Stop Playing The Victim, You CAN Change Your Life

“You can do something bad, and it doesn’t make you a bad person. We are not defined by any one choice. We are the sum of our experiences and we can make a bad choice and turn around and do better.” – Jessica Capshaw

I saw this quote shared on Facebook and then following in the comments I read “not everyone can!!!!”

I instantly wanted to rip my hair out.

Stop playing the victim. Stop acting like you are permanently submissive to life. Stop acting like you’re the only one who has ever had a bad thing happen to you, no one in the world is excused from tough times and shitty outcomes.

You CAN change your life for the better, you CAN improve the situation you’re in, you CAN make the best of your life. But you’re choosing not to.

You’re choosing to feel sorry for yourself and act like life owes you something, when it absolutely in no way owes you a god damn thing.

You can turn a bad choice around, you can make it better, you can rebuild and you can change the path you’re on. You have the ultimate freedom as long as you allow yourself to have it. If someone is holding you back, tell them “see ya later.” If someone is telling you that you aren’t capable, shut the door in their face. If you are the one holding yourself back, kick yourself in the ass and start going after what you want.

Starting is the key to success because you can’t be successful if you never even start.

You have to open your eyes and realize how much you’re getting in your own way. You can always, always change your path and you can always start being the person you want to be. Don’t get lost in life, don’t allow yourself to throw never ending pity parties, don’t let life get in the way of your happiness because there is plenty to go around as long as you’re allowing yourself to experience it.

Stop getting in your own way. Stop expecting things to happen without putting in the work. Stop thinking you’re owed something because you’re not.

If you want something you have to work hard for it. You have to really work hard, you can’t half-ass it. You’ve got to be willing to give up time, sleep, going out, wasting money on happy hour. You’ve got to be willing to make sacrifices to get where you really want to be.

You have the ability to turn any situation around, no matter how bad it might seem. Things will work out someway, they always do. You just need to push yourself and believe in yourself. You need to be your own support system and surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed.

Don’t be the person who says these phrases anymore, “I would, but…” or “I know I could, but…”

But nothing! You are wasting your life. This is all the time you get. You can spend it being miserable all you want, but stop dragging other people down with you. Misery loves company, but you don’t have to be miserable. There are so many great opportunities in the world if you just stop playing the victim and start going after them.

It’s time to wake the hell up and realize that you have the ability to have a good life and be happy, but you have to be willing to make the changes and put in the work.

And most importantly, yes. Yes everyone can turn around and do better once you stop feeling sorry for yourself.