Let’s face it – life can seem terrifying at times!

Its much easier to stay where you’re comfortable, to continue living life as you know it confident in the knowledge that you are safe and secure.

But there’s a problem with that plan.

Things always change.

Even if you focus on keeping the status quo with every ounce of energy you have, life has a way of throwing you a curve ball when you least expect it.

You may lose your job due to company or economic changes.

You may have an accident which will alter the course of your life.

Your children will leave home.

Someone you love will die.

You will age …

Whether you like it or not, the course of your life will take many twists and turns. How you navigate the journey will determine how much joy, how much happiness and how much contentment you find along the way.

You cannot hide from change. You can try. You can cry but in the end no matter how determinedly you hang on to what you think you know about your life, it no longer exists.

The goal posts have shifted and until you learn to alter the direction of your kick, you will keep missing. Missing someone, missing something …

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance – Alan Watts

You Are Afraid To Try Something New

I know someone who has always been a lover of life. He has lived in several places around the world, traveled and built a successful business in more than one country and yet for the past few years, he has been hiding from life. Having experienced some huge changes, he has become afraid to make choices, afraid that he will fail and so concerned about the chance of loss, that he has stopped ‘living’. Where once he was larger than life now he is hiding in the shadows. Anytime he is asked a question, his automatic answer is ‘NO’. He doesn’t even take the time to think about it …

What about you? What is your automatic answer to an opportunity?

Let’s say a friend suggested the two of you go to an adventure park and try out the new commando course where you would be climbing, walking a swing bridge and finishing with a zip line.

What if you were offered a job in a rival company which paid a better salary but you would need to take on more responsibility.

What would you say?

You Can’t Remember The Last Time You Felt Joy

Joy is a blissful feeling. It’s when everything feels right in the world, you smile, you laugh and within you it feels like bubbles are rising to the surface. You feel like you could burst with happiness. If you can’t remember the last time you felt like this then take a moment to look at a small child in a playground. They are free, fearless and excited. Once upon a time you were like this too.

Finding joy starts by focussing on things to be thankful for.

It starts when you enjoy the moment you are in rather than worrying about what might come.

Joy begins when you are just ‘being’ instead of constantly ‘doing’.

You Keep Your Opinions And Ideas To Yourself

Each of us has a unique perspective which is formed through our experiences. True progress and innovation comes from adding new perspectives and new ideas to existing understanding. If you are uncertain or doubt the value of your input, you may be denying others the chance to take a fresh approach.

Sometimes it’s the smallest nugget that has the highest value.

You Are Jealous Or Envious Of Others

When you are hiding from life, it often appears that others are doing so much better than you are. But if you take a closer look, you will discover that they have struggles, they have fears and they have difficulties too. The difference between them and you is that they are prepared to face their fear, to overcome their difficulties and to push beyond the boundaries of what they know and what is comfortable, to find the joy on the other side.

If they can do it … why can’t you?

You Hate Who You See In The Mirror

One of the clearest signs that you are hiding from life is that you don’t like the vision of yourself you see in the mirror. None of us are perfect, we each have ‘flaws’ and parts of ourselves we wish were smaller, bigger, taller, softer, firmer, flatter … but beyond the external appearance, is the true essence of who you are. I’m a firm believer that what you see on the outside is a reflection of how you feel about yourself on the inside.

Self-Confidence is your most attractive quality. How can anyone else see how great you are if you can’t see it yourself?

Life can be an exhilarating roller coaster ride or a nightmare horror house.

Change will happen whether you choose to hide from life or whether you choose to embrace it.

Is it time to come out from the shadows and start living?