Soapbox: Part 1

I will no longer be someone who enables others to live a miserable life. I will no longer tell people how they should live their lives. Instead, I will live a life of example. I chose not to let my past define my future. I chose not to look back longingly for what could have been. Instead I look forward to what will be! I'm not passing through life anymore in hopes that I may get to enjoy it " someday"....I'm enjoying it right NOW.
The reason I bring this up is because it is becoming apparant to me that when you are truly happy and enjoying life, there will be at least one person who will inadvertantly try to bring you down. Or maybe it's on purpose...and if that is the case we have an even bigger problem to deal with.
This is what has happened.  I'm happy.  Really, fo shizzle, happy.  And while I am surrounded by a wonderful and supportive group of friends and family, sometimes THEIR support groups aren't so supportive.  I've been sharing my journey with others who want to live a big life themselves...but they are being held back by the people who should be supporting them! Instead of saying "I believe in you and I encourage you to be your very best." it becomes, "Are you too good for me now?  Do I not make you happy anymore? I thought our life was good enough...why do you want to change things?"
My answer would be WHY NOT?  What is so wrong with wanting to live a BIG life?  Why would you want to to carry around your past failures and hurts like cinder blocks pulling you under the water when you can just... let it all go? 
My dear friend and mentor Pamela Crim (as well as her husband Lonnie!) calls them our packages.  The things we wrap up nice and pretty and tie bows around that help us NOT move forward in the journey to being our best.  They are excuses people.  And chances are every excuse you've got in your collection someone else has the same one or better.
Scared of being hurt again?  Who isn't?
Tried once already and failed?  It doesn't matter.
Did a friend stab you so deep in the back that you intend to keep everyone at an arms length for the rest of your life so it won't happen again?  Your loss.
You see the problem with the I'm scareds, and I can'ts...even the I won'ts is this...you stop living.  You don't grow by repeating yesterday...you grow by living TODAY. 
I honestly don't care where you've been...all I'm concerned with is where you're going and how I can help and encourage you to get there.