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This is Your Life, or is it?

  • Writer: Jane McGarvey
    Jane McGarvey
  • May 5
  • 4 min read

Make It Happen For You


Don’t let it happen TO you.
Make sure it happens FOR you.
DREAM BIG
CREATE MORE
LOVE MORE.

This little poem might seem simple at first glance, but sit with it for a moment — it’s a call to wake up. A gentle reminder that life isn't something that just "happens" while you watch from the sidelines. It’s something you are invited to create.


But what if you’ve been feeling stuck? What if life feels heavy, and every time you stand up, something seems to push you back down?


If you’re ready to step into the life you want to live — even if you have no idea where to start — keep reading.


10 Strategies to Start Creating the Life You Want

  1. Name Your Dream

    You don’t need the full detailed plan yet — just a direction. What do you crave more of in your life? Joy? Freedom? Purpose?

  2. Start Small, but Start Now

    Momentum builds through action, not thought. Send the email. Take the walk. Write the first paragraph. A small action is better than waiting for the “perfect” action.

  3. Forgive Yourself for Stagnation

    Sitting still for a while isn’t failure — it's part of the cycle. Guilt only drags you down. Give yourself permission to start fresh.

  4. Blame is a Power Leak

    When you blame others or life itself, you hand over your creative energy. Instead, ask: What can I do with what I have, right now?

  5. Create Before You Consume

    Before scrolling, reading, or watching anything each day, create something. Journal, paint, plan, write a list — put your voice into the world first.

  6. Expect Setbacks, but Trust Your Bounce-back

    Setbacks aren’t signs you’re doomed — they are part of everyone’s hero journey. Your resilience is the real superpower, not a life without obstacles.

  7. Get Playful

    Life creation doesn’t have to be serious. Try new things just for fun. Paint badly. Dance awkwardly. Joy wakes up your creative spirit.

  8. Be Wildly Honest

    Get brutally honest about what you want. Not what your parents want, not what society expects — what your soul wants.

  9. Celebrate Tiny Wins

    Every small choice to honor yourself matters. Start noticing them. Gratitude for progress trains your brain to stay motivated.

  10. Surround Yourself with Energy-Expanders

    Spend more time with people (or books, podcasts, communities) that inspire you to dream bigger, not shrink smaller.




Stuck? Here's Where to Start Creating

If you’ve been stagnant, the first step is to reawaken your curiosity.


Some ideas:

  • Write a list called "Wouldn’t It Be Cool If…" — and don’t censor yourself.

  • Take a class or workshop you have no reason to take, other than it sounds fun.

  • Change your scenery — work at a cafe, take a different walk, rearrange a room.

  • Volunteer or join a group — connection often sparks creativity.

  • Start a simple challenge: write one sentence, take one photo, or sketch one doodle a day.


How to Stop Blaming and Reclaim Your Power

When life feels overwhelming, it’s tempting to point fingers — at people, the economy, bad luck, the past.


But blaming others keeps you trapped.


Here’s the mindset shift:

Even if it’s not your fault, it’s still your responsibility.


You can't control what happens to you. You can control how you rise from it.

Every time you say, “I choose to make the best of this,” you call your power back home.


Quiz: Are You Giving Your Power Away?

Answer YES or NO:

  1. I often feel like life is happening to me, not for me.

  2. I wait for others to change before I feel better.

  3. I tell myself I’ll be happy "when" circumstances improve.

  4. I spend more time complaining than creating.

  5. I often say, "It's not fair" about my situation.

  6. I find myself feeling resentful, helpless, or trapped.

  7. I secretly believe I’m destined to struggle.

  8. I rarely take new action unless someone pushes me.


Results:

  • If you said YES to 1–3 questions: You’re doing pretty well — just a few mindset tweaks needed!

  • If you said YES to 4–6 questions: Time to lovingly take your power back — you're ready to create change.

  • If you said YES to 7–8 questions: You might be stuck in a power-leak loop. It’s time to seriously re-anchor into your creative strength.


A Simple Morning Ritual: 5-Minute Meditation + 10-Minute Journaling

5-Minute Meditation: "I Am the Creator of My Life"

  1. Sit comfortably. Close your eyes.

  2. Breathe in deeply for a count of four. Hold for four. Exhale for four. Repeat.

  3. Visualize a glowing ball of light in your chest — your creative power.

  4. Silently repeat: “I am not at the mercy of life. I am the creator of my life. I choose how I show up today.”

  5. As you breathe, imagine this light expanding beyond your body — touching your day ahead, filling it with possibility.


Then move into 10 minutes of journaling.

Prompt ideas:

  • What do I want to create today?

  • How do I want to feel today?

  • One small action I can take today to honor my dream is…

  • What am I proud of from yesterday?

Don't overthink. Let it flow.


Final Reminder:

Life can feel unfair sometimes. It can feel slow. Heavy. Chaotic. But you are not powerless.


You are an artist, a builder, a dreamer — even if you’ve forgotten for a while.


This is your life.

Don’t just let it happen to you.

Make it happen for you.

Dream big.

Create more.

Love more.

You’ve got this.

 
 
 

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