LA-based writer Jamie Varon | Image | Facebook
In the age of social media and the endless barrage of lists, posts and articles inspiring us to achieve greatness, one US writer has said enough – and thousands of people are taking notice.
Writing for Huffington Post, Jamie Varon has published a blockbuster article called To Anyone Who Thinks They’re falling Behind In Life.
The passionate post has been shared almost 10,000 times on Facebook and received hundreds of comments from people calling it the best thing they’ve read in a long time.
“You don’t need more motivation,” the article begins.
“We act as if we can read enough articles and enough little Pinterest quotes and suddenly the little switch in our brain will put us into action.
“But, honestly, here’s the thing that nobody really talks about when it comes to success and motivation and willpower and goals and productivity and all those little buzzwords that have come into popularity: you are as you are until you’re not.
“You change when you want to change. You put your ideas into action in the timing that is best. That’s just how it happens,” according to Ms Varon.
“You don’t need more motivation,” says Jamie Varon
She said people are not robots who can conjure up motivation from thin air.
“You don’t get to control everything. You can wake up at 5 a.m. every day until you’re tired and broken, but if the words or the painting or the ideas don’t want to come to fruition, they won’t.
“You can show up every day to your best intentions, but if it’s not the time, it’s just not the f***ing time. You need to give yourself permission to be a human being.”
Ms Varon wrote that there are no shortcuts to success.
“You don’t get to game the system of your life. You just don’t. You don’t get to control every outcome and aspect as a way to never give in to the uncertainty and unpredictability of something that’s beyond what you understand. It’s the basis of presence: to show up as you are in this moment and let that be enough.
“Yet, we don’t act in a way that supports this lifestyle. We fill every minute with productivity tools and read 30-point lists on how to better drive out natural, human impulse.”
“You need to give yourself permission to be a human being”
Unhappiness stems from the belief that our lives should be different than they are, according to Ms Varon.
“You don’t need more motivation or inspiration to create the life you want. You need less shame around the idea that you’re not doing your best. You need to stop listening to people who are in vastly different life circumstances and life stages than you tell you that you’re just not doing or being enough. You need to let timing do what it needs to do. You need to see lessons where you see barriers. You need to understand that what’s right now becomes inspiration later. You need to see that wherever you are now is what becomes your identity later.”
One retired Facebook user commented that reading the post had helped him adjust to his new stage of life.
“Well said. I am suffering with this at the moment. I retired some years ago and haven’t done a great deal since,” Peter Mackey wrote. “Don’t get me wrong, I am very happy not doing a lot. But I have this nagging feeling that I should be down the gym working out every day, painting the house inside and out and going for holidays on Mt Everest,” he said.
“You don’t need more motivation or inspiration to create the life you want. You need less shame…”
Mr Mackey’s was just one of hundreds of similar comments.
If you know someone who might appreciate the article – spread the word.
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