There will come a time (or many times) where you’ll have to stand by your mission and despite the naysayers, push forward with your dream of going after your ideal life.

If you’re like me, being a people pleaser, I remembered feeling a nasty gut-wrenching feeling in my tummy whenever I had someone disagree with my life choices, or when they questioned how “realistic” I was dreaming about exploring the world while maintaining a business.

That gut-wrenching feeling was sometimes the guilt of giving up a career that other people strived for, but mostly it was the fear of being judged, to not be living up to the standards of the people I loved and respected.

Does that sound familiar? 

I’m sure you’ve felt something similar if you have seen your mother’s face drop when you told her you were going to quit your job to go on a sabbatical, or that you were considering exploring the world and giving up that cushiony paycheck.

It is absolutely normal to have the people close to you question your decisions and cast a shadow of doubt on your plans.  Yes, they will sometimes rain on your parade, but that is their job.  The ones closest to you will express their concern and care because they think they have to, and it is usually out of love.

 

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I have my fair share of Debbie Downers when I first decided to quit my job and start my first business.  I also had some that scoffed at my idea of living in a tropical island and told me that it’s probably more of a holiday fantasy and to live abroad was not a realistic dream.

Some even told me, “When your “play time” is over, come back to the real world in Canada and begin your life again”.

 

So why would people want to make you feel guilty about wanting to pursue your dreams?

Well for starters, some of them don’t mean to, but your actions can sometimes trigger other people’s projections of their own fears and lack of fulfillment with their lives.

When they hear you talk about the possibilities of being able to find your true calling by taking a “risk” of giving up your old life in the pursuit of your happiness, part of them wishes they could do the same.

It makes them question the significance of their own lives, and deep down, all of us want the happiest life that we can have, but most of us are not willing to do the things necessary to get there.

If you’ve courageously made that decision to not settle until you have done so, others can feel that this challenges their own realities and it forces them to also reflect on whether their lives are meaningful.

Don’t take it personally; most people’s projections of anger, irritation, or disappointment to you are usually a reflection of what they fear most inside of themselves.

 

There are a million reasons why no one should ever settle and continue to trek on their journey of self-discovery and purpose, but you’ll also hear a million reasons why you shouldn’t.

 

We live in a society of fear, so it’s not shocking that we hear negative responses as a default when we decide to do things out of the box.  While we get through some of the ups and downs of our pursuit of happiness, it’s important to remember the reasons WHY you started this journey and what it means to you.

Here are some of my reasons for ignoring other people’s judgment and continue to run towards all that makes me happy:

• On my deathbed and when my time in this world is coming to an end, I will have no one to answer to but myself.  I won’t even remember what the hell people have said to me and they probably won’t either

• I can’t be the best person I can be to others if I’m not making myself happy

• If I don’t know what makes me tick and what my purpose is in this life, how am I going to attract the things that connect with who I am?  I can never blame the universe for giving me shitty boyfriends, crappy jobs, or time-wasting friends if I don’t know what to tell it to give me in the first place

• My life is worth more than just the security of a paycheck.  I know that if things go south, I can always get another job and pick up where I left off.  I have nothing to lose, but I have everything to lose if I don’t try to find all the things that make my life blissful

• Life is bigger and more beautiful than I can imagine.  It is beyond the traditional life of a mortgage, 9-5 jobs, and settling into a life that everyone else wants.  It is not what I want.  I need to find what my ideal life is to me

• There is more to the world than just what I know.  I grow more as a person when I become a student of life again and travel

• I already know what makes me unhappy, now it’s time to discover the things that make my heart sing

• My life is less stressful and I’m more aware of the little things in life, and I can appreciate small things from a friendly smile to a warm breeze in my face.  I can cherish my life more and I am soaking in the days, rather than trying to wait for it to be over so I can go home after work

 

 

You must know your ultimate WHY, and HOW much it means to you to live life on your own terms and never settling for anything less.  I said this before and I’ll say this again:  As long as you have air in your lungs and any means to continue to pursue the life you desire, it is your absolute mission to do it.

You owe it to yourself.  You owe it to your family and friends, as your happiness will make you the best person you can be around them.  You owe it to your current or unborn children to do this so that you can empower them to forge their own path, just like you did.

You owe it to your future self.  You’ll be the only one answering to all your decisions then.  Our time is limited, make it count.

Life truly is remarkable, if you choose to live it well.

 

To living your highest purpose,