Would you let me?

You’re probably thinking, “What’s the catch?,” or maybe “What are the side effects?,” or maybe you want to think about it. I mean, come on, you were just offered to have all your problems solved. Shabam, kazam, kaboom, poof, magic… your life is now exactly what you want it to be.

The problem is not the problems, it is the inability to act.

For the longest time, I lived this way. I would always tell people, “OMG, yes! I would love to be a famous (insert grandiose profession here) but….”  I would always get hung up on the things I would have to overcome and decide it wasn’t worth it. I would just daydream about what could be, write down endless ideas, tell my friends about some cool thing I want to do, then… do none of it.

I led a life not lived. I lived a life of what-ifs. I led a life telling stories of other people.

Don’t get me wrong I led a “good life.” I went to college, got a cushy 9-to-5 job, had a great group of friends, partied on the weekend, and went on those sweet two-week vacations each year.

I was walking down a path that was prescribed to me, and that was great, right? But, I felt empty

What was I doing it all for? I have literally zero intention. I felt like if I continued down this path, I’d wake up, look at myself in the mirror, and realize I was 65 years old and all I had to show for it was a fat belly, a big bank account, and stuff.

I wanted more, but I was never able to take a bite of what I have learned to call the “shit sandwich.” If I wanted life to change, I was going to have to be willing to take the good with the bad, and the bad is boring, the tedious, the annoying parts while on my quest to what I truly wanted.

A life that feels fulfilling, alive, challenging, and unique.

Imagine you have a dream about being a comedian, however every time you think about it, you get hung up on the fear of getting booed while on stage and it stops you from even taking your first stand up class. Well, that’s your choice, but if you let the things that haven’t happened run your life, you will get stuck in a small box and lead an average life.

Of course, it’s going to be hard to become what you truly want to become. As one of my favorite comedians of all time says, “Sometimes the road less traveled is traveled less for a reason.”

The road less traveled is going to be harder, have more unexpected occurrences, and could lead you in a direction you were not expecting.

My girlfriend always tells me, it’s not about what you are trying to achieve, but who you have to become to get there.

Currently, I’m working on creating a board game to launch on Kickstarter and so far, I have had to step outside my comfort zone quite a bit. I’ve realized that the amount of knowledge I will have to pack into my brain far exceeds what I originally thought, and I am positive there will be more that I am not expecting… and I love that.

So, if you are ready to do the things you’ve always dreamed of then take action, be prepared to eat the shit sandwich, and be prepared for the unexpected. I know I am…

Jean-Paul Faraj currently lives in a 31′ foot RV with his lovely partner Amber and sidekick Einstein the dog, travelling the United States living that “#vanlife” one day at a time. Follow him on medium, instagram, and check out his website for news about his upcoming board game “#Vanlife: anything goes.”

Image courtesy of BIQTO.