Life Is What You Make It So Make It Great

“Life is what you make it, always has been, always will be” — Grandma Moses

If you ask anyone on the street who Anna Mary Robertson Moses is chances are you will receive many blank stares. Many instead know her by her nickname Grandma Moses. Grandma Moses was an American folk artist who took up painting much later in life and really hit her stride in her late seventies which goes to prove you’re never too old to learn something new. She is famous for her artwork, including one that sold for over a million dollars, but also the quote mentioned above, “Life is what you make it, always has been, always will be.

This quote is a constant reminder that each and every person controls their life at all times. We need to heed this advice not only for ourselves but also to make certain we pass it on to our children.

When a situation arises we have two choices. Do we let that situation take control of us or do we take control of that situation? How will this particular moment in time define us?

Are you the victim?

Many people play the role of a victim because it’s just easier for them. Maybe they’ve always been that way or that’s how their parents were. It’s how they grew up or what they were used to seeing around the house. Sometimes it might just be easier than actually dealing with the reality of what is happening. Woe is me, blah, blah, blah…

Many people enjoy this victim role and relish it. All too often they use it as a crutch. I hear these types of comments all the time.

• “Will I ever find happiness or someone to spend my life with?” — That’s true if you stay home and don’t put yourself out there. Life is what you make it.
• “I can’t afford to have the things I want in life because I don’t make enough money”. — Get a job that pays more or take a second job. Life is what you make it.
• “I don’t have any friends that I’m really close to”. — In order to be close to your friends, you need to share with them and invest them in your life. Life is what you make it!

The list goes on and on, excuse after excuse but in the end, it’s your decision to make.

I’ve been there too

I’ve been there before in life mostly in work situations. I was in a dead-end job that I was commuting two hours a day to (in each direction — 4 hours in total) and I was miserable. You might laugh but I got my hands on a Tony Robbins course called Personal Power (as recommended to me by someone) and I listened to those CDs every day and followed the step by step directions. I listed out why I was unhappy, what I wanted to change, what my goals were, and when I wanted them by. I came to the realization that I needed to make some changes and my current job and career path was one of them.

Immediately after completing Tony’s course, I connected with a recruiter who found a perfect job for me closer to home and it instantly changed my outlook. I was making more money, my commute was 20 minutes each way vs. two hours and I was happier. I was no longer the victim and I had a plan of action.

Life is hard

Life is hard for most everyone at times. It can be full of stress and anxiety, it can be exhausting and it can be full of anguish. It can also be filled with wonderful memories, terrific people, love, and endless possibilities. It’s all about what you make it.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. If what you are doing isn’t working guess what? It’s time to change. Take a long deep look at yourself and make the change you need to be happy! No one can do it but you.

What’s the point?

My point is simple, Be terrified, take chances, step out of your comfort zone, explore, learn, and grow. Blame no one but yourself for where you are in life. It’s never too late to make the changes you need to. If you are unhappy find the root of your unhappiness and change it. If you don’t enjoy your work anymore find new work. Engage with people and share yourself with them. You may be surprised at what you get in return.

A day is 24 hours long, or 1,440 minutes or 86,400 seconds. Don’t waste any additional time dreaming about what you want your life to be. Go out and do it!

The secret of life to me is that it’s not really a secret. It’s right in front of you. It’s up to you to make life what you want it to be.

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” — Henry David Thoreau “We have two lives and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” — Confucius

Comment below and share this with someone who could use the message.

Originally published at https://dadontheedge.com on July 14, 2020.