Do Not Quit Now, Keep Going!

                This is to all the people who WANT to run back or LOOK back to the comfort zone.  You have taken that step in faith but when something goes wrong, or you have had a bad day, you want to RUN away back to what you worked so hard to leave, or tried so hard to start.  I write words of encouragement because I need words of hope myself.  Everyone who knows me, knows that I took a HUGE leap of faith last year and moved across country to start a new life.  For YEARS I talked about a change, dreamed about a change, and then one day I JUMPED.  I thought for some reason the move, transition, and adjustment was going to be Unicorns and Rainbows but I was SO VERY WRONG. 

                Each time something small went wrong, it amplified, so much that I wanted to RUN back to what I dreamt of leaving.  Not because I wanted to leave my friends and family, because I needed change desperately, and I got change alright (too much change, all at once). 

                The encouragement piece is … I realized that I didn’t come THIS FAR to go back.  Times will get tough; you will want to RUN back … You will want to quit, do not let the Devil Win.  God gives you the desires of your heart, if you take the time, fight through the bad and notice them.  Notice the Gifts from God, don’t run from them.  YOU DID NOT COME THIS FAR, TO ONLY COME THIS FAR!!!!  Keep going!!!

Step Outside Your "Safe Zone"

What would life be like if no one took chances, if everyone was scared about making mistakes? Would life be boring? Sure you may like the “safe zone” but would it be worth it looking back at your life in 10-20 years? What would your life story be? 

                If you could take a chance and do ONE thing right now what would it be?  What would the consequences of not stepping out and making the attempt to change your life for the better be?  You would stay the same.  What holds you back from pursuing life, chasing whatever it is you want, or taking a chance on a relationship?  Hello … the past is in the past … You may have taken a chance on someone, you may have taken a chance on a business that went south in the past and that is okay, that means you are living (life is not perfect)!!  BUT WHAT IF your chance, WHAT IF your Door of Opportunity is wide open in front of you RIGHT NOW … Pray about it, don’t let FEAR stand in your way. 

                We keep hearing “We are not promised tomorrow,” so very true … We aren’t even promised the next minute or second.  If there is something YOU want to pursue, DO IT!!!  If there is some place you want to go, GO!!!  If there is someone you have your heart set on, TELL THEM!!!  I have taken some pretty rotten chances, but in the midst of that, I was blessed with two beautiful sons.  Through chances, I learned who I do NOT want in my life.  One of my greatest blessings was from making an ABSOLUTE crazy decision to move across country on a chance of love, I now have wonderful husband and two amazing daughters. 

                Think on this …  We are every choice, chance, and decision we have ever made … That is who we are and who we will be.  We will keep making decisions, we will keep making choices, and we will keep taking chances!!!!  Live your life…Dare to take a chance, at least once.  You may surprise yourself!

Pursue Your Dreams

I am not sure how this will turn out since it has been MONTHS since I have written any form of motivation or inspiration.  People have so many life circumstances that block out good things.  I found myself overwhelmed during a continual life adjustment that I actually took advantage of stress counseling because I honestly did NOT do good adjusting or dealing with stress at all.  The life coach asked me “Alissa how good on a scale from 1 – 10 do you do handling stress?”  Before she could even finish, my reply “I don’t, period.”  She then laughed a little, and said “Alissa you do realize life would be meaningless and boring if life wasn’t like a rollercoaster.”  Not sure if that is great advice coming from a professional counselor, but today … it opened my eyes. 

My point is we all have dreams, or we once did, and we let life’s circumstances kill our drive and ambition.  Notice that I said, “We killed our dreams’” not anyone else.  So many people start pursuing dreams and as soon as they do not work, they bail.  They expect too much too fast, they want the dream but do not want to put the time and effort in to achieve it.  We were not meant to be mediocre, we were meant to LIVE.  If you did not wake up today with a goal in mind, you should’ve stayed in bed.  Dreams do not work unless YOU do!!! 

People take chances to follow dreams, people fail, some people quit … but some people PUSH ON … some people PERSIST to be successful.  Those are the people you should surround yourself with, people who pursue everything they have ever wanted.  Sure you will get discouraged at times, but that circle of people will keep you motivated. 

Do not expect to chase a dream without the mind set to succeed and do whatever it takes to get there.  Do not step out and take that chance with an attitude of doubt of failure.  Dreams do not happen with a negative attitude.  Pray to follow the path in which God leads you and pray for favor with people to help you reach your dream.  You may be scared to take that step, but do not let FEAR stand in your way.  Work for it!!!  Many of my friends are very successful, but they did not stop … they made their dreams become a reality.  Quit being complacent.