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If I’m allowed to fail why does it seem like I’m not?

I don’t know what happened in childhood: between drooling, puberty and diplomas. But it’s like we’re not allowed to mess up anymore. Babies fall on their face and we laugh. It’s funny. But we cheer them on to get back up and try again.

But when you grow up? Nuh uh.

It’s like I’m supposed to know what to use this degree for; how to apply what I’ve just learned on The Cooking Channel, or how to write a novel after reading one article on doing so.

Why do we do this? Why do we expect perfection from everyone including ourselves? What’s up with the world pointing a finger in our face if we fail? As if to say, “I told you so.”

Frankly, I’m tired of it. Sure, we know more than we did when we were younger, so naturally expectations are greater, but this goes deeper. 

The fact of the matter is that fear cripples people. Many people have accepted this as just the way it is and are bitter, so they take it out on others in myriad ways.

Don’t be that person. 

Call it what you may, but most of us have forgotten about our dreams. We’ve given up on what we’ve always wanted to do. 

But what do we really have to lose? What’s so horrible about waiting tables for a year or two after getting a degree in business management? Hurt pride? Real scary, that one.

What about stinking the kitchen, staining your jeans and barfing all night from a quiche gone terribly wrong? So what? Get well in a day and make a better one tomorrow.

And writing a novel that stinks? Oh, come on! Join the ranks. Have you read some of the stuff out there? Write another. 

One of life’s greatest tragedies is not following our hearts, not going after the dreams that were etched on our souls at birth. You don’t need to quit your day job and move to Australia. Be creative and start doing what you love on the side. If it takes off, forget your J.O.B. (which stands for Just Over Broke), but if it doesn’t, don’t give up. 

Do what you love, even if it’s one step at a time.

Be happy.

Be you.