I am not lucky. You know what I am? I am smart, I am talented, I take advantage of the opportunities that come my way and I work really, really hard. Don’t call me lucky. Call me a badass.
SHONDA rHIMES
Great things don’t come to those who wait. I believe that the bigger risk you take in life, the bigger the reward.
Now exercise that with caution, but all I have to say is just do it.
Growing up in Buffalo I have always wanted to move on to bigger things. I wasn’t in a position to just go off and do it by myself. I had to work my way up, save money, and get experience. I gave up a lot of parties, relationships, and time with those I would have much rather been hanging out with. It was a sacrifice, of giving up fun to work towards a goal.
Sometimes that’s what you have to do, and you can’t let anyone get in your way. If there is one thing I learned in life is that, things don’t just get handed to you. You have to work towards what you want and eventually the rest will fall into place.
I always had this vision, and honestly a fear.
If there’s one thing I don’t want to be in my lifetime, it’s simply average.
My vision was to simply become a successful bad ass female. We all have to start somewhere, my beginning was simple. I was just a girl from Buffalo, NY who moved to West Palm Beach, to start a fresh new chapter. I wasn’t really leaving any terrible situation behind, just looking ahead into this bright future I created for myself.
It was honestly terrifying but that’s not what you saw on social media. I was a nervous wreck, I was moving across the country, and I knew absolutely no one. I met some terrible people and I met some good ones. It was all perspective, I fought through some tough situations: shitty relationships, draining friendships, & learning to be alone with myself. It was a really tough transition, but you know what. I am okay, and you will be too.
Independence is a strange thing, and pushes you to do a lot more than what you think you’re capable of. When you force yourself into the world, you start to trigger your flight or fight mechanism.
I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to run back home to Mommy and Daddy. However, what would be the point of all that, of all this that I have put myself through. Sometimes your pride and ego protect you from just giving up.
No one wants to fail but sometimes we do. That’s how we learn and grow. I have had my fair share of failure, but it’s given me the strength to just keep getting back up and trying again. You will eventually find the right path for you, there is just going to be a fair share of other avenues and dead ends along the way.
My advice, take as many different roads as you can.
Experiences make up a person and who they are. Get as much life experience as you can while you are young. At some point you’ll have to settle down so don’t waste your youth by staying in one place and never putting yourself out there.
Social Media often gives the perception that someone has this amazing, fun filled life. A lot of people say to me, “you’re always off doing fun things” or “I wish I could be you, your life looks awesome”. What people don’t realize is that I don’t have these things in my life because I’m lucky.
I have these things because I work really, really hard.
So the few times I’m off having fun, is what gets broadcasted. You’re seeing my free time, the times I’m laughing with friends, traveling, out to dinner, or at a fun party. That is not my whole life nor do I want it to be. It’s the fun parts that I want to share and can look back on and say “wow, my life really isn’t that bad.”
We all go through tough times, we just don’t broadcast it. That goes for any other person you’ll see on social media. They don’t just have this fun life you should be envious of, they work really really hard and then have the opportunity to play even harder.
Guess what, that can be you too.
The key to life is finding something you’re passionate about. For me, I love to make people laugh. I’ve been through a lot of things in my life, and it’s not all rainbows and sunshine but I make the most of it. I will always be that person to spread a positive light on everyone I encounter. Life doesn’t have to be so serious all the time.
Crack a joke, make a pun, and take that god damn shot.
Life is too short to be miserable, doing whatever you’re doing and making excuses for.
Your self worth is not determined by the value of your physical possessions or things you’re doing.
It’s found within you, in those moments when you find what makes you happy.
Just do it and work towards it. I encourage you to do the same. Don’t wait around for luck to be on your side because chances are it won’t be. You have to have the balls to take what you want from life.
Take sometime to figure out what you want. If you aren’t happy with your life, you are the only person that can change that. I know who I want to be in 10 years, and that only comes from sacrifices. Stop thinking about what you don’t have but what you could have if you just made a few simple changes to your everyday routine.
You have to take risks and put yourself out there, put the past behind you. I struggle with my inner small town personality everyday but I most certainly didn’t move across the country to continue to be that same person. That is just a part of growing up, and a lot is going to change that you have to be ready for.
The difference is the power to move with change and avoid stagnation. You can accomplish anything you want to, and it’s not as easy as some people make it look. You have to put in a lot of time and effort and that’s the caveat everyone thinks that they can just skip over. There is no cheat codes to success, there is only the grind that you put into it. If you want something bad enough, you will have the power to make it happen. It’s just about having the right mindset at the right time.
Just remember things don’t just happen out of pure luck.
Things happen because you had the power to make it happen. The next time you get on social media, don’t get upset over what you don’t have. If you want it, go out and get it your damn self.
Stop making excuses and start that path. You don’t have to be the most confident person but you do need to have a vision. Start with a vision and remember that things take time, you just have to keep your focus. If I can do it, so can you.
It’s crazy what you can accomplish by just setting your mind to it. Keep pushing, conquer your obstacles, and I assure you. You can make anything happen. We just all need a little faith and pushing sometimes from our support system.
If you have a passion for something, it will show through what your doing. Noticing that light in someone is magnetizing, and doesn’t go unnoticed. Follow through and I am sure that just maybe, a little bit of that “luck” will turn into success. A strange amount of opportunity’s are about to start coming your way, make it happen and go with the flow. You never know what might be waiting around the next corner for you.
Anna 