Chase your dreams.... especially if they scare you

Doing new things can be scary. Stepping out of your comfort zone is hard to do. Even when it’s something you really want, chasing that dream can seem like a mountain you don’t know if you can climb to the top of. Let me encourage you. The mountaintop is awesome, but there is adventure to be had in the climb. Some things are as much about the journey as they are about the destination. We are always growing as individuals. Everyone has their own pace. It’s okay to grow at different times. Don’t compare your journey to other people. Your journey is your own. I saw many of these quotes on Pinterest and they were such an encouragement to me I wrote them down and I want to share them with you. This blog is for anyone who needs encouragement to follow their dreams. Chase your dreams. Live life to the fullest. Enjoy your days. Life is too short to wonder what if and let fear rob you of good experiences. It’s okay to be scared how something will turn out because that shows you care about it. Passion is a beautiful thing. We were all made for a purpose. We were given a passion for something or maybe multiple things. I just want to encourage you today to ignite that fire of passion and chase your dreams. 
 
“The things you are passionate about are not random. They are your calling.”
 
“If you want to know where your heart is, look where your mind goes when it wanders.”
 
“If it’s both terrifying and amazing, then you should definitely pursue it.” – Erada
 
“It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.” – A League of Their Own
 
“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” Winnie the Pooh
 
“I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say ‘because of you I didn’t give up’.”
 
“I would like to be known as an intelligent woman, a courageous woman, a loving woman, a woman who teaches by being.” – Maya Angelou
 
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” – Maya Angelou
 
“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”
 
“It’s not who you are that holds you back. It’s who you think you’re not.”
 
“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.”
 
“There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” Nelson Mandela
 
“The only way to know if you’re in the right place is to stand in the place. So you can guess for a long time. What if I screw up? What if I mess up? Or you could just do it and see what happens. Because great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it, and by doing it they’re proving right. Bridging that gap, doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking risks like that…. That’s what life is. And I think… you might be really good! You might find something about yourself that’s really special. And if you’re not good, who cares? You tried something. Now you know something about yourself.”
 
“Just stick with it. What seems so hard now will one day be your warm up.”
 
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
 
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
 
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.”
 
“The one thing all famous authors, world class athletes, business tycoons, singers, actors, and celebrated achievers in any field have in common is that they all began their journeys when they were none of these things.” – Mike Dooley
 
“The expert in anything was once a beginner.”
 
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar
 
“It’s not about being the best. It’s about being better than you were yesterday.”
 
“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Christian D. Larson
 
“Every flower must grow through dirt.”
 
“If you do not go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you do not ask, the answer will always be no. If you do not step forward, you will always be in the same place.”
 
“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.” – Nelson Mandela
 
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
 
“What you get by achieving your goals is not nearly as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Zig Ziglar
 
 “If you wait until all the lights are green before you leave home, you’ll never get started on your trip to the top.” – Zig Ziglar
 
“The road to success is always under construction.”
 
“You will get there when you are meant to get there and not one moment sooner…. So relax, breathe, and be patient.” – Mandy Hale
 
“Never compare your journey with someone else’s. Your journey is your own not a competition.”
 
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” – Dr. Seuss
 
“You will come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment that you will ever make.” – Gordon B. Hinckley
 
“If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.”
 
“Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.
 
“May your choices reflect your hopes not your fears.” – Nelson Mandela
 
“Do not let the possibility of failure keep you from doing something that will make your heart smile”
 
“She turned her can’ts into cans and her dreams into plans.” – Kobi Yamada
 
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”
 
“It’s a beautiful thing when a career and a passionate come together.”
 
“A strong woman knows she has strength enough for the journey, but a woman of strength knows it is in the journey where she will become strong.”
 
“Let what you love be what you do.”
 
I hope these quotes motivate and encourage you as much as they do me. Every day is a new day. What will you do with your life today? Direction determines destination. What direction are you headed? Pray about it not just once but often. Make a list of where you are, where you’ve come from, and where you want to go in life. Set goals. Make plans on how to get there or how to become what you want to be. Don’t worry about what other people think. You just keep working on you. Do your best. Give 100%. Never lose your passion. Kindle the fire. Be all lit up with love for what you care about. Print this out and read over it when you are doubting. Remember doubt kills dreams. You miss all the shots you don’t take. It’s better to try and fail than to never try at all. It’s okay to be scared. Push through it. Don’t give up. Sometimes you have to be your own cheerleader. You can do it. You CAN do this. It will be hard. It will be worth it. The journey is going to be great! You’re going to be great!! Believe in yourself.