Just Do It: The Power of Yes

Nike knows what's up. They are my new motto. Just. Do. It. Three, tiny words that seem so easy in theory but so difficult to actually live by. I consider myself a risk-taker and relatively brave and spontaneous on the scale of life. But when I stop and think about reality, it's so easy to let opportunities slip by. Regret is one of the most evil words I know (only second to shame, boring and practical). I used to think of the word "regret" only when I regretted things from my past. But rarely do I have regret about the things I've done-- even if I made some big mistakes in the process. What I truly regreat are the things I never did.

In college, I didn't study abroad because I thought my life would be over if I missed certain parties. How wrong was I. If only I'd known as a freshman that I really wouldn't miss a sea of red solo cups and warm watermelon Boone's Farm four years later. And now, that decision is easily my biggest regret of college.

Fast forward five years later. Last week a friend of mine invited me on a spontaneous trip to Barcelona. Immediately the practical and responsible side of me kicked in, "You need to budget." "You just moved." "Save money." "Wait until you have more clients." "That's going to be expensive." Etc, etc, etc. As I was seconds away from silently talking myself out of it, I thought about a promise that I made to myself when I moved to Nashville: I'm not going to wait for certain things to happen to me before I start living the life of my dreams. I'm not going to wait for a certain salary. I'm not going to wait for a relationship.

What if the life that you've been dreaming of really hasn't passed you by. What if the life that you've been dreaming of has everything that you want in it. Right now. With no additions needed. I'm not saying that you can't want more and have desires for other things in your life. But I'm tired of watching my "now" pass me by while I wait for my "next." Barcelona, here I come.

Now I leave you with my Barcelona daydreams, via The Sartorialist...