“Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.” ~ Confucius

I did something last year that was totally uncharacteristic of myself up until that point.  I decided to put aside certainty, comfort and stability to instead go out on a limb and chase something that made me wake up every morning excited to get up.  To me, that is what it all comes down to.

Does what you have in your life make you wake up every morning excited, with a smile on your face and eager to get going?  If the answer is yes, then you’re doing it right…whatever “it” is.  “It” doesn’t have to be some athletic or crazy endeavor; “it” can be a wife, a family or a fulfilling job.  What matters is that it’s getting you out of bed every morning with excitement coursing through your veins and a big smile on your face.  Sometimes you can’t even get a good night’s sleep because you’re so excited about the next day.  Well my “It” was this sport I have chosen to dedicate myself to.  I am glad I decided to go outside of my comfort zone.  I am glad I did something I usually don’t do.  Up until last year I would usually strategically choose the option in life that I was certain I was able to attain.  This can be seen all the way through my primary education to my college years.  Don’t get me wrong, I worked hard and excelled in these areas, but it was always with a careful eye on making sure I didn’t extend myself too much.  I always wanted some certainty to what I did.  (I like having a plan!)

It was almost that I wanted assurance that yeah, it might be tough, but in the end I would get where I wanted.  Well, when I decided to leave my career in public accounting, I left with a big unknown ahead of me.  I left not knowing if it was the right move.  It hasn’t been easy since I left my job… my life…. but I can tell you one thing that it has done, it has opened my eyes and freed me.  It has freed me to succeed at things I previously thought unattainable, and given me the confidence to chase things that feel right and make me happy.  I am also learning that life is about balance, and without having balance you can never truly be happy. (So go and have that drink with your friends tonight, your long run tomorrow isn’t really that important…)  I am truly grateful for this awakening.

~ William Jennings Bryan

I am doing things in my life both within sport and outside sport that excite me, scare me and inspire me.  Sometimes I go to bed absolutely exhausted, floored, sad and with doubts.  However, all the while each morning brings a new opportunity to stick my neck out and see what happens…and that excites me.  So every morning I am waking up excited.  I don’t need an alarm clock and I never want to just keep lying under my covers…there is just too much to do.