Are you Living Someone Else's lIfe?

Years ago working as a dental assistant for an oral surgeon in New Jersey I learned a lesson from the the doctor.  Every morning I would arrive at the office excited to work in oral surgery again. Interesting, for sure!  No two people had the same wisdom tooth, bone structure, or problem that made the doctor's education so vital for a positive outcome.

Some mornings after I had been there for a couple of weeks I  would hear the doctor behind his closed office door cussing loudly.  AT first I thought he was with someone, then later I thought he was on the phone, but eventually he would open the door and come out with a smile and move through his day.  He made  a lot of money and he had a lifestyle that included vacations, homes, a trophy wife,  kids, cars, boats, everything, I thought he had the perfect life. A life that I thought even I would enjoy if I had it. I always wanted to be a dentist.  (My poor grades,ADHD, and lack of support to find me the help I need from family, would not make that possible and there was no diagnosis or help for me in school 50 years ago.)  So I thought this guy was lucky indeed!

After working there a few months and hearing this ritual the doctor went through every couple of weeks I decided to ask him why he did this?

He told me, "I hate this life I'm living! My father wanted me to be a doctor, so I became a doctor, my father wanted me to have lots of material things so I do, my father wanted me to stay near home, so I have, I have everything but my freedom!  I'm so deep in debt to my education and my office equipment I'll never get out of here in time to live life  on my terms.  That guy pumping gas down on the corner does not know how lucky he is!  I'd trade places with him in a minute to live his simple life free from all this responsibility and debt!"

I said, "What can you do to change your life now?"

He said, "I have no idea."

This man thought more about the things he did not like than he did about how to change things, how to get out of this life he lives, but hates.  And that is why he had no ideas.  If you think about what you want more than what you don't want you will come up with ideas to change your life.

I think we all need to give ourself permission to go after something different and then follow through with the inspiration that unlocks the door to this freedom we desire.  It may not be immediate freedom but with time and focus it can happen in a couple of years if we don't lose focus.