Just because you didn’t do it, it doesn’t make it impossible.

I’ve been staying in Manhattan for almost a week, taking care of my friends’ cat, and I decided to switch my routine to “Manhattan one.”

To be clear – it’s the one I’ve always imagined for myself; it doesn’t mean that everyone (including me) lives like that (but probably many people do.) 

Here is what I do – I get up pretty early (between 6-7 AM); take a shower, leave the apartment, buy a coffee (and NY Times on Sunday) and go to Central Park. My friends live close to Central Park, so that made my life very pleasant. I spend there 1.5h walking or sitting, drinking coffee and reading. I come back home, have breakfast, write, meditate, and go for my brisk walk-run by Hudson River after 5:30 PM and watch the sunset. 

Does it sound like a fairy tale? For me, it does. Does it mean my every week is like that? No, it is not, but this one is (I don’t work this week either, so I treat it as my vacation.) And this is how I imagine my life. And this is my definition of happiness.

In my soon to happen lifestyle, I live in Manhattan close to Central Park, make money on writing and on working with my clients. It would have to be more than an average paycheck because rents of the apartments close to Central Park are high. But everything is doable. 

I’m writing about it because I took part in some discussion online recently and people were making fun of this kind of lifestyle saying that “it is impossible” to live like that. And I believe that it is and want to prove it. I haven’t yet because it’s not my lifestyle, but I think it will be very soon.

I believe that you can live any way you want, but it goes with a specific price tag on it. 

First – you have to move your ass and decide what kind of lifestyle works for you and have the courage to go for it. That might require leaving your country/city, your family; having shitty jobs or shitty hours of your job. Not only for a year but for six or ten years. 

Second – it would require you to change. You can’t do the same things over and over again and expect different results. You have to change your thinking. That also means – changing some habits, challenging yourself and losing some people along the way. Half of the people you know would not understand the person you’re becoming. The change is inevitable, and it’s a natural and painful part of this process.

Third – you have to give up some things/ luxury/ habits/ privileges/ memberships. To get to a better lifestyle, you have to sacrifice a bit (it might be years.) 

Fourth – you have to work EVERY DAY – on yourself and on this project that would bring you closer to your dream. 

Fifth (the most important) – be honest with yourself and have the courage to be you. I see myself as a writer and healer and a guide to people. That would require constant learning and improving. I might be with someone or not. There might be a partner living with me, or he might live somewhere else. I want to be with someone who supports my path. I’m very honest about who I am, I don’t know if my priorities change, but as for now, they look in a certain way.

And there are a few other things that you would have to do. My question is – are you willing to do it? Are you ready to take these steps and be patient not knowing when this desired lifestyle of yours comes? It’s been six years for me, and I’m not there yet. 

Every step is a risk. You’re giving up your old self, your past life, to become someone different with a new lifestyle without any guarantee that not only this will happen, but that it will make you happy. 

Before you say stupid statements like “It’s impossible,” stop. Just because you didn’t do it, it doesn’t make it impossible. Just because it’s not your lifestyle; it doesn’t mean that it isn’t someone’s else life and is not making them happy. Everything is doable; it depends on what price are you willing to pay for it.

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