Often, we end up settling for less than we deserve simply because we feel scared to change our situation. Taking a leap of faith and leaving behind the comforts of familiarity can seem difficult, scary, and downright uncomfortable. However, living a life that doesn’t express who we really only stifle our creativity, drive to succeed, and will to live. Many people fall into a state of depression simply because they feel stuck and don’t know where to turn, but you don’t have to settle for less. You CAN strive for more and should do this as often as possible.
We didn’t come into this life to play it safe and settle; we came to shake things up and prove to ourselves that we can live the life we’ve always imagined.
Here are five things you should never settle for:
1. Don’t settle for mediocrity
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” – Marianne Williamson
How many times have you told yourself that you can’t do something? And how many times have you allowed that insecure negative voice inside you to shy away from something you really wanted and simply settle? Starting today, don’t let that voice control your life any longer; silence it with the power of confidence and faith in yourself. Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from striving for more; if anything, you can learn from the lessons present in failure, and use that as motivation to launch you to the next step in life.
Change is painful, but choosing to settle because you don’t think you have what it takes to succeed is even more excruciating.
2. Negative relationships
Relationships that only bring you down don’t serve a place in your life any longer. It might seem hard at first to cut ties with people you have known a long time, but you can’t go on allowing these relationships to dampen your enthusiasm for life. You need to surround yourself with people who have a similar, go-getter attitude about life; don’t let people who spew negativity settle into in your life. They will only take you in the wrong direction, away from your hopes and dreams.
Don’t hesitate to walk away from people that don’t allow you to blossom into your best self.
3. Never settle for a job you hate
This one sadly fits the majority of people in the workforce today. According to a report by the Conference Board, 52.3% of Americans are unhappy at work. Some studies even report higher numbers than this, proving that most people settle for a job they hate just to make ends meet. Most of the jobs we have today don’t serve the planet or its people in the best way, further isolating us from one another. A job shouldn’t just be a means to an end; it should fulfill, inspire, and challenge you. It should make you feel like you have a purpose in life, adding value to it. It might seem scary or impossible, but you CAN leave a job that makes you miserable.
Don’t settle for one you hate just because it pays the bills; you can do anything your heart desires, it just takes a lot of hard work and dedication. However, all the effort will pay off in the end because you will finally have a job that doesn’t even feel like work.
4. Living in a place that doesn’t make you happy
Many people stay shackled to one place in life, mostly out of fear. They fear running out of money, leaving behind the place they’ve lived for years, making new friends, etc. However, wouldn’t it feel worse to settle in a place you don’t belong than take your chances and see what a new city can offer you? Maybe a totally different country would suit you better; the point is, this life is short, and we shouldn’t spend it worrying about outcomes. We should use our time wisely and savor the journey because our experiences will make us better people.
To grow as a person, you need to follow your heart and try new things; otherwise, life becomes dull and mundane, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
5. Living life by someone else’s rules
If you haven’t realized it by now, everyone lives according to the lens through which they see it. Everyone’s perspective and opinions differ because everyone sees life through their own mind. For this reason, you should never accept someone else’s standards for how you should live. Those ideals might work for that person, but not for you.
Don’t allow others to tell you how you should live; only you can decide for yourself. You write the script, and you get to act it out based on your viewpoint and ideas. Only you can write your story, so don’t let other people do it for you.
