I've deemed 2015 the year of making changes. I'm stepping out of my
comfort zone and trying to do more in order to get to the place I want
to be in my life. Since I'm trying to do all these things in the hopes
they will wield results, my life feels very unstable and uncertain. I'm
trying desperately to get some certainty back.
One of my favorite YouTube vlogs is by a pretty cool guy named Blake Rhiner titled "What Do You Want?!" The video is really short but worthwhile, so take a second to watch it:
One of my favorite YouTube vlogs is by a pretty cool guy named Blake Rhiner titled "What Do You Want?!" The video is really short but worthwhile, so take a second to watch it:
Blake asks three main things in the video: What do you want in life? Why do you want them? Why haven't you gone after them? The first time I watched the video, I just sat for at least five minutes and contemplated these questions. A year and a half later, I came across the video again and asked myself these questions again.
Our society is very goal-oriented; we're always working towards something and looking to the future. I know what I want in life and have goals for the future, but I often think of these goals as faraway and unattainable yet.
In Blake's video, he asks "If you want them [the goals, things in your life], why haven't you gone after them yet?" I want so many things out of my life. I want to travel more. I want to move out of the city and state I currently live in. I want to intern for, and hopefully work for, TOMS. I want to go back to London. I want to make a difference in someone's life. Yet, I've put all of these things on the back burner. I want these things, but I haven't gone after them yet. Why? Because I'm afraid. I'm afraid of spending money when I don't make much to begin with. I'm scared of rejection. I'm scared of the unfamiliar. I'm scared of being alone and of new places. I'm scared of the stress and anxiety that comes along with change. But I don't want fear to control me.
That's why the second question is so important. Why do I want the things I do? To save you from long explanations, I won't give you my reasons for why I have the goals that I do, but when I do some self-reflection and remember (or realize) why I want what I do out of my life, it makes all my fears seem smaller. I want these things so badly that I shouldn't allow anything to stop me from going after them.
My life has been a bit shaky so far this year because I'm finally beginning to go after the things I want in life. I might be rejected. I might lose some of my savings. I might face the unfamiliar and change. I might be really stressed, lonely and anxious. But if there is any chance of achieving any of the things I want in life, the instability is worth it. Knowing this provides me with some certainty. Yes, I don't know what the future will hold or if I'll reach my goals any time soon, but I am certain that I am making progress towards these goals. That makes all the difference.
So, now I ask you:
What do you want? Why do you want it? Why haven't you gone after them?
And if you're interested, you can hear Blake answer his own questions in this video.
