Oftentimes, we [the working folk of America] forgo our dreams for steady pay and “job securityâ€Â. We settle for unfulfilling careers that leave us constantly wondering “what ifâ€Â. Now, more than ever, it is imperative to take life into your own hands. American poet Archibald MacLeish said:
There are those who will say that the liberation of humanity, the freedom of man and mind is nothing but a dream. They are right. It is the American Dream.
The current economic situation has caused consumer confidence to decline to the lowest level on record. Home values continue to sink, spending is down, and more than 138,000 jobs have been lost, at Fortune 500 companies, in January 2009 alone. When people lose their jobs, they spend less, which leads to more job losses. It’s a case of bad news feeding on itself. The unemployment rate is steadily climbing, and certainly many Americans are concerned about whether their next check will be there last.
I recall being fired from a job and calling a close friend to have a therapeutic conversation. Our conversation started with me complaining about being “let goâ€Â, but it ended with me being inspired to work for myself. What I learned was that I had been set free not fired. I finished that conversation with the inspiration that led to me starting my own business.
Having been laid off, I speak from experience when I say that it is not the end of the world. Most times, your employer is doing you a favor by freeing you from a life of servitude. Take a moment to consider what you have always dreamed of doing, and do it. Be the author of your life by making decisions based upon desire and authenticity, instead of fear.
- Be clear about what you want out of life. List you dreams and goals. Choose one, and go for it. If that doesn’t work, try the next one. You will know what works best for you.
- Take some time for introspection. Consider your motivation(s) and write them down. Pay attention to where you’re spending your time. Are you putting energy into the right things?
- Do waste time being the victim. You are the sole proprietor of your life. Never give away your power. Once you get clear on this, you will make better choices because you’ll know that you’re pulling your own strings. Changing your perspective is all it takes.
- Be in the moment. If you’re worrying about what if, you’ll find out. However, if you focus on what you’re doing in the present moment, you open yourself up to a world of possibility.
- Each day gives you a fresh canvass to work from. You always have the opportunity to create something different for yourself.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are millions of people just waiting to help you figure out what you need to know. Find someone that you admire or someone who is doing what you’ve always wanted to do, and schedule a meeting with them. Let them know your plans, and listen carefully.
Drink your kool-aid. We all have something that we enjoy doing, and would do it for free. Even if you don’t have that, if you wake up each day and choose your life, you are drinking your own kool-aid. You have the ability to be a pauper or president, depending up your desire. Choose what you want for yourself, and you will always be happy.
Note: The term “drink the kool-aid†is derived from the 1978 cult suicide in Jonestown, Guyana. Jim Jones, the leader of the Peoples Temple, persuaded his followers to move to Jonestown. Late in the year he ordered his followers to commit suicide by drinking grape-flavored Flavor Aid laced with potassium cyanide. A camera from inside the compound shows a large chest being opened, clearly showing boxes of both Flavor Aid and Kool-Aid. In this article, I am referring to the act of believing in you.
