How Saying ‘YOLO’ Will Change Your Life

YOLO is such an overused concept. It's used to justify every "risky" move we make.

Thinking of eating that slice of pizza even though you've already had five slices? YOLO. Wondering if you should buy that pair of shoes even though they cost $100? YOLO. Debating on going to that party even though you have a quiz that you should be studying for? YOLO.

However, if you really think about it. I mean, really think about it, then you realize how much of an impact it can have on your life if you live by that mentality, because believe it or not, you really do only live once. There will be a day when we all tumble over and can no longer decide if we should eat that extra slice of pizza. Morbid, but true.

So, why not do the things you want to do?

Like most human beings out there, I have a list of goals in my head that I want to achieve in this lifetime. Goals that I deem as personal successes. These are things I really, really want to do, because I think it would not only have a significant impact on my own life but on the lives of others as well. I just want to create a positive change in the world, even if that change is minor, and be happy with who I am.

But again, like most human beings out there, I have a shit ton of fears.

I am concerned of what people may think of me. I am insecure about the fact that I may not be strong or talented enough to do what I want to do. I am scared that if I ever do get the opportunity to pursue my dreams, the outcome won't be as great as I imagine, or there won't even be an outcome at all. It'd be like putting on this grand performance with dancers wearing sequin dresses, backup singers singing like the heavens, flowering fireworks and me standing center stage with passionate sweat pouring down my face, just to have a single audience member sitting in the back snoring. Just imagine the sheer embarrassment and disappointment that'd bring.

I certainly wouldn't want anything like that to happen.

It's that kind of fear that restrains people from doing things. From singing karaoke in front of a room full of strangers, asking out that one person you've been eyeing for a couple of weeks, going after your dream. Of course, all of these things vary. Asking someone out is a lot less intense than dropping everything and going after your dreams. But the risk is all there. The fear is all there. What if that person rejects you? What if you fail in the pursuit of your passion? What if you embarrass yourself with your shit singing voice?

But what if you never try?

I know it's terrifying to open yourself up like that. To open yourself up for judgement. That risk of embarrassment and failure shakes our comfort and allows us to revert further into ourselves where it is safe. However, growth really develops from the things that make us uncomfortable. It may push us out into the unknown, the unknown of what will happen when we do things that scare us a bit, but it will also expand our horizon to what the world can offer.

That really is what risk is. You are not sure what to expect. Your mind begins to wander, imagining these scenarios of being ridiculed in front of a crowd, being laughed at after you ask that person out.

But you really never know until you try.

Now that I am 20 years old, I am beginning to realize how short life really is. How it is too short to not live the way you want to. To do things that scare you but also excite you with the idea of what could happen.

It's like whenever I say, "Wow, this month has really gone by fast," and my mom says, "You know what Grandma would say? Your whole life goes by like that." Well, shit, it's true! It feels like I have blinked, and now I am halfway through college which means I have to get a "big girl" job soon. You could even look at being 20 years old as living 1/4 of your life, but that honestly makes my head hurt.

What I am trying to say is life really flashes by you before you even realize, and I am tired of being afraid of what the outcome may be. I don't want to let that fear of embarrassment, rejection, failure to prohibit me from at least trying. Failure is inevitable. Rejection will happen to all of us.

But we are only on this planet once. That glimmer of hope still grows within us. I would much rather attempt my dreams again and again and face 1,000 failures than die knowing that I never even had the courage to try.

The concept of YOLO is a cliché, but it is a cliché that is healthy to live by when it comes to doing the things that you want to do. You are only alive once, so why not try to do things that make your life exciting? Life is meant to be full of various ups and downs, not within a circle of comfort. Not everything will be what you expect, but there is just no good in living within a restrained fence. We should be encouraged to follow our dreams rather than listen to the people who say, "Oh, you'll never get a job." We should be going after the people we like rather than fearing being turned down. We should push ourselves beyond our boundaries to see how much we can grow.

Time will continue whether we spend it doing what we really want or what we feel safe doing. We will die whether we live a life that inspires us or a life we were comfortable with. That alone should motivate us to live passionately, because I don't want to be afraid to live anymore. I want to live freely, even if that freedom involves risk. We should all "live our best lives," because you know what?

YOLO!

Your friend,
Jane