Imagine your dream life. No, seriously. Go grab a sheet of paper, and write down what your life would look like if you could have it be any way you wanted. What would you want your…

* Health
* Career
* Family
* Friendships
* Love Life
* Home
* Community Work
* Free Time

…to be like? 

Before you keep reading this post, please truly give the above some thought and write out what you are dreaming of- what you most want- in and for your life. Don’t worry, I’ll wait here while you do.

…Got it? 

Okay. So, now comes the big question: What’s standing in the way of you having that life?

I can just imagine what you are thinking right now: “Easier said than done,” “I can’t get my foot in the door of the industry I want to work in,” “I don’t have enough money to move to where I want to be,” “I haven’t met the right person,” “I’m not pretty/smart/thin/tall/rich/whatever enough,” Yadda. Yadda. Yadda. I know, because I too have let myself off the hook with one or more of these excuses before.

Why are we so good at giving ourselves permission to not chase after our dreams?

It comes down to one very simple but incredibly powerful thing: fear. And with that one powerful thing, you have exactly two choices:

1.) Let the fear stop you. 
2.) Don’t let the fear stop you.

Every moment of fear is a chance to make one of these two choices. 

Maybe today you put off sending your resume in for that job you really want because you don’t think you’ll ever get it. Or, you walked away from a potentially amazing relationship because you are afraid of being vulnerable. Or perhaps you decided to wait until tomorrow to exercise/eat better because, well, you’d rather eat chocolate ice cream and watch movies than run five miles. 

What do all of these choices have in common? They stem from fear- of rejection, heartbreak, pain, failure.

Yes, it is momentarily easier to make choices that don’t require you to actively work through your biggest fears. You get to be comfortable. You get to avoid holding yourself accountable. You get to be right about the excuses you create. 

But how much do you want the life you are dreaming of?

If the chance to live out your dreams is worth you being uncomfortable, accountable and wrong every now and again, then there is really only one choice left for you to make:

Don’t let fear stop you from getting the life you dream of. It’s yours for the taking if you really want it.