Living without IFs

I'm not the only one who does this, I'm sure. But recently, I realized that I have been living "if"
...too much "if."

You know what I mean... The conditional life. If I only had more ____, then I would _____.

The condition for me is usually Time or Money. (Though sometimes Energy or Sleep get inserted into that clause.)
If I only had more time, then I would write more.
If I only had more money, then I could hire someone to put my house in order.
If I only had more time, then I'd exercise more and get in shape.

Well, my current job has afforded me at least more time (but certainly less money). So one would think I would be able to accomplish at least some of those conditions, right? Not necessarily. I have more time but less energy and less income so more stress. There's always something, right?

If/thens are tricky little buggers. Those conditions we set up for ourselves are usually glorified excuses. The IFs are our 'outs'--our reasons that we're not living up to our potentials, becoming our best, living the fullest life we can live. The THENS are our dreams, our hopes, our desires. When we pair them with an IF, we're already telling ourselves that those dreams are only going to happen IF something else happens first.

I want to be better at so many things! I want to be a better writer, a better wife, a better mom, a better nurse.

I want my dreams to come true.

What's stopping me? Me. And only me.

So, I'm taking the conditions off of those dreams.
I'm going to write more,
I'm going to put my house in order,
I'm going to get in shape.


There's nothing standing in my way.

Here's the bottom line, folks:
If you want to be better, BE BETTER.
There's a sunrise every morning--a chance to begin again every single day. A chance to be better. Nothing stopping you. So, do it.
That's it.
 

-PLB