Whose Opinion Blocks Your Fun, and How to Do It Anyway

Why wait for everyone to approve your choices? Find out whose opinion blocks your fun, and how to do it anyway.

Other people’s preferences

You’re moving where? You’re crazy!

Those words came from the friend of a couple featured on House Hunters, the long-time and popular show on HGTV.

The couple planned to move outside of the U.S., and though the friend’s exclamation was probably amplified to spice up the show, it’s a comment that some friends really will say when thoughts you share, outside of what they consider as normal, are introduced.

Why is crazy a term for what you want to accomplish or experience?

What’s wrong with pursuing:

• Skydiving
• Mountain climbing
• Changing your hair color
• Real estate investing
• Buying a business
• Traveling by bicycle
• Tiny house living
• Quitting your job
• Learning fire breathing

Everyone’s bucket list is different, and that’s good news.

Can you imagine everyone’s list being the same? That means you’d have less chance of experiencing what you want to do because millions of people would be on a line waiting to do it, too.

Staying on track

In the article, Three Ways to Guard Yourself Against Nonbelievers, I share how my uncle disapproved of me writing a book.

What’s wrong with becoming an author? People have been writing since the beginning of time. Had I listened to him and crossed authorship off my list, I would have turned my back on thousands of individuals who’ve learned from my wisdom to create the life of their dreams.

Thankfully, I discarded his comment, didn’t question him about choosing to be a musician (I wonder who in his family disapproved), and successfully pressed forward with my own mission.

Your first thought about doing something considered as different will energize you and convince you to try it. The second thought is not so great. That’s when you start second guessing yourself, the decision, and whether or not you’ll pursue it.

Dismissing mind junk

One of my most-successful accomplishments is two trips driving from New York to Nevada. My four-legged children, Mae and Pepi, accompanied me both times. We rested overnight in various states during our eight travel days (four days to and from destinations driving 10 hours a day). It’s a trip that, for at least 10 years, I dreamed of completing.

Some people I told about it were fascinated, and others were in disbelief.

You went there all by yourself?

You must like to drive!

How did you figure out where to stop?

I could never do that!

Why would you do that?

The mind is tricky. It wants to protect you from personal harm, outside ridicule, and other forces that tell you to stay put. This happens to me quite often. However, I’m familiar with this thought pattern.

I tell my mind to be quiet as long as I know that at the end of what I set out to do, I’ll feel a wholehearted sense of accomplishment, vitality, or similar emotion. It’s not easy to give the mind such a command, but you must remember who is really in control.

Every day I attempt to rattle my comfort zone. Still, the “don’t do it” thoughts occur. The same will happen to you. My own rationalization is that if I’m not hurting children or animals, I’m all clear to try something new. Perhaps that mantra will be helpful in your life.

Move forward with confidence

You’re probably not the first person to attempt whatever is on your list. That means someone before you has perfected it, and probably a lot more than one person. Now it’s your turn.

Think back to recall whose opinion blocks your fun and how to do it anyway. Try your best to ignore other people’s negativity, especially if you’re starting a creative business. Now, what will you accomplish this month so like me you accomplish a long-awaited goal?