I can't

I pressed snooze for the fourth time, squeezing every last bit of time I had to hide away from it all. 

My bed, the feeling of being half asleep and half awake - it was safe. 

I didn't have to face the realities of finances, car payments, lack of self-esteem, or the impending thoughts of what I was going to do with my life.

It was safe. 

We live in a world run on trying to get by. We work to pay our bills, do a few fun things, take care of ourselves, and hopefully, exercise our passions and creativity in exciting ways. 

We live in a world filled with competition, where nothing is ever enough, where our expectations are constantly not reached because, there is always more out there. 

We live in a world that can be lonely at times, because, no one else is living inside our own head. 

This is one way to look at the world. This is the easy way to look at the world. 

This is the wrong way to look at the world. 

Too often, I get bogged down in the day-to-day. "I can't save money." "I can't monetize my blog." "I can't afford to follow those crazy dreams." 

These thoughts, among others, run through my head often. 

And finally, I realize that I have it all wrong. 

I am not that person.

I am not that person that only sees what I "can't" do. That person that only sees obstacles. That person that is not willing to overcome them. 

That is not me. 

But for awhile, it was. 

And today I am saying goodbye. Goodbye to her, whoever she was. Because she was not me. She was not who I am meant to be. 

But she has taught me who I am, who I prefer to be.

We must operate, each day, with a gracious heart. We must realize that yes, we have obstacles. 

But even more, we have opportunities.

We must realize that nothing is going to be handed to us. That nothing in life is perfect, nor should it be. 

We must admit what is holding us back, and we must admit what it is that we truly want - to others, yes, but to ourselves even more. 

I am asking you, but more, myself, to stop saying "I can't." 

Because the truth is, I can. 

Based on our circumstances, it might take us a little longer, we might have to take a bit of a different path, or we might have to sacrifice more than others... but that is different than not being able to do something at all. 

Because the truth is, we can. 

And truly, overcoming challenges and working your ass off for something you believe in is ten times more fulfilling than being handed your dreams on a platter.

So...

We live in a world filled with competition, where nothing is ever enough, where our expectations are constantly not reached because, there is always more out there. 

Or...

We live in a world filled with great minds that we can learn from, a world filled with amazing things and gratitude, a world with immense opportunity and cool things to explore and achieve. 

It's all about perspective, and I for one, refuse to leave my go-getter, optimistic-self behind. 

Would you rather hide in your bed, feeling sorry for yourself and saying "I can't," or get up, realize how much you DO have, saying, "I can... I will."