From a very young age, we are meant to “fit in.”  It might be into a certain grade or sport team level. Or it might mean saying the right thing so that “friends” don’t ostracize us. Then in the work force it could be not speaking up in front of a certain colleague or boss.  Because it’s best to “toe the line.”

Yet we tell our children to, “Be yourself!”  Which can be a hard thing to do.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”  Many people lose that battle.

They take courses in university to please their parents.  They are in a job they hate because it pays the bills or it would be too hard to change the journey now.

But change is always possible.  It just takes courage.  As Aristotle once said, “You will never do anything in this world without courage.  It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honour.”

But how do we know which path we should take?

There is an anonymous quote that says, “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”  This is where you find the key to your heart.  The thing is, you need to take steps towards that dream.  Have the courage to take a chance.  Even though you will fail numerous times before you get there.  Because as scared as you might be of the unknown, regret is always scarier.

You see, as Norman Cousins once said, “Death is not the greatest loss in life.  The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”

Children know what they like to do.  They are passionate and curious and excited.  But somewhere along the way the world gets in and tells them, “Who do you think you are?  You aren’t good enough. You can’t do that.”

But they can.  And you can.  An anonymous quote on Facebook recently said, “One life.  Just one. Why aren’t we running like we’re on fire towards our wildest dreams?”  Well… why aren’t we?