The 2 Questions That Will Save You From A Miserable Life
Life is pretty hectic right now in the Clover house.I'm starting a slew of new bootcamps here in Santa Monica this week, which has required hours of programming.The wedding planning is in full swing and–though I'm no bridezilla–coordination of everything is hard to manage when you're working full-time!Plus, I'm getting ready for a pretty big video shoot here in a week for a very important cause... more details to come on that.Needless to say, there was a lot of hard work going into these new steps in my life.But the work flies by because I'm in love with what I do and why I do it.I started thinking to myself how amazing it is to feel passionate about my life, and I couldn't help but go into memory mode for a little bit. Now, I know it may seem like I'm bragging, but I'm trying to show you what is possible. It wasn't always like this...For years, I told myself I was going to be an actress.It was an old record set on repeat, first printed when I was in middle school and wanted to be popular. I saw how everyone looked up to movie stars and, well, I wanted to be looked at that way.Even well into my "career," I forced myself to go through the miserable motions, digging my hole deeper and deeper every day that I refused to acknowledge the fact that my dream had died long ago.I'm a stubborn person. Always have been.Though that stubbornness sometimes translates into drive, in this scenario it was keeping me focused on the thick concrete wall in front of me.Trying to claw my way through was exhausting, and those stubborn blinders were keeping me from seeing the doors to either side of me.If I'd just taken a step back, I would have seen them, propped wide open. If I'd just questioned my motives a little earlier, I may have realized that this unrelenting wall wasn't worth tearing myself up over anymore.Shoulda, woulda, coulda, right?Even though I don't regret that time of my life because I grew so much through that experience, I don't think it's necessary that you have those dark days, too.Having the courage to question yourself and your "comfortable" situation is a fast shot to leading your ideal life.Now that I've found a "job" in which the work flies by, and I feel whole when I'm doing it, I know what I was missing before.I'm imploring you today to have the courage to ask yourself 2 important questions, so that you can save yourself from a miserable life.Question #1:
What am I missing?
By answering this question, you dive straight into the parts of your life that you feel are lack.What keeps you up at night? What do you wish for? What do you get jealous about in other people?I'm not expecting you to take drastic action right away, though. This takes some time to ponder...Before you go out and quit your job, leave your significant other, or discount everything good in your life, ask yourself the second question.Question #2:
Is what I'm missing more important to me than what I'm getting out of my current situation?
No situation or person has everything you will need. Nothing is perfect....And it shouldn't be.By asking ourselves the second question above, we can remind ourselves of what we have to be grateful for in any given situation worth staying in.We too often get distracted by what we're not getting, losing sight of what we already have.Whether the positives outweigh the negatives, or the negatives outweigh the positives, you have 2 choices:
1. Do something about it.
or
2. Don't.
I advise you go with #1.Whether it be work, love, emotions, fitness, or any other aspect of your life you feel needs some work, it all comes down to this simple choice.Either you take action to change it, or you don't and choose to live with it.There is no passive choice here.No amount of shortcutting, blaming or whining will help unless you start creating the life you want."But Amy, that's hard!"Yeah it is. Do it anyway."I just can't..."Yes you can. You're alive. Fight for that life you have. Make yourself proud!"I just don't know what to do..."Yes you do. Need help figuring it out? My book's all about it.Now I know I talk about very delicate subject matter a lot of the time. In fact, my next post is all about what to do with an abundance of emotional pain.
I'm not saying that your struggle doesn't hold merit.
I'm not saying that what you deal with everyday, the past you can't forget, or that dense, unrelenting pain that lives in you isn't paralyzing.
I'm not saying these things at all. Because I know that those dark places have power that makes fighting back an exhausting task.You know what I AM saying?I'm over you not sharing your talent, your genius, your light with the world. It's not fair of you to hide it anymore.You have something no one else does.There will be points in your life that make you doubt everything; they'll threaten to stop you from trying at all.But you must DO SOMETHING because you are WORTH taking action for.Have the courage to step back and see the doors of opportunity to either side of you.Push off that heavy blanket of doubt and denial to open your life up to all the amazing possibilities, no matter how exhausting.Because if you keep fighting, YOU WILL WIN.
You have something inside you that this world needs, and it's aching for you to share it.
Please don't keep it from us.
Show us what you can do.Stay strong,Amy