Live with courage or die with regret. This is my personal slogan but I never really put it into words until recently when people, after reading an advance copy of my book, began to ask me questions like, How the heck did you do that? Why did you do that? and Weren't you scared sh*tless to do those things?
These were the same kinds of questions people were asking me when I was planning my journey, that, but the way, turned out to be anything but what I had planned or expected. And I sure as heck never thought I'd be writing a book about my journey nor did I go into it thinking this experience would give other people the inspiration or courage to confront some of their own demons or chase dreams they saved for well, their dreams.
And speaking of the book, it took some courage to pitch my book title. Do you know how many people laughed at me? Or thought my book was porn? Well known, best-selling authors told me to change it because I'd never get a publisher or literary agent with that kind of title, but I was willing to take a chance on it and by the way, that's what the title means - taking chances. Thankfully the publisher who eventually inked my contract fell in love with it - not everyone else will and that's OK.
I
could go into the whole background of why I embraced this way of living but
that's not really necessary because after all - right now is all that matters.
And right now is the best time to start living with courage because tomorrow
isn't a certainty for any of us regardless of age or current health status.
Shit happens and most of it is out of our control but what we can control is
our attitude - and courage is an attitude - even if we have to fake it once in
a while and Lord knows I've faked courage more than once :-)
I was
on a website earlier called pencourage.com. It's an anonymous site where
brilliant people write some pretty brilliant stuff. I came across a post called
Regrets of Dying that confirmed
everything I believe and I'd like to share it with you because it's pretty
powerful stuff.
Regrets of Dying
There is a book called "The Top Five Regrets of the
Dying", and listed as the number one regret is: "1. I wish I'd had
the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of
me."
You can read the rest of the post here:
Live with courage or die with regret...
I am very glad to come across your website - specifically like this post. Courage - it takes a lot of it do face your fears of the unknown.
ReplyDeleteI have a dream of moving across the country to Toronto to have my dreams fulfilled at performing in larger theatrical venues - however, I still have that little voice in my mind saying "you can't do it" or "you will fail". The closer I come to realize that these voices are not true, the easier it becomes. Reading your post on courage has reassured me that these doubts false - that living in the here and now is all we have - and that if we don't take those chances now - we never will. Thank you for being an inspiration. Toronto is in t minus two weeks!
Christopher Hall
Thanks for sharing your story Chris - we all have unfulfilled dreams just waiting to be realized! Go for it!
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