Do something stupid.
Jump off a cliff. Lie in the road. Roll down a hill. Take a bike ride to nowhere in the middle of the night.
Go on, do it.
I’m serious. Right now.
Now, you ask? Yeah, now. Right. Now.
‘Cause if you don’t do it now, you never will.
If you play it safe, you’ll never be alive.
What if I told you your life is in danger. Right now. What are you gonna do about it? Anything it takes, of course.
What if the only way to save your life is to risk losing it.
Throw caution to the winds. Heck, throw yourself to the winds, literally.
Adrenaline is your friend. So is the wind, and the waves and the earth and water and fire and dangerous, possibly not-so-legal acts and the runaway beating of your heart.
Live to the beat of the music only you can hear.
You don’t not drive even though it’s dangerous, right? Even though, at any moment, you know that your soul could be blasted into the sky. You don’t let yourself be dictated by those fears. Don’t let yourself be controlled.
I hate to break it to you, man–the same principle applies to everything else.
The world isn’t safe. So don’t pretend it is.
So do it, go do whatever makes your heart beat faster and your breathing quicken and your hands shake. Jump out of planes. Climb cliffs. Paddle whitewater. Soar with the birds. Pick you adventure, it’s everywhere, you’ll find it inside.
Our number one priority should not be safety–it should be living.
Some things are more important than staying alive.
Routine and comfort zones and luxury and money and safety and even education are your worst enemies. You can only trust your fears. The wild. The open spaces. All the things you swore never to do. Listen–they tell you what you should do, not what you shouldn’t.
Be rebels. Be creators. Daredevils. Risk takers.
You are the only ones who can change the world. Edge your toes over the literal no trespassing signs and the stark white lines and the metaphorical limits drawn in the sand. Let that rebel spark ignite you, consume you whole.
Be you. You’ll be hated for it. You’ll be loved for it. You’ll be feared for it. You’ll be admired for it. But you will never fail to challenge and inspire. Never stop living big, living loud, no matter what anybody tells you. Close your ears to the haters, and listen to your heart.
And one day, the world will wake up to find its shackles broken open on the ground.
So paint with your fingers, howl at the moon, dance with the stars, spin till you fall over in a laughing, breathless heap. Wear your hats backwards, rip holes in your jeans. Get dirty, roll in the grass, pick flowers, pieces of multicolored velvet sky. Grow your hair long, cut it short. Breathe deep, or dive even deeper. Kiss often, and hug even more. Smile most. Laugh always. Wear bright colors. Go barefoot. Count clouds instead of sheep. Confound it all, skip sleep altogether. Watch a sunrise and sunset in the same day, and be just as awed by every one you see. Never underestimate the power of letting go and riding every opportunity to shore. Freedom and happiness can be found on every star, adorning every wildflower, tucked away in each seashell, and hiding in each clasped hand. But most importantly, you’ll find them within yourself.
Be bold, be brave, be true. And you’ll be more You than anyone else.
Be impulsive, not rational. Feel, not think. Believe, not doubt. No matter the circumstance. And you will get through, and shine all the brighter for it. Love others, love God, love life, love adrenaline and adventures and spontaneity and unexpected good times–and you will be all the better for it.
It’s your new world. It’s all yours. A little scared, you say? Good. Now go live it.
Right now.