Do you remember the time you thought you could change the world?
What happened to that time? What happened to that brave, adventurous self that challenged the status quo, chased after their personal dream with vigour and passion, that didn’t care what other people thought?
This person, who climbed the ladder with determination and finesse, finally made it to the top, but found she had left her dreams somewhere behind, dismissed them as fancy, or impossible, even while she thought she was working towards the time she could make them come true.
Slowly, as you gained power, you gave yourself away: to a system, to money, to power itself. You gained control, but became controlled by the fear of letting it go. You started on this path because you loved what you did and wanted to share that love with others, but somehow found yourself chasing admiration and respect according to someone else’s rules. Somehow, somewhere, the love was replaced by a fear of loss, of losing, by the need to get things done. The passion died in amongst routine, repetition and the constant chasing of results. You followed a dream, but became part of the machine.
When did that happen? And how?
My feeling is that, somewhere along the line, you stopped believing in yourself. You learnt that progression meant leaving your Self on the sidelines, keeping your passion at bay. You saw how the weak were stepped on so you made yourself strong; you saw which type of person was promoted, so you made yourself that person; you thought you had to choose between money and the dreams.
It’s funny, I think the world works to make us think that way. As each of us get caught in this story we have to act it out and persuade others to do the same. It’s a self-perpetuating nightmare that eventually leaves you high and dry with nowhere else to go.
There’s another way
I’m starting to realise that for every person that chooses another way, that realises their dreams can make money, that they can succeed and be fulfilled, it opens the door for many others to do the same. For every person that rediscovers who they are, others are inspired to follow suit. And so it spreads.
Your happiness will change the world. It’s time to believe in yourself again.
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