The possibilities that are waiting for us are so abundant, that most of us can’t even imagine that they exist. In this post and video, Michelle shares how her decision to make one change, led to becoming the truest version of herself, and a life that was beyond what she could have ever dreamed of. Is there a shift that needs to happen for you, that could change everything?
People are always telling you to “just” be yourself! For a lot of us, we don’t even know who that person is. In fact, most of us haven’t dared to dream of what the truest versions of ourselves could be.
It’s so easy to let the influences of others and the circumstances of our lives dictate our paths and actions. When we are born, we are introduced to a reality of “how things are.” It’s like we are dropped into a stream that only flows one way, and we think that our only option is to lay back and ride that current to the end.
The idea of paddling to the bank, getting out of the stream and walking in a direction of your choosing doesn’t occur to most people. We don’t even let our minds go there.
When there’s no reason to shake things up
That’s how it was for me. I grew up loved and surrounded in a happy and safe environment. My stream floweth and I had no reason to imagine that things could get better.
But then there was that flicker. After we got married, my husband and I began traveling to Florida quite frequently. The more we visited, the more I fell in love with it. But Florida was always “the escape,” the vacation spot, and maybe the place you go to at the end of your life once you’ve worked really hard.
The idea of making your everyday life into something that was more like a vacation felt ridiculous. We hadn’t earned that right yet. And besides, we already had a great life— family, friends, jobs, a house. Asking for more felt selfish.
Was it being selfish, or was it tuning into a different option? One that would afford us even more abundance, beyond what we even realized was available to us.
But wait, there’s more
It’s like the first time you eat ice cream. It’s so delicious and you’re incredibly grateful that such a thing exists. And then you come to learn that it comes in all these different flavors too! What?! Not only do you get to enjoy this incredible treat, but you get to pick the one that tastes best to you. If vanilla is your thing, you do vanilla. But if you want mint chocolate chip, it doesn’t cost you any more.
We decided to go there. To get out of the stream. To choose a different flavor. To leave behind what was familiar and safe, and relocate to Florida, not just as vacationers, but as full-time residents.
That decision to move wasn’t just about getting to move to a warm, beautiful place. It was proving that we could do something different, of our choosing, and to learn that we would thrive as a result.
Just because you can’t imagine it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there
Our relocation was the first domino that effortlessly began putting the rest of our life on the right path. My business began to grow, I connected with all of these incredible people, and I realized that this possibility— this other life was just waiting for us, the whole time.
Things don’t have to be bad in order for you to want to make a change. You can go from great to really, really great. The course of actions that followed after our move led us to purchase a lot, just down the street from the beach and we were able to design and build our dream home.
I am writing this from a bright, beautiful home office that has become my haven for creating and sharing. A scene that I once thought only existed in the movies.
Your life can be as wonderful as you allow yourself to dream that it can be. When you let yourself to go there— even if it feels indulgent— that is when you tap into the truest version of you.
Better for you, means better for everyone
It’s not a selfish act, it’s a smart act. When you accept all the things that are available to you, you transform into a happy person, a grateful person, and someone who marvels at the incredible possibilities that are out there.
When we are the truest versions of ourselves, we are better off to everyone. We aren’t lacking for anything, we don’t feel threatened, and we don’t feel like anyone owes us anything. We switch into this mode where we are filled with so much joy, and are flowing with so much abundance, that we begin to live our lives to serve others— because we’ve got more than we ever need and can’t help but to share it.
Whatever that version of happiness is for you, find it, take it and believe that you deserve to have it. Accept these gifts with gratitude, celebrate the awesomeness of it all, give freely and often, with your newfound knowledge that when you do, even more will come your way.
For more inspiration on learning to stay true to yourself, check out Episode 013 of A Podcast for Creatives.
