"It is what it is," "That's just how I am," and other excuses

From the editor…

Life is hard, right?

There’s so much to do that our to-do lists never seem to end. Scratch one item, add another. We also have countless choices in what to be. All of it can overwhelm us into a paralytic state, leaving us settling for mediocre and feeling stuck. Then, feeling stuck we start looking for excuses. We use phrases such as “that’s just how I am” to justify our lack of motivation and/or desire to be more, to be better. The same goes for “it is what it is” to convince ourselves that we’re really all just victims of circumstance, unable to control that all-illusive ‘it’ that controls us.

It’s easy to do and it’s understandable considering what we’re up against, but at the end of the day they’re excuses. Stuck is merely a state of mind. You can decide what it is. And as far as who you are? You can reinvent yourself any time you’re ready to take the risks and make the sacrifices required.

I know for a fact this is true because just about two years ago I made the decision to quit my seemingly secure  job in higher education and start on a new path. I had no idea where it would lead, all I knew was that changing my life was worth whatever I was about to go through. It wasn’t easy. I had more ups and downs during those two years than in all the previous years combined. There were times when even knowing I wasn’t quite where I wanted to be, I was ready to stop and settle for ‘almost there.’

Somewhere in the middle of the journey I joined Being Latino as a writer and somehow (okay, through a lot of hard work if I do say so myself) became the chief editor, with other doors continuing to open daily. It’s a dream I had never dared dream come true.

But my story is more long and complicated than yours has to be. Change doesn’t need to come with a dramatic flair. It can come in little choices we make daily (want to lose weight? choose a glass of water instead of soda). Some of the change in my life came through volunteering. I gave, and still give, my time to Being Latino as a volunteer. If you’re looking for a career change, Being Latino may have a role for you that will give you the experience you need for a foot in the door elsewhere.

Whatever it is that’s important to you, it’s all about what you’re willing to do and give to get it.

Ready to make a change? Ready to stop making excuses? It’s August 1st and maybe the 30 Day Challenge is right for you! Check it out and let me know if it works! I’m looking forward to hearing all of your stories.

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Chief Content Officer, Libby Juliá Vázquez

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