The Tragedy That Is "Settling"

When I imagine the physical act of "settling", I envision an object sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Deeper and deeper it falls until it comes to its final resting place on the sea floor, where it will stay unmoving, indefinitely. 

Settling. It's something that we are all guilty of. We settle into jobs, routines, relationships, and habits. We settle with our bodies, our health, our friends, and our homes. We settle for second best or we settle for things we don't really want. There are countless definitions for the word "settle", and not a single one of them is empowering. Sure the word itself may not actually be negative in context, but neither is it a word that resonates positively. So if this is the case, then why do so many of us settle with the way things are? We settle because we get comfortable. Because it's easy or because we are lazy. We settle because we think it's the best we can do or we don't want to put in the effort to have or to be better.

I know so many people, including myself, that become comfortable with where they are in life, even though they are not necessarily being fulfilled. In the short span of my life, I have been a chronic settler. I have rarely been one to go above and beyond in the expectations I set for myself. I have settled with being a mediocre student because I didn't want to put in the time or the effort to excel. Not because I wasn't capable, but because I was lazy and I wasn't thinking about my future. I settled with third place in two events at my region meet my senior year of high school. Not because I couldn't have walked away with the gold in both of them (in fact I should have), but because first and second place finishers went on to the state meet and I didn't feel like training for two additional weeks. I have settled into many an unhealthy relationship. Not because we were happy together or right for each other, but because I didn't want to be alone or because I thought I was "supposed" to stay with them given the circumstances at the time. 

I am really not one to have regrets, and to be honest, there is nothing in my life that I want to take back for the sole reason that I am so happy with the way that my life is unfolding, but I will say that had I not settled in countless situations in my life, I would have suffered a lot less heartache.  Never cheat yourself out of your greatest potential or out of being with someone or doing something that makes you ridiculously happy. Keep looking for your dream house or your "dream guy". Keep striving for that promotion or that new 5k PR. Never settle with second best. You deserve to excel in life. Refuse to become stagnant and don't let time slip through your fingers. You deserve everything you want out of life. The only catch is, you have to be the one to chase it and you can't do that if you stay where you are. 

When you settle, you are sending out the message to yourself that you are not worthy of being your best self. You are telling the world that you are okay with "not-great". Well, I have decided that I am not okay with "not-great". I'm tired of looking back and feeling like I could have done better or been better. 

Today, I am making a commitment to myself, to make every effort to never again settle. To never again make excuses for why I should or shouldn't do something. This is my life and I deserve for it to be fulfilling!