Sunday, September 6, 2009

Nike's got it...Just do it

I can always tell when blog time is coming because everything starts becoming a lesson. When I say everything, I mean everything. I heard a story about 2 weeks ago from my best friend. She and a neighbor were sitting around talking about how nice it would be to get all the kids in the neighborhood together, and how they should "do something." My friend Erin says, "Then let's do it!" And they proceeded to plan a neighborhood get together. Erin told me this to make the point that "we are do-ers."

We are do-ers; I have not stopped analyzing myself since then. Was I a do-er? I truly believe in order to help someone you have to go through it yourself. This is where my "inspiration" comes from. This is what I have come up with...I can think of many times I said 'I wanted to..." something. I wanted to move to Columbia several years before I actually did it. But I never did honestly for any reason I could come up with. I remember one particular time when I was sitting in a professor's office in college having a conversation about something I wanted to do, and I remember him saying so clearly, "Nike's got it, Just Do It." That is all I remember from the conversation that particular day, nothing else. I have used that quote several times since then.

Excuses arise so easily when its time for the rubber to meet the road. And all too often do we let them stop us from doing what we "wanted to." Only you know what you "wanted to" do. And only you know why you haven't. Sometimes we get so hung up on what we "wanted to" do that we actually forget to do it. At some point planning has to stop and action has to start. (That came from another friend!)

I want to tell you a story. I lived in Myrtle Beach, SC before moving to Columbia. My parents lived there, I went to Coastal Carolina University there, I had a life, a very good job as a teacher, a boyfriend, and not to mention a really nice apartment. Everything was going great, and I was happy. Then, as things go sometimes, you know-we get to a crossroads, or some type of turmoil. We are confused, scared, and ready to pull our hair out. We never know what to do when we get like this. (I want to give you a small clue to life, this is when you know change is coming. These moments, are precursors to change.) I had no "extra" money. I depleted my savings by taking a job closer to home that paid a lot less. I went to work one day and handed in my resignation. I did it. I made the decision to leave.

Some decisions are not easy, but you have to make them. If a decision needs to be made, why not be the one to make it? I hate hearing people say, "the ball is in his/her court." Why put your happiness/fate/life/decision, in someone else's hands? That statement is truly a cop out. You only make that statement because of fear. Fear of change.

If you stayed in a situation and nothing ever changed how would we know what was out there? I came here to Columbia pretty much on a whim and this has been my greatest adventure yet. I didn't have a job when I moved here. I had no idea how I was going to pay my rent, car payment, etc. But, I had to do it. Life needs a few whims. You have to be ready to initiate changes. You have to just do it. Stop saying you are going to do something and do it. I have never been happier in my life. And I would have never known what was out there for me if I had not jumped. Sometimes we just have to jump and excuses be damned.

Keep Going,
Amie