Am I Being Irresponsible?
Do you wish the heavens would just open up and a voice would beam down to tell you which path to take?
Are you sick of second guessing yourself? Are you tired of going around in circles in your head wondering if it's totally irresponsible to take the road less travelled and do the thing that makes your heart beat faster every time you think about it?
Are you dreaming of a life that feels more aligned, more authentic and more alive? Does the crushing weight of all your responsibilities mean that you shelve your dreams yet again and face up to the reality of yet another groundhog kind of day?
Most of my clients come to me seeking clarity over their next right step. They find themselves at a fork in the road. They can either continue doing what they're doing now or they can do something that feels more aligned and more authentic for them. They usually have a tiny seed of an idea but they feel like it's so 'out there' that it's verging on ridiculous. They almost feel embarrassed talking about it.
They have thoughts along the lines of:
I would love to do it but I'm not brave enough or good enough
I would love to do it but I've got a mortgage to pay
I would love to do it but I've got kids to look after. Maybe when they're older....
I would love to do it but I've missed the boat, I should have done it when I was younger
I would love to do it but I don't know where to start and if it's even possible for me
I would love to do it but my family and friends would think I've lost the plot
If you've had any of those thoughts my love, you're not alone. I have, at one time or another, had every single one of those thoughts too.
After 20 years of climbing the corporate ladder as an accountant, having 3 babies in under 4 years and a lifetime of being a chronic people pleaser and 'good girl', I realised there was one common thread running through all of those thoughts of mine.
Every single thought started with "I would love to do it". That was my inner voice speaking. That was the true me.
The second part of each of those thoughts? The kids, my age, the risk of everyone thinking I was crazy for even thinking about it? That felt real. Oh boy did that feel real. But that was also me playing small and getting in my own way because the thought of taking the road less travelled felt scary and lonely. That was my ego trying to keep me safe by keeping my feet firmly planted in my comfort zone. It got me off the hook from having to make any changes because those thoughts made me feel like I had no choice in the matter.
Do you ever have any of those thoughts? What is the thing that you would love to do? And what 'buts' are getting in your way?
