Be You. Do You. Live Free…
Runners run. Biker’s bike. Most spouses argue, and writers write.
I am a runner, a biker, and a spouse, and I like to fancy myself an above-average writer. But here’s the cold, hard truth. I have not been writing.
This is my second, maybe third, attempt to begin a blog. It has been something I have wanted to do for a long time, but I have been more interested than committed.
Recently, one of my mentors shared those words with me – “Be you. Do you. Live free.”
It was a firm kick in the pants, and it brought my self-created conflict to the forefront of my mind, and I haven’t been able to shake it. I have aspired to write, but have been afraid to hit publish. I’ve been scared
to GO.
I have a thousand excuses. I’m too busy. I have too many other responsibilities. It pulls energy and time away from my paying career. It shortens the investment that could be made into the lives of my kids and my wife. It’s just one more thing. It won’t be well received. I’m not any good at it.
But here’s the real thing, every time we deny ourselves something that brings us joy, we deny ourselves the chance to move a little closer to that best version of ourselves. Every time we skip the workout we know we should complete. Every time we drink more than we intended. Every time we sacrifice our own priorities for the demands and needs of others.
I like to share with my wife that “you cannot pour from an empty cup.” It’s a topic we’ll likely explore in much greater depth as we move forward through this journey. But for now, I just needed to start writing.
I still have all those excuses. I still have a thousand reasons to not begin. I still have fears that this will lead to more rejection than success.
But writers write. And I am a writer. Time will tell if I’m any good at it.
if you want to be an adventurer, take the first step. if you want to be a traveler, bool that ticket. if you want to be a painter, by the paint and a brush.
If you don’t take action, all you will ever succeed at having is the wanting.
So I’m going to write.
And in doing so, I’m going to be me, do me, and live free.
And I invite you to do the same. Just do it. Life’s too short to let your cup run dry.