Be Careful What You Wish For

Be careful what you wish for, because it might just come true.

Over a year ago I was taking a walk by myself. Life was feeling hectic and I was tired of rushing around all the time. To be honest, I wanted to make some changes.

I felt off balance.

I was running from one place to another, and going from one activity to the next. I wasn’t happy doing this, and I knew deep down inside the solution was to quit my job.

A job I loved. A job I didn’t want to quit.

I started my first job in high school, have always worked, and loved it. Working was part of me. Part of my identity.

I remember saying to myself on that walk, and I can even tell you the exact location where I had this thought:

“The only way I’m going to have the courage to make a change is if something major happens in my life. Like if I got sick.”

There it is.

After I had this thought, I immediately told myself I was completely insane. Of course I didn’t want to get sick. Of course I didn’t want anything bad to happen. I wasn’t completely crazy. I knew deep down that I wanted to change what I was doing in my life.

I didn’t have the courage to do it.

Unless life dealt me something major, something that forced me to take a good look at what I was doing and how I was spending my time, I wasn’t going to rock the boat. The boat felt safe. I was used to the boat.

Be careful what you wish for, because it might just come true.

Be careful what you wish for, because it might just come true.

Less than six weeks later I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

I won’t bore you with all the details of the year following this news, what I went through, or how hard it still was for me to decide to leave my job.

What I will tell you, is that I’m happier today than I’ve ever been in my life. Maybe it’s because I have a deep appreciation for the gift of life. Or because after what I went through and the people I met on my journey, I have a clear understanding of how lucky I am.

Or maybe it’s because I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do. Everyday.

It’s probably a combination of all of these things.

 

But what I do know for sure, is that if there’s something you feel in your gut you want to be doing, figure out a way to do it. Now. Don’t make yourself wait until something happens. Don’t put off giving yourself permission to do the things you truly want to do. Figure out a way. There’s always a way.

Whatever you do, be careful what you wish for, because it might just come true.

Find meaning each day,

Dara