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Opinions of Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Columnist: Jeremiah Appiah

Take a chance on you

A file photo of life A file photo of life

Most people are not living their dreams and doing all of the things that they really like to do because they are living their fear. There are many things we would love to do but we refuse to or are held back because of the fears we allow to immobilize us, stifling our dream and choking it to death. What are your fears? What are you scared of? What is holding you back? We all have some fears, we have something that is holding us back and it is natural to have fears; some fears are acceptable and legitimate because you are human. Your responsibility is to acknowledge your fears, embrace them, act on them and move on.

Life doesn’t guarantee you a fear free existence – you can either go back to your comfort zone and there you won’t find any growth or you must be willing to go forward and face your fears again and again and again. Life always presents to you your dreams whiles the world, society, your environment and associates presents to you your fears; the reasons why you cannot realize the dreams life generously gives you.

Whether you are someone who dreams of achieving something out of life or not, you are either living your dreams or you are living your fears. There is also a stark difference between having fears and your fears having you. There is nothing wrong with having fears but there is everything wrong with your fears having you and immobilizing you from taking the steps needed to bring about the transformation you so much desire.

Many of us start life with a lot of visions, dreams and ambitions but as we grow, the challenges of life beat the dreams out of us and we begin to settle for less than what we dreamed of and are capable of. Our attention is then moved from our dreams of making a difference in life to just making a living of paying bills and making life comfortable.

Such life is not worth living in the end. Less Brown once said, ‘‘Imagine you on your dead bed and standing around you are ghosts, representing your unfulfilled potentials. The ghost of ideas you never acted on, the ghost of talents you never used and standing around your bed angry, disappointed and upset. We came to you because you could have brought us to life, they say. And now we have to die with you forever.

The question is - if you die today, what ideas, what dreams, what abilities, what talents, what gifts, would die with you. How many ghosts are going to be around your bed when the time comes?’’
One of the greatest mysteries in life is that your destiny is chosen by God, but its fulfillment is decided by you. The more reason why you must take a chance on you and live the life of your dreams.

Have confidence in the faith God has placed in you by depositing gifts and talents in you and take a step of faith to hone your gift and use it for the benefit of yourself, society, your nation and the world at large. The good news is that God completed your life even before you were born and has deposited in the path of life the good things that you have been created to accomplish.

He has giving every individual all things that pertains to life and godliness here on earth, but it is up to you to fulfill the life God so designed or equipped you for. The fact that you are smart, gifted or talented alone will not make the world move for you. However, when you exercise your gift, not only will the world make room for you, but will also pay you for it.

Never blame anyone else for anything you are doing, being, feeling or having but rather acknowledge your state and take the responsibility to gradually work at changing it for good.

Take charge of your life, understanding that you and no one else creates what goes on in your mind. As the captain of your soul and the master of your fate, dare to lose sight of the known in order to experience the unknown. Take a chance on you because if you succeed you will be happy, you will be because you have found something that will bring you joy, knowing that your effort has been rewarded. And even if you lose, you will learn.

Remember that anyone who discovers his or her gift becomes a commodity, the result of taking a chance on you and believing in the gifts God has deposited in you. Dare to take a leap of faith to live the life of your dreams according to your vision and the purpose and plan of God for your life.