On my mind...a Promise.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about how often I've passed up opportunities, jobs, life experiences, and even romances because of fear. Fear of failure, fear of letting people down, fear of what others will think of me, fear of making a mistake, fear of looking foolish. Its been a constant reoccurring theme in my life. Fear keeps me from living my life, from following dreams, from becoming the man I want to be. 

For the first time in a long time I feel like I should follow a dream, take a chance, a leap of faith. Even if it means I fall flat on my face. I don't want to wake up one day an old, gray, bitter man who  looks back upon a life filled with regrets.

 For a really big chunk of my life I've lived by the notion that if you don't try you don't fail. I realize now how limiting and hurtful this view of the world has really been on me. How many potentially wonderful experiences I have missed out on simply by not trying.

 I've gotten in the way of my own happiness, of my own success for far too long and its time for this to stop. I will not just settle for less because I'm afraid to try. This whole thing reminded me of something I read a while back ago in the famous self help book "the Secret" here it is:

I Promise Myself...

To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.

To talk health, hapiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.

To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature I meet.

To give so much time to improving myself that I have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.

To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, so long as I am true to the best that is in me.

Christian D. Larson 1912