Rockin' Life - page 6

I hear it time and time again: “I’d like to do [fill in the blank with someone’s dream] but I never have enough time. Maybe when [the kids are grown, hubby quits his job, fill in excuse here].”

Let’s break this down…

I’d like to… BUT — there it is, that big stopper of word, the big BUT. In Do It! by Peter McWilliams, Peter writes that BUT equals Behold Underlying Truth. Ever since I read this, I pay careful attention to whenever I or someone else says “but” because they are revealing the underlying truth.

Next we have the excuse. Rarely is the excuse “I” based, such as “I don’t know where to start” or “I have to heal from breaking my arm in the car accident.” No, this is usually someone else’s fault that the person can’t live their dream. Kids need to get older — bad kids. Husband needs to get a better job because he’s miserable so I’m miserable — bad husband. Or Mom has moved in and she needs taken care of — bad Mom. Oh, the burden! Can’t you feel it weighing them down? Bad burden!

Life happens. It happens to all of us. We have obligations we have to handle. We live in a physical world. It demands action.

Ah, and there is our key. Action. Rocks blame everyone else. Rockers know that action, even baby steps, can boost your dreams. Even if, in that rare case, your “I” excuse is truly that, what can you do? You might not be able to sit down and type out your novel, but can you dictate it? You don’t have to spend 2 hours painting, but can you at least spend 10 minutes checking your painting supplies and maybe setting up your palette?

Every little step you make puts you one step closer than you were before. Take it. Make it yours.

Rock on!