(the misadventures of an expatriate corporate dropout)

Friday, August 29, 2008

fearless friday.


I'd like to tell you all ... life is too short.

Life is too short to spend time in a fruitless relationship.
Life is too short to waste in a dead-end job.
Life is too short to put off the experiences you dream of.
Life is too short not to learn something new each day.
Life is too short to spend endless hours in front of a television.
Life is too short to mindlessly collect 'things' to distract you from whatever it is you'd really like to be doing.
Life is too short for the merry-go-round (unless it is at the amusement park!)

Life is too short for regrets.

Life is to short to live in fear.

Fear of taking a risk. 
Fear of the consequences (what really IS the worse thing that could happen and how bad would it really be?)
Fear of failure.
Fear of embarrassment.
Fear of what others will think.
Fear of discomfort.
Fear of tomorrow ruling how you live today.

Friends and readers, I spent many years of my life doing all of the above.  I'd just like to tell you that it is okay to stop.  

I'm living proof that it can be done.  I'm okay. My world still spins.  Every day I'm finding a new way.  I still don't have a plan.  But I'm seeing the light a little more clearly every day.

I hereby declare today "Fearless Friday".  I encourage you all to take a step, however small, toward something new.





8 comments:

Randal Graves said...

Do I have to?

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien said...

don't make me get my can'o'whupass. you already are, anyways-you are learning a new language. brat.

La Belette Rouge said...

You are indeed an inspiration.
Hmm, a small step towards something new. I have no immediate hit on what that would be. But, I am going to take the thought with me and see what comes up.

Randal Graves said...

Yeah, but that's not all that new since I've been slogging at it for a few years. I AM writing that bad book, so ha ha, I'm living freely and such.

Bruce Anderson said...

Today was our last day of summer camps! yes, bye bye kiddies!!!! 25 more days until we are GONE. I love your "fearless friday" but I'm taking quite a few steps towards something new here in about 25 more days, so I'm going to pass on any new ones.

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien said...

LBR~ I have confidence in you, you'll come up with something fantastic and you'll describe in that delicious way that only you can serve.

RG~your writing is an inspiration. Definitely some of the most creative out there ...

OJL~you are in your fearless friday moment every day!

La Framéricaine said...

Sometimes "something new" is what you QUIT doing.

I have a great little book--I would!--called "The Art of Quitting" that is full of reflections upon the letting go of lots of old, worn out, unsatisfying habits.

It is humorously presented but, is in fact, very subversive since the "Don't be a quitter" mantra is so prevalent and everyone is afraid to be accused of being a "quitter" of one stripe or another.

You had to quit a lot of things to find yourself in your current life in bucolic France and I congratulate you on having done so. You are a wonderful role model for lots and lots of people.

Thank you for letting us make the trip with you, Kim.

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien said...

LaF- excellent point. And it is I who should be thanking all of you!