing experiences I've missed or just not noticed after their happenings. /ramble.
Hey, Andrea!
I was so excited and honored to see this post! It's so cool that you found inspiration in my words and through my experiences. It makes writing so worth it when we know we've touched someone else's life in a positive way! Thanks so much for visiting my blog and for sharing the link here! I hope we will continue to connect and share in amazing ways!
Keep it real!
Shannon
www.girlsgetreal.com
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