SWAN Saturday: Stop Making Excuses

Written on August 28, 2010 by in happiness, inspiration, swan

SWAN (Stop Wasting Away Now) Saturday is a weekly dose of inspiration from me to you. Each week I will make a short video post about something on my mind. The posts will be unscripted & shot straight from my soul. Stop wasting away now, life’s too short!

(If you can’t see the video, click here.)

This week I want to talk about making excuses because for the past six months, I’ve been doing just that. For the past six months, I’ve been wanting to make a video post, but it just hasn’t happened. Why? Because I keep making excuses!

Every time I am ready to record a post or even post a recorded post, I come up with some awful excuse and refuse to move forward. I’ve delete every post thus far because they’re “not perfect”. I tell myself that the post is not relevant or too long or that I look like an idiot or any number of other excuses.

Have you ever done this to yourself? Have you ever allowed fear or insecurity to keep you from doing something that you really wanted to? I sure have. I’m ready to stop, starting right now.

Lately I’ve made several big decisions in my personal and professional life. My courage has inspired me to stop making excuses. The truth is that there is no reason to allow fear to rule your life. There is no reason to make excuses if there is something that you really want to do. I am done making excuses about why I should not share a video post! I will not allow insecurity to run my life.

So what have you been putting off? What have you been making excuses about? Do you want to seek out a new relationship? Quit your job? Lose weight? Today I am giving you permission to stop. Stop wasting away now! Stop making excuses and just do it.

If you want to go to Costa Rica and volunteer on a sustainable farm — then do it! Book the flight, make the arrangements, take the time and go. Whatever is holding you back, push it out of your way, let go, and move forward. Recognize that there is no reason to be afraid. Fear is unnecessary (read more) and most of the time it is completely irrational. Do not let irrational fear be the thing that stops you from creating the life of your dreams.

Stop worrying about being judged. Stop holding yourself back because that’s what society is telling you to do. Anything that you can dream up, you can accomplish! Define your goals. Let go of your fear. Take a giant step and push the button. In my case, it’s going to be hitting the publish button when I share this post with you!

xo,
D.

11 Comments - Leave a comment!
  • Michelle Sutton

    Hey Dena I loved your video post I realize that I make excuses about trying to find a less stressful job or a bigger home because I am too comfortable and am afraid…

    • Dena

      @ Michelle – Thank you so much for sharing, love! Let go of the fear. Contentment (comfort) does not mean happiness! Sometimes the greatest things in life require a bit of risk.

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  • http://stolencompass.livejournal.com/ Jass

    This is a somewhat ridiculous fear. Ridiculous because fear is to be faced headon, like a bull, I pass my days waving my red shirt for them to come at me so as to face them. But when it comes to writing; that which is of my very blood and guts, I’ve still yet to send it to publishers, competitions, newspapers or literary magazines.
    A part of says…wait, you are not ready yet. Keep sculpting, it inside of you until it is ready. Another, that I’m not yet able to produce anything of actual form (my longer pieces are rare and unnatural)..in fact, I sieze up and all my words become forced and artificial when I set about actually writing something of a greater scale..even short stories.
    What is wasting time? How can we define what time is wasted and what is waiting, building, crafting?

    • http://evolutionyou.net Dena

      @ Jass – First, thank you for being here & for sharing your fear. It means so much to me to have other people share with me, I feel much less alone. Second, to address this fear — being a “writer/poet” for most of my life, I’ve always been surrounded by other writers. What I have found is that among writers, your fear is common. And it is not ever the fear of sending the work to a publisher, but rather the fear is of something else, something very specific: rejection.

      As a writer who has sent out many a piece to be published, I know that the worst part is not the assembly of the piece, or even the waiting after the piece has gone out, but rather it is the cold, dark rejection. The “thank you but we can not use your piece at this time.” The beauty of this fear is that it is easily overcome. After the pinch of a couple rejections you will either overcome the fear or give up on making submissions and choose to write simply for yourself.

      I’ve seen your work, Jass, and it is lovely beyond anything I could describe here. Talking about sculpting and the size and the seizing up are all excuses. My advice is to stop making them, and send something out. Your work is shining and the rest of the world deserves to see it. And you deserve to put it out there in all its glory.

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  • Debbie Herbert

    Thanks Dena, I really enjoy all your posts so far, and looking forward to more
    Keep up the good (inspiring) work!
    Mrs. H

    • Dena

      @ Mrs. H – Thank you so much for stopping by & for the wonderful, positive feedback! You are so sweet. Have a wonderful weekend & come visit again soon. XO

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