Rishire Writes

They say doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. Hot take, but I personally think that’s the definition of a strong will to succeed – or at least an attempt to.

Of course I see where people who say that are coming from – I’m not crazy! I would call myself an optimist if anything. I think that if someone has a desire to do something, the fact that they’ve failed at it numerous times before doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t try and try again.

That’s another well known saying – if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again! I never realized how contradictory idioms can be, but it all goes to prove my point – there’s nothing wrong with trying to succeed at something that you’ve failed at. Just because you haven’t been able to do it in the past, doesn’t mean that you’ll never be able to. Everyone’s a beginner when they start!

As much as I truly believe all of that, it’s still simply an excuse for me to do something I’ve always wanted to do but have not been good at doing in the past – being a dog mom. I’ve had three dogs before and found the experience of dealing with a puppy debilitatingly overwhelming to the point that I had to find those sweet pups new homes.

I don’t think there’s any shame in doing what’s best for yourself and those in your care, but that doesn’t keep me from feeling shame all the same. I have no idea what compels me to get a dog after having had such a hard time with them in the past, but I know that when the thought crosses my mind, I keep coming back to it until I give in to the desire.

You could call it a pattern, a compulsion, or an impulse – I don’t know! What I do know is that I refuse to let my past decide my future. I refuse to give up on being the person I’ve always envisioned myself to be. I refuse to keep beating myself up for past mistakes and letting those mistakes keep me from trying to do and be better.

Yes, this is basically a rehash of my blog post “Just Keep Swimming”, but that doesn’t make it any less poignant! Life is too short to settle for anything, and that includes for being who you are in this moment if it’s not who you want to be. If you get another second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year on this Earth, you have a chance to make a different choice, and there’s nothing wrong with taking it. Don’t look back, just move forward.