I’m Not Okay (Trust Me)
Well, admittedly, the title can be a bit misleading or “click-bait” even. Let me explain the premise though.
I don’t do well with mediocracy. I loath the status quo and I certainly don’t tolerate excuses.
People have 100% control over the decisions they make, and those decisions can potentially have a chain reaction of events that follow.
The issue is having the reflective capability to want change and see the potential for change.
You have diabetes- stop eating the foods that got you into that position. You are in debt- stop spending money you don’t have.
Simple examples that pack a punch.
Just Meh
I don’t want this to be a rant about me. I want this article to force you to be uncomfortable. I want you to have some self-reflection and look at your life, through an honest lens.
I want others to feel challenged and motivated to do better. There is no need to lay down and accept the life you have acquired.
People that are financially strained- look at those decisions you made to get in that position.
Did you need to buy a new car? Just because money is available to you through loans, is that a really good decision to make, or is it just a want to keep up with the Jones’?
Don’t get me wrong, I would love a new car. But I haven’t EARNED a new car yet because I am taking the time to work hard and pay off my debt from MY life choices.
I had a nice new car, but I was living above my means. I was not okay.
I am going through a messy divorce. That is a life decision I made and something I have to learn from for my future self.
I am working night and day to right my wrongs because I am not okay with wallowing in my self-pity and expecting a different outcome without being proactive in my efforts to change.
People tell me that they feel run-down, achy, tired, have gained weight, or just have no motivation.
What choices led to those paths? I guarantee our ancestors didn’t feel self-entitled enough to complain about those things.
Rather, they lived to survive another day. They didn’t live to complain about their life.
They literally were concerned about where their next meal was going to come from. Whereas, we can’t decide whether to get Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Del Taco, Burger King, and the like.
<insert big eye roll>
It’s literally despicable.
I am not okay with accepting the current state of affairs.
If you don’t like something, CHANGE IT.
We all have the power to do something impactful in our lives and we fall into this stupid pattern of mediocracy and comfort.
My life decisions are no worse off than yours. The difference is that I am trying to actively make a difference that can positively impact my children and those close to me.
I WANT to be a better person. Mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually.
I have learned how to eat the correct foods to support my goals. I have learned how to maintain mental and physical health. I am seeking more options through spiritual guidance at a community church.
I am not okay with being not okay.
Be Better Than Meh
I saw things in myself and in my life that were meh and I actively changed things for the better.
Toxic relationship- removed myself.
Too expensive of a car- sold.
Crippling debt- working 60 hours a week to right a wrong.
Didn’t have good mental health- started meditating, putting my needs first, sought spiritual guidance, reading more, learned coping mechanisms.
Didn’t like my physique- actively working on bettering my appearance to suit my idea of healthy.
Didn’t know about certain foods that caused stomach issues- researched until I found the solution.
Felt run down in my profession- went to school to better myself and my kid’s livelihood.
It is time we take a step back and look at the stressors in our life and do something about them.
We don’t need to run around with our heads on fire all the time. We need to enjoy this ride and do things that make us happy along the way.
I have student debt- I am not waiting for the government to give me a hand. I am taking charge of MY decisions and working hard to pay them off.
I am sacrificing my ‘fun’ times now so I can have fun later.
Everything in life is temporary. Disease flares- temporary. Being poor- temporary. Being rich- temporary. Friends and family- temporary.
We need to look at the big picture and stop living day to day and expecting happiness to follow.
Goals- both short-term and long-term guide us and keep us on track.
If you don’t have goals, what is the point of it all? Wake up, eat a crappy breakfast sandwich, watch Netflix until your head bleeds and then you die a few years later?
What the hell is the point of that?
You don’t know something? Research it then! We have unlimited amounts of information at our fingertips and we are just wanting to sit on our butts and watch life pass us by.
I am not okay with any of that. I can’t sit still because I have too much I want to accomplish in this lifetime.
Be Freaking Great At Failing and Growing
There is no time to waste watching TV in hopes all the riches in the world will just plop in my lap for me just being awesome and not doing anything to get it.
This stupid sense of self-entitlement that everyone has acquired has got to stop.
Stop relying on YouTube to give you your education. We are literally turning into mindless zombies walking around without knowing how to have any social interaction anymore.
It still boggles my mind that people get paid, handsomely, to make the stupidest videos on Earth. The kicker is that people watch it and give them money!
I don’t understand. What happened to hard work and putting in the effort?
I have made 15 cents writing this blog for 1 year. It’s not sexy. It’s not in your face. Hell, it’s not even that good. But I am persistent and working at being better. I don’t know SEO, marketing strategies, keywords, or how to gain more followers.
That doesn’t stop me from continuing and learning more so I can become better at what I do.
That is the issue with people now. We want instant gratification and that’s not how life works. We have to put in the work.
Social media does a great job of creating a very deceptive set of expectations. People see a staged photograph and think that is their lifestyle.
They don’t see anything beyond that fraction of time captured on the phone.
Not everything has to be ‘viral’ to be successful.
Persistence. Education. Wanting to be better. Blood, sweat, and tears. Hard work.
Nothing comes easy. For God’s sake, work for something you want. Good things will come if you put in the time and invest in yourself.
What happens if it doesn’t? You learned a valuable life lesson and it builds who you are as a person. Maybe that is knowledge that you can help someone else with.
Why be afraid to try?
Excuses need to stop. “Oh, I would love to but I don’t have enough money to start.”
Save money. Make it a priority to better yourself.
“Eating healthy is too expensive.”
Find a way to make more money and better your current situation. There are plenty of jobs and institutions to learn from.
“I don’t have enough time to go to school or work out.” FIND THE TIME.
I have two kids, went to school full time, worked full time, did 20 hours of clinicals a week, studied, cleaned the house, worked out, cooked my food, and balanced my social life.
It can be done. You have to find the time and learn how to manage your time with discipline.
Be comfortable with the uncomfortable so you can grow and develop as a person.
Sometimes people have to fail multiple times in life to be successful. Don’t be afraid to fail. It is just another learning experience that makes you a better person.
We cannot grow from continued success. Bad things happen and will happen. You have to be ready and willing to accept that. You need to go through the grieving process and come out on the other side as a better person.
I am not okay. I am better than just okay. I am exceeding my expectations and you should too.
Trust me.
Start questioning. Be inquisitive. Have realistic expectations. Take the first step.
Next time, shake someone’s hand, look them in the eye. Honor the words you say. You are only as good as your word. Have accountability for your actions. DO something about what you don’t like in your life.
Be strong. Be brave.
