Life is hard.
Things go wrong. Nothing in life is guaranteed. Once you’re on your path, it feels like you have no control…stuck and along for the ride. If it’s not stuck, you feel obligated. When you put so much time, energy, dedication, whatever into that path, it can seem like it’s pointless to try to change it now. (Ever heard of the Sunk Cost Fallacy?)
Yes, but...
There is no one pulling you; you are on autopilot. You need to shift your mindset. Open your eyes. Take the lead. There are some things that you can change, like a little fork that veers off from your current trajectory, but only if you can force yourself to take it. For many people, nature convinces you to sit back and accept it. That shift is rarely easy, if not down-right impossible.
But you CAN do it.
I realized recently that I had sat back and followed the flow; sometimes I enjoyed the view, but other times I felt like I was trapped in a destiny that I fell into. My priorities hadn’t been brought into focus for longer than I’d care to admit. Priorities are always there, but you have to reflect and discover or rediscover them once in a while to fully appreciate what you value most.
You are never too old to switch it up.
Turning your view inward is the first step towards achieving a path that you want. (Dang, this is starting to sound like a self-help/motivational speech.) What makes you YOU? What makes you smile or your heart swell with love? Who do you enjoy spending time with? What do you (even the slightest bit) enjoy doing? Self-reflection is an amazing thing, I wholeheartedly wish that more people would take a little time for themselves to self-reflect (or meditate!) For me? I’ve discovered an astonishing amount of little things that bring me joy. I’m not talking about favorite things. They’re not always big or flashy. Frequently, they are little moments or things that can make my inner essence smirk. With my own self-consideration, I’ve reestablished my priorities. Found what lifts my internal spark. Shifted my course. Your turn.