A reminder that life is short

A Tribute.

I’m ditching what I was going to write about this week.

Instead I’d like to pay tribute to a hero of mine who died at the weekend.

Scott Dinsmore has been my inspiration for pretty much all of the fantastic changes in my life recently.

And he didn’t just inspire me… he inspired thousands of people across the world.

Scott’s vision was that 80% of people would work in jobs they loved – instead of 80% of people hating their jobs (which is the current statistic, for the States at least).

Scott is the reason for this blog.

And I am truly grateful for that.

I love having this blog – even if it doesn’t come to anything.

It’s mine – I create and mould it – and it’s something I can be proud of.

I signed up for Scott’s course on setting up a blog in seven days, thinking:

Well I’ll give it a go – I doubt it will come to anything, and I’ll probably get bored after a few weeks, but what have I got to lose…

Instead… I rediscovered my love of writing from when I was young… I’m learning a ton about myself… and I’ve had people reach out to me from across the globe with kind words or encouragement (thank you to all of you).

Scott is the only other guy (who I’m not related to) that I could say I loved in front of my boyfriend.

I would always talk about him like this:

Scott Dinsmore… you know , my hero – who I love – not as much as you, but I still love him – well he says…

To the point where my boyfriend now looks out for articles about Scott that he thinks I would like to read.

Because when I started Scott’s Live Off Your Passion course, it changed me so much for the better, within just a few weeks.

I discovered things about myself… had a reminder of who I really am… and started to figure out what’s really important to me.

And – as part of Scott’s belief that to do what you want to do, you have to hang out with other people doing the same thing – through his course I found a group of positive, inspiring women who I meet with for support, encouragement, and sharing stories and difficulties as we work on our various projects/businesses.

Because that was the other part of the course – connecting with people who feel the same way, or want to do the same things as you.

The best thing about the course is that I’m just getting started 🙂

So the news that Scott passed away at the age of 33 during a natural disaster while climbing Kilimanjaro (he was taking a year out to travel the world) is incredibly sad and shocking.

I can’t stop thinking about all the amazing work that he won’t get to put out now.

And – from a selfish point of view – I’m also upset that I won’t get to thank him for how he changed my life.

But, like a lot of terrible situations, sometimes a good seed can sprout from it.

For me, his death makes me even more determined to push forward and do the work that I love.

For me, that’s increasing positivity in our lives, however we can.

So even with all the negative stuff we go through, we have to keep finding those lights.

We CAN all reach our dreams, go where we want to go, and be the person we’re hiding deep inside of ourselves.

It’s true!

I’ve never been so convinced, or passionate, about anything in my life.

So it’s time for me to be really bold and clear about this – my reason for this blog, and the work I want to do.

This is what I believe in

• It’s time to stop this situation where we tell everyone how great life is, and then we go home and take anti-depressant medication.

Let’s just be a bit more honest about things, and help each other out.

• It’s time to stop looking at someone else’s life and saying “I wish I could do that, but it’s not as easy for me.”

It’s not easy for any of us – but you can do it (if you want to, and are willing to go for it).

(And you can hit me up any time you need encouragement.)

• It’s time to change the language we have been pushed into using.

Let’s get rid of this obsession with finding the elusive “happiness” – and replace it instead with moments of serenity, joy, interest, awe, love, and gratitude…

Let’s move away from all the times we say should and must and have to – those words that grind us down and make us feel like we have no choice, when the choice is all ours.

(Which can be a beautiful, rather than scary, thing – I promise you! )

• Let’s create a supportive, open community – where we admit that life isn’t perfect – where we question the norms and paths we have been dazedly following (whether we realize it or not) – and where we keep returning again and again to positivity.

Because it can flip your life upside down, faster than you think.

So here’s to a hero and mentor who changed my life far beyond my expectations. (Me, and thousands of others.)

And here’s to really changing our lives – with courage, determination, and support from our tribes.

Thanks for being with me on this journey.

As a final tribute to Scott, here is his TEDx talk.

This is what started so many people off on a new life of discovery:

It’s a sad reminder that life is short.

We HAVE to do what we were put on this earth to do.

And we have to chase the things that we really want, ignoring all those excuses that are so damn easy to find.

You know deep down inside what you really want.

And it’s probably not working 40+ years in a place you “don’t mind” (or can’t stand), putting off all the things you’d love to do, for the reasons we all give on a daily basis:

I’m scared.

It’s new.

It means veering off the well-trodden path.

I might run out of money.

I have ties it would be hard to free myself from.

It might go wrong.

I might have to start again.

I might not be the person I thought I was… and I’m scared to find that out.

I might not find the courage.

All very real – I know – but all excuses.

Sorry to be blunt about it.

So if you really need a push…

I want you to think back to when you were 6 or 7 years old, and answer the following questions:

• At this time in your life, are you making the 6 or 7-year-old you proud?

• What would they tell you to do now?

• What do they wish you had not sold out on, or given up on?

I’m determined to live my dream for Scott.

So, if you can make a commitment to yourself – to live your life just a little bit more the way you want to… well, that would be one of the most awesome things I can think of.

Heroes lift us up and inspire us, and while I have lost a hero, I’m gonna try to channel him in everything I do.

Thank you, Scott, for being my light and inspiration over the past year ♥

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