Follow Your Dreams

I was in the shower this morning and realized a couple of things. 1.) It's easier to shave with a straight razor than a normal one. 2.) Many of my friends have given up lucrative and, often, highly respected careers to follow their dreams and relieve physical and, most likely, emotional pain.

Cases in point: fashion designer worked for household name clothing companies is now teaching fashion and in the middle of launching her own line. Architect now teaching interior design and owner of a custom scent fragrance and joujou boutique. Former computer geek who then owned a technical headhunting company now turned fairly famous deejay. Highly paid executive assistant now runs painting classes and regularly exhibits her own art. Fashion stylist runs a popular clothing boutique and has some pretty high profile clients on a freelance basis. Another fashion stylist is running a lifestyles website exclusively for plus size men and women. An office manager who opened a restaurant. Marketing executive who is a fullt-ime freelance writer. And a ton of doctors, lawyers, stockbrokers, etc. who've become flight attendants.

I was stunned to see that I'm surrounded by people who've taken the path not followed to follow their dreams. Many of them had friends, family, loved ones caution them, resist and fight their changes along the way. A few have lived in poverty so low that we laugh about it now but it was hard to go from making bank to hiding from the bank.

Some are wildly successful, some have failed and gone on to other things, some are still working to make it what they dreamed. The one thing that I hear time and time again? They're happier with their lives now than when they were "successful."

So, take that dream and run. No one is saying quit your job and join a commune. But that dream is waiting for you. Take a little, bitty first step to make it happen. It's scary. It's not easy. But you'll be glad you did.