‎“The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what we want most for what we want at the moment.” ~unknown

I recently went through an old box filled with school stuff and inside I found a journal I wrote. Even though the thoughts were 10 years old, I feel that I could have written them in the present day. I’ve done a lot in the last 10 years but my excuses and distractions were the same then, as they are now (maybe minus the kids and lack of sleep).

One of my biggest excuses has been that if I let myself be happy, something bad will happen. What I didn’t know then, that I know now is that bad things happen whether or not you are happy.

What I realized when reading my journal is that although my life circumstances have changed I am still the same person… getting in the way of my own happiness. Letting others dicate what is good for me. In my 20’s I tried to be the person I thought I wanted to be, and in my 30’s I realize that I want to be the person that I am. The big difference is that now that I am married, with kids, it’s not just about me.

I wouldn’t change a single thing. I’ve made mistakes, I’ve made excuses, but all my choices have brought me to this point in my life. I can learn from my mistakes, stop making excuses and start living the life that I want. For me, and my family.

I am closer to where I want to be, but yet so far away. I need to find the balance between my needs and the needs of my family.

I can’t control what life brings but I can control how I act, or react to life’s circumstances. Life is what you make of it.

I came across this video on the Spartan Race website. Let it inspire you, like it has inspired me.