Mind, Body & Soul Sessions (#42)

Dream big and go for it!

Last Friday, a Dutch celebrity passed away just a few weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer. The cancer had spread throughout his body, so he knew there wasn’t going to be a cure, but still, his sudden passing came as a surprise to a lot people.
But I am not going to write about his passing here (or did I just do that already?) or about the cancer, no, today I am going to write about something that is related (well sort of) to all of this.

I wasn’t a big fan of the guy, although I’ve to admit I liked him and I admired him for all the things he has achieved in his life. He was a writer of 40 books, an entertainer, a TV presenter, a musical star, a singer, a producer, an actor, a columnist, a buddy and a priest.
In one of his last interviews he said something like (I can’t find the newspaper article anymore so I am not going to quote his exact words):

I am not afraid to die, it’s just a bit too soon, but I am confident it’s going to be alright. I had a great life, accomplished my goals and did things I never thought I could. Life has been tremendously satisfying and I am very content.

And that is precisely where I am going with this.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all say/or think that before we die? I think it would be amazing! I have known a lot of people who never got the chance to realize their dreams. One example: my dad! He always wanted to take early retirement as soon as he could, and travel the world with my mom. He never did, because just one year before he finally could, he passed away.
I did learn something from it though, a very valuable lesson: never ever postpone things you really, really want to do and stop doing things you absolutely hate. So, I travelled, went to see places I always dreamed about and later on I gave up my job (which I absolutely resented, because it was sucking the life out of me). Sure, things have been tough at times, with little or no money to spend, periods of depression and rejection, but I am still here, alive and kicking, and I have never regretted the decisions I made. In fact all of this has made me stronger and happier, and I can look back on a pleasant life, I can even say I am content. Sure, I do have other dreams and I am still working on those, but by fulfilling some of them already I think I’ve changed my life around, it has made me feel richer and more content.

So, if you have dreams, big plans, want to see places, meet people, don’t wait until it’s to late! Get up, get out, and go for it! Dig up your dreams, dust them off, give them some fresh air and sunshine (or water in the form of rain, if you are lucky enough to live in Europe this summer) and remember how great they were when you first got them.
And I know, taking risks can be very uncomfortable and scary, because it can lead to failure, but it won’t kill you. Just accept the likelihood of failure, because without failure there can be no success. The choice is yours! When you get to the end of the line, do you want to end up in ‘mediocre village’ or the ‘excellent city’? Life is not meant to be endured, it is meant to be lived and experienced. Just remember you have a great opportunity and that is the opportunity to live.

So, go on, live your life to the fullest, it’s not that complicated and focus on your dreams. Don’t let life’s trials despair you and don’t let friends or family get in your way, because nobody has the right to trample your dreams. If they want to spend their life watching from the sidelines, fine, their choice. If they want to be jealous just because you have the guts to go out there and follow your dream, fine, let them be jealous. But never ever give up on your dreams and don’t allow anyone to tell you that the sky is the limit, when there have been guys on the moon!

Have a great Sunday!