Most people accept a lot of things in their everyday life.

They accept spending their time in mediocre ways, doing mediocre things with mediocre people. But as time passes, those mediocre things become familiar. A nostalgic feeling of doing what you usually do and feeling the same emotions that you usually do.

Like a worn-out shoe.

They begin to feel more right, more fitting. Familiarity plays a trick on you. It leads you to believe that things are improving and that you might in fact be on the right path. Because why else would you feel this improvement?

And why would it stop?

But most things have a ceiling. Time won’t make a wrong path right, and some part of you will always know when something is not right. You’re just afraid to admit it, because of what admitting it would entail. You know that as soon as you see your familiar circumstances for what they are, you won’t be able to unsee them. You will no longer be able to put on your fake smile without feeling like an imposter.

The familiar is thought of as fine. As stupid to risk. As something to hold onto. You’ve spent a lot of time getting to where you are, and starting over feels like going backwards. Are you willing to risk that position, with no guarantee things will become better?

Most people aren’t.

This is a dangerous place to be, because there are so many seemingly reasonable arguments for staying the course and avoiding the uncertainty of change. The arguments sound rational. Responsible. Mature. But often they are simply fear wearing professional clothing.

Ask yourself this:

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