This piece is for the shy, the timid, and the people who are afraid of doing what they really want. The joy of living is about not letting fear or other people dictate what you can or cannot do with your life. Please enjoy this piece and wait for the note at the end!

It is found when we choose to step beyond fear. The joy of living is not about comfort zones but about embracing life fully despite fear and timidity. The joy of living begins when we stop letting fear dictate our choices.

“God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” – Voltaire

When I was little, I was always what you could call the scaredy-cat, and my brother would use it against me at every given opportunity. I was afraid of every little thing that happened or every little thing I watched or heard, and trust me, my imagination didn’t help matters.

The only thing I wanted to do was stay close to home and not do anything that could cause fear. I was always afraid of doing new things, and I was too scared to “live.”

It all changed when I grew older; I realized the type of bondage I had put myself in. Fear is bondage, and it does a very good job in reducing your life span without even you knowing. Fear steals the joy of living

When you are always scared to go to new places or scared to do new things or scared to meet new people, you are just dying slowly inside. Many times, we think these things are trivial, so we just overlook them. We prefer to sit and relax in our comfort zone because we think it will hurt if we leave it. And the funny thing is that we think that’s what’s keeping us alive. You might be right. You are alive but you are not living.

It is a beautiful thing to be alive; a lot of people die every day, and that’s the gift God has given you: life. So what are you going to do with this gift? Just let it waste away until you die and have people say, “He lived an ordinary life; nothing really special about him.” No one would want that. Deep inside, we all want to leave a GREAT legacy behind.

The Joy of Living Beyond Fear and Comfort Zones

One of the things I always wanted to do and will still do is to travel round the world to experience the beauty of life and just be carefree and have this personal relationship with the wonders of nature. This is the joy of living in action. I just want to go to a peaceful and serene environment that will just put me in a positive mood to do well. We often forget that even with all the evil and negativity in the world, there are still the little beautiful things we overlook. There is so much beauty in the world in so many ways, but we hardly see it. We are too blinded by our fear and bitterness. I prefer to live 30 years of full adventure and know that I have seen the work of God than to live 60 years just sitting in a useless comfort zone. The comfort zone only applies in certain situations. Live a little; come outside the timidity and fear and shyness. Do the things that bring out the true best in you. Things you would remember in 10 years and won’t regret. You are free, so take that freedom and run with it.

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I have a dream of living a life beyond limitations and stereotypes. I have a dream of discovering my true purpose and embracing my uniqueness in a world that often tries to define who we should be. I have a dream of becoming more than expectations.

This was written on a random day, when boredom set in. I began to think of my life and actually examine it in every aspect. There are sometimes when we don’t feel we are meant to be where we are. There are times when we question the norms of this world and just want to stand out. I wrote this to just let anyone who is feeling that way or who is in my shoes know they are not alone. So enjoy, and please drop your comments below.

Uniqueness is what makes us human. Our different personalities make us who we are. Growing up to see and experience life has been tough. We have made mistakes and regretted some actions; we have wanted to take back our decisions and have decided to move on from people in our lives. 

I always wished I was not African. I wished I were from a different country so I wouldn’t have to live my life so stereotypically: the same triangle every single day. It’s not like I’m not proud of being Black or being African, but to be truthful, the thought lingers in my head sometimes, and I’m not the only one. I always wanted to travel the world with people I love: I want to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower. I want to go to Italy and Venice and Florence and see the beauty of art. I want to go to Australia and experience a new lifestyle. I want to go skydiving and water skiing and scream like the whole world can hear me. I want a whole new life of adventure and just forget all your worries. No worries about exams or mid-semester tests; no worries about the crush you like that doesn’t like you back; no worries about your girlfriends gossiping about you or anyone backstabbing you. I have a dream of becoming more than what society expects.

I Have a Dream of Living Beyond Stereotypes

All people care about now is what others think of them; they give up on themselves and forget who they really are. They put on a false appearance of confidence and keep leading themselves to deceit. Why can’t we be ourselves and just put what others think behind us? We cover our uniqueness with being a stereotype {doing what everyone else is doing}. I want to stand out, I want to be different, and I want to be great. This is why I have a dream that refuses to be silenced. In spite of where I come from, I want to be known like every other successful person on this planet. I don’t want to just die and not leave anything behind. It is called legacy: I don’t just want to come and pass through this world like every other person. I believe I am different; deep down inside me, I know I have the capability to do so many great things. I believe in myself even if others don’t believe in me.

People just read my poems and just think I am dreaming; some just look at it and think for a while, then keep doing what they do. My stories and poems are the only way I can communicate with people. And only a few can understand. Some don’t even see why a medical student should be writing; some believe I should just read and get a degree and then find someone to marry and get a good job and then have kids. That’s part of the myopia of where I live, the shortsightedness people have: Why people can’t see the bigger picture. Why people don’t believe in change. Why people eventually end up being feminists. Holding on to “I have a dream” keeps me focused on purpose. 

I am not going to just marry, get a job in a hospital, and have kids, then grow old and die. I am going to be more than that. I know it will happen one day even if I have to wait till I’m done with school. I am going to be forever young with my soul evergreen and longing for success and knowledge and wisdom. I won’t be 50 and brain dead. I will be 50 and more alive than ever. I know people will antagonize me; I know I will lose friends; I know it’s going to be tough. Nothing good comes easy. I have faith and like Martin Luther King Jr. said: I have a dream……

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Written by Ayokunle Adedipe

Don’t be good, Brooklyn. Be great!

                                                                – Jay-Z: Live in Brooklyn (Young Forever)

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