Appreciating the inner self

It’s been a while since I posted anything on this blog. Such is life, right? Or so I would like you to believe, truth is I haven’t been able to write for the last few weeks. And it sort of ties in with the TEDTalk I want to share today.

Life is all about change, but in some ways it is also about the fear of change. And I find myself at that very cross road right now. Upcoming changes in my life will define me for at least the next couple of years. The biggest change for me is leaving behind what I have come to know as a sort expected normal. The normal being that I studied and have three degrees to my name and with them came knowledge and some degree of success. But what it left behind is a person who feels far away from herself. I know now that the biggest fear is the one of leaving behind the comfort of doing what you might be good at and actually going out into the world and finding out what you are passionate about.

Unlike our speaker today it is not writing (as in I want to write a novel) but it may be writing as a way of reporting on my life and experiences. But where do I start? How do I do that? These are the questions that I believe is holding me back. Plus I also know they are same type of fears that have been preventing me from writing on this very blog these past few weeks.

Our speaker today is Elizabeth Gilbert the author of Eat Pray Love. In the talk she candidly talks about the perils of success and failure. She takes us on a brief journey to find ourselves again. To live closer to the self and to finally to recognize that if we stick to what we live for (as she puts it) “it will all be okay”.

 And as the eleventh doctor said: 

Sandy 

Asking yourself to be brave

I have two distinct memories of the universe asking me to be brave. Or at least, having to perform outside of myself. The first was the day my dad passed away. I really had one of those once in a life time fathers that understood that life is a precious gift and that we only get to live it once, mistakes and all. He was and still is the light in my life. So on the day that he passed I believe it fundamentally changed me and asked me to brave, like he had to be for me all those years previous.

The second time is quite recent really, working on a MSc (Masters in Science) while grieving your father takes a lot courage. Courage I never had before and never knew hid inside me. And thank goodness for those around me supporting and guiding me or I wouldn't be able to talk so candidly about it. The day finally came, my thesis was accepted and I had to defend it publicly. I was paralysed with fear, consumed by anxiety and nearly did not make it to my talk. But, again I believe I was asked to be brave, and to confront my fear head on.  

The talk by Morgana Bailey (not gay or lesbian Morgana, but only Morgana) asks us to be brave. Too face our deepest fears, whether it be rejection (as in her case), failure (as in mine) or something completely different, but that we NEED to face them. I also believe her story is not just about someone coming out the so-called “closet”, but a story of courage and what it takes to be true to yourself. 

Be brave. Be true to who you are.  

What’s stopping you, me and everyone?

We have all heard the fairy tale, college student misses family creates way to share pictures and updates with them and becomes a billionaire overnight (I’m of course referring to Matt Zuckerberg and Facebook). Now his is living the dream! Getting up everyday and getting inspired by the very thing he invented. We are further taught from a young age to become educated and our passions will provide the next meal ticket. After several years of studying many of us have come to the conclusion that this might not be the truth. Or that it is a version of the truth that we want so desperately to believe. In the end we realize that we will have to settle for that not so nice job and maybe if we are lucky we will start to like it and be good at it. 

But it does not fill that void. That void deep inside you where your actual passion is hiding like a petrified kitten. You go there often enough only to return to reality and wonder why am I not doing what I was meant to do? 

Why don't we unleash our creativity? Why do we give up on it? What's stopping us?

What I’m getting at is that we all want to follow our passions and wake up every day in pursuit of it. So, I ask the question: What is stopping you? Why do we make up excuses and in the end settle for less? What is holding us back? Why do we stop dreaming?

In today’s #Tedtalk Prof Larry Smith from the University of Waterloo bluntly (but very funny) tries to explain the excuses people make to not follow their passions. And why it results in us not having that perfect career.

I hope the video lights a fire under you, as it did me!!

 Follow your dreams and don’t settle for less.