Vicarious Living is for the fearful, and the Lazy!

-Are you content to scroll content, or do you want to be content with your life?

Yep, that Insta-life sure does look good! A small fraction of all that sexy living, may even be true, and possibly (but not probably) real. One thing we know for sure is that all of it, was created…

The two photos above are beautiful shots, and I’m certain that the women in them truly enjoyed the views. Is there a reason they essentially look the same? Two different women, in two different locations, posing in two beautiful photos, evoking the same feelings in the scrolling masses. In most cases with thousands of other similar photos, they were taken with creating content in mind.

This! This, may be the most profound take away from all of that envious scrolling. Content is created! So are all of those perfect lives, playing out in pictures, and videos on your favorite Social Media platform.

Lives, livings, loves, and looks, are all being created and curated, for you to live vicariously through. Just a steady stream of content to garner more followers, likes, or free shit!

Or, in some cases, created because that person figured out how to overcome their fear and laziness, and do the hard work of designing a truly wonderful life. They then, decided to share it with you.

So why not you? Why aren’t you an online millionaire, or influencer? Well, probably because scrolling just isn’t a great influence!

… Listen, do you want to know a secret? -The Beatles

It’s in the doing of the thing!

Creating the life you want is all about putting in the effort, and the hours. The hard process of thinking, visualizing, and creating that life, followed by the actual work. You can have that life! You just have to choose it. We are all, each one of us, creators. So what holds us back? Fear mostly, and an aversion to the difficult.

Why not choose to work on designing, and attaining the life that you wish for, instead of watching someone else live it? You actually can. Creating anything, including the life that you want, is just a series of choices. We can choose to do the work, and create new habits that will propel us towards our goals, or we can choose to do very little, and continue to scroll our dreams away.

Are You Fearful?

When it comes to choosing the life that we want, fear is just the dam holding back a salmon from its true nature. Fear of what parents, or friends may say. Fear of looking a certain way. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. All of that fear is a dam of your own making. The same dam holding you back, and keeping you from who you are supposed to become.

Often times our fear is just an ego attachment. Quit worrying about how you look to others, or about their judgement! Own who you are now, and embody who you want to become. Set your ego aside, and choose to live your life, your way.

Set aside your fear, and strive to become an example of what is to be emulated. Let others choose to live vicariously through your accomplishments, strength, and deeds. You can still choose a life of creating content, and living it out online, just don’t do it for the likes. Don’t do it to mask insecurities. Do whatever it is, to become who you were meant to be. Do it with humility and grace. Above all, do it with gratitude!

Are You Lazy?

Will you get to it tomorrow? Will you start on Monday? Do you make deals with yourself to put it off till it’s a “better time?”

You are not alone! The daily grind can be excuse enough to not do the work of creating the life you want. It truly is much easier to scroll on, and watch other people doing what you only wish you could. But remember, all of that putting it off, and making deals with yourself, are choices too.

Choose to do one thing everyday that supports your goals or dreams. Only one thing a day! That’s 365 good choices that will not only kickstart, but help you achieve a happier, more purposeful life. A life that you designed, and created through a series of your choices. Who would you be after that one short year?

It can be hard to raise and keep your momentum, but that work becomes easier, (and actually fun) when you realize that you are getting closer to your goals with every choice. Motivation will follow each little success, until it becomes a driving force.

Instead of constantly scrolling other peoples content, and inducing repetitive stress injuries to your thumbs, use that same device you are now holding to start typing out your plan!

Start creating the content of your life!

Spend dedicated time thinking about what life you would choose. What excites you, and gives you a sense of purpose? What choices would you have to make to become the person that you want to be? Don’t turn this exercise into a wish list. We’re not talking about daydreaming of fame, and millions. We are talking about who you are right now, and who and where, you want to be in the future.

As those answers start to crystalize, visualize it with as much detail and intensity as you can. What does that life look like? Where is it? What does the day to day look like? How does it feel, taste and sound? How are you serving others, while becoming the person you choose to be?

Now that you’ve thought about it, and now that you can close your eyes and literally see it, get to work!

Set aside your fears, and choose to stop living vicariously through others! Choose to begin creating the life you want!

Create it by doing that one thing (or more) everyday. Write down your plan, and look at it as a road map to your future. Study it and chart it out. Let the excitement of possibilities be the impetus to overcoming your lethargy, and motivate you to do the work.

Thinking. Visualizing. Creating. Living it.

These are the greatest gifts that you will ever give yourself. These are the things that will help you become who you were meant to be.

Now, go on and become that content, content creator!