of your own drum.

I am sure you have heard the above said before.

How do/have you interpret/interpreted it when someone says/said it to you though?

Do you roll your eyes and zone out?

Do you actually think about what "marching to your own beat" would look like?

Or are you indifferent to it all?

I used to fall into the indifferent spectrum.

Mainly because I was caught up in what I thought I wanted out of life...

Get a "good" job. And by good, I mean one that sounded good in social settings.

Get the girl. And by girl, I mean the one who could be the life of the party and seem like a blast.

Get the life. And by life, I mean the one that seemed like I had it all put together with no problems, only solutions.

^^^

All of my answers were based on what my life would seem like to the external world, rather than what my world FELT LIKE TO MY INTERNAL WORLD.

I got the job(s).

I got the girl(s).

And I had the life that seemed destined for success. "Hi I am CJ, I have an engineering degree, [insert job title/career path that got a lot of respect when talking to "adults."]

Something happens when you lie to yourself for too long though. I believe it is probably different for everyone, but for me, it felt like I started becoming numb to life. And being the adrenaline junky that I am, I hate the feeling of being numb. It is one reason I partied so much, to FEEL something.

But that only left me feeling even worse.

So eventually I had to switch it all up and get my feeling back.

What did that feeling look like for me?!?

I hated showing up to a desk every day where my worth was predicated more on how I could sit there for 8-10 hours and be obedient, rather than the value that I actually produced.

I hated how people talked about other people, and the drama of it all, rather than focusing on ideas and how we can make LIFE BETTER.

I hated spending money on clothes that I didn't even like wearing.

I hated wasting time, money on gas, and wearing down my car to commute to something that I hated. Humans are literally destroying our earth (polluting it) all because we "have" to go to a job to "live." Am I the only one that thinks about this stuff?!

I hated a lot of things.

That was a big sign for me because I am not a hateful person by any standard.

What did I want instead?!?

I wanted time freedom.

I wanted tattoos. A lot of tattoos.

I wanted to travel.

I wanted THE GIRL that would push me to be a better man, husband, father, human...for my entire life.

I wanted to be surrounded by people that would make me a better person, friend, thinker, teammate, leader.

I wanted to feel like a kid again. Like there were no limits to what I could do on earth while I am here.

I wanted to MARCH to the beat of whatever tune/vibe/frequency came through my body at any given moment.

And I wanted to do it all so that I could be an example and help others find their own beat too.

So on March 1st, 2021, I am here doing just that.

I have found my beat. I now groove to my own tunes.

But I will not be satisfied until I know I have helped others do the same.

>>>> Today I want you to write down what it would look like to "march" to your own beat. <<<<<

Where would you live? Who would you be surrounded by? What would you be doing? Why would you be doing it?

It may not feel like it now, but IT IS YOUR CHOICE.

You either choose to withstand the music that others will play for you, or you can stand up, leave their venue, and go find one that is playing a beat that awakens your soul.

I hope to see you out on the dance floor of life soon!

Happy Monday, and Happy March! Lets groove!

#thriveon

CJ

p.s. today I am grateful that a lot of the "wants" I have worked hard for, they are coming to life. I you want you to realize the same is possible for you!!!