People talk about waiting for the right time. The time when the moment is perfect, the stars align, and your life is ready.
We use the phrase when we talk about getting married, having kids, buying a house, etc.
But, it sneaks into the smaller parts of our lives.
The phrase sounds helpful and even nice. But, it’s not helpful. In fact, it can be the thing that stands between you and your ideal life.
Now you may not be going around telling yourself it isn’t the right time but you could be saying things like, my job has been stressful lately so I can’t add working out and eating healthy into my life, when you want to lose weight. Or my focus needs to be on my family so I can’t start my own business yet, when you’ve been dreaming of being an entrepreneur.
The problem is that the right time doesn’t exist until you make it. This moment right now can be the perfect time to do it.
What we usually mean when we say we are waiting for the right time is that we don’t want to have the discomfort of starting or aren’t willing to put in the work to get it done. Our brains way of protecting us is creating these stories as an excuse as to why we can’t do it right now.
Brains are wired to protect you from anything that may harm you. Along the lines of evolution it hasn’t been able to separate the threat of walking into traffic and experiencing discomfort from the unknown.
It’s okay to be scared or uncertain. You don’t know what to expect when you dive into something new. Even something you deeply desire. Experiencing negative emotions is a given in life.
When you take a step towards your goals or dreams and negative emotion shows up, it isn’t the time to quit but rather push forward.
A sign of the Right Time
Deciding to go after a dream or a goal is not a light decision. In the beginning it is fueled by excitement or urgency. But what happens when those wear off? You are left with just you and your thoughts. Little or big obstacles start showing and things start getting tough.
Those little phrases of it might not be the right time for me to do this start appearing. Your brain likes to support what we tell it to be true. It will start to point out why you are exactly right that now isn’t the right time. A major project comes up at work so you need to give all of your attention to it instead of focusing on your dreams because that’s how you make money right now.
Instead of telling your brain that now might not be the right time tell it that it is the perfect time. Regardless of other circumstances now is the perfect time to go after your goals. Let it start showing you exactly how that is true. When those obstacles come up, they won’t bring you to a dead stop. Now is the perfect time to do this so instead of stopping you figure it out.
You make it work because now is the time.
Discomfort
That hard work and discomfort that you’re trying to avoid by not going for what you want right now is still happening. It’s showing up in other ways of your life. Life is 50/50, 50% negative and 50% positive. That’s the way of the world.
It’s important to remember that going after a desire will not make everything in your life rainbows and butterflies. A change in circumstances may shift one area of your life into the positive half of the 50/50. What will follow is the negative or discomfort will appear elsewhere in another part of your life.
This isn’t a problem but rather great news. This means when things aren’t always good it isn’t a problem. It’s supposed to be that way.
You can choose to have the discomfort from keeping things the same and not intentionally creating results in your life or choose to go after the life you desire.
Act Now…or not
When will you know that you should make it the perfect time to go after your dreams?
Those stories and excuses your brain comes up with you may believe to be true. However, you shouldn’t take them for face value. Sit with them and explore them.
Write what is blocking you from beginning and then prove it wrong. Write how that could be true or not true and why. The why is the most important part. When you choose whether or not you want to do something you need to like your why.
Stand by You
After you choose your path you need to have your own back. Stand by the decision you make. There is no need to reason as why you chose what you did. Avoid saying things like I didn’t know what I know now.
You always have the option to change your mind in the future. Again, just like your reason why and stand by yourself as you make that decision. This would not be the time to judge yourself or say you should have started earlier. The moment that you chose to start is the moment that it is the right time to start.
Will you choose to make right now the perfect time to start?
