Rather than settling, step up and strive for greatness. (Photos.com)
Apathy is a strange feeling. It doesn't seem to offer any direction, but you notice it when it's present.
Why?
I think it happens for different reasons. Sometimes it's just part of being human––the day in and day out of life. This kind of apathy is usually short phased. It lasts for only a few moments or maybe a couple of days.
Apathy can also be present in different forms of depression. Often, this is recognized by a continuous feeling of no interest in life. The feeling doesn’t go away. If this sounds like you, it's a good idea to seek help from a counselor or healthcare practitioner.
Is Apathy Something We Can Change?
For most of us, I believe that apathy comes upon us for reasons that we have the power to change. It comes when we have settled in some area of our life. We've accepted the status quo, and we have chosen to stay safe and comfortable rather than pushing ourselves forward.
We shift towards doing what is easy instead of what inspires us. We do what is safe because we don’t want our feeling of confidence to be threatened. Often, apathy is a result of being afraid of failure or afraid of change, and it leaves us feeling stuck. We accept boredom and we tell ourselves that it's not a problem because "it's just the way life is."
Your Potential
Maybe it is just the way life is. Or maybe you are just not tapping into your potential. Maybe you are scared to death of doing what you really want to do because of what it will require from you (hard work, faith, less money).
Certainly sometimes we have to endure boring and safe situations because they are actually a part of the path to getting somewhere we want to go – like the job you take to put yourself through school, or the job you take that allows you to pursue your art (and by the way, a lot of people say they are doing this, but when they clock out of their job, they never get around to their art).
What Can You Do to Change Things?
First, it’s important to really look at where you are going. If you drive around all day with no map and no destination, you probably won’t end up at the place you hope to be. Eventually, you might even get tired and just stop somewhere––anywhere. That’s why, when we take a trip, most of us figure out where we are going and then we get directions so that we can arrive in a timely fashion.
Your Life Map
Now, think about your life as if it was a trip. What do you want to accomplish? What gets you excited? If you don't know, think back as far as you can remember and trace those times in your life that made your heart beat fast.
Then look honestly at where you're at now. Will it help you obtain the end that you hope to achieve? Or will you look back and know you were just wasting your time? Are you taking advantage of the resources you have (including the resources that the not so thrilling job is giving you), to actually do the things your heart is set on doing?
Pursuing what inspires us and using the gifts and talents we came into this life with is not easy. It requires effort. It requires vulnerability. It requires courage. It is not safe. Just because they are gifts and talents, doesn't mean that our use of them will not be demanding. We might stumble. Our confidence might be shaken at times. We may have to work hard.
But I hope you will take the demanding road because what you have to offer, no one else in this world can offer it from the unique perspective you bring. You are the only person who can bring it the way that you do. You choosing to live that out will enrich the lives of the people around you.
It does make a difference which path you choose.
What are you going to do?
Melissa King is a life and wellness coach in New York City. Visit her Web site at myheartdances.com If you benefit from these articles, let her know at melissa@myheartdances.com
