Hi, my name is Joshua Waters, and welcome to joshsmusings.com. Today I will be sharing some thoughts with you, on the subject of living life my way. Now, I know how this sounds. We hear this and immediately have a negative reaction to it and think it’s a bad thing, and in some ways it is. But in other ways, I think it’s how we need to live this life. Allow me to explain.
So, I first started thinking about this after listening to the song “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. This is a defiant song that is bragging and arrogant in a way, and I don’t think that is a good thing to strive for. To live life so arrogantly and selfishly that you will only do something if it is done your way. This approach to life leads only to emptiness. I think we all struggle with a bit of selfishness or arrogance, I certainly do. But, that is not the point of this article and that is not what I got out of this song.
I believe music is open to interpretation. It speaks to everyone differently and I think it is up to each of us to determine what it means to us. I loved the tempo and music of this song the first time I heard it, but it wasn’t until I finally listened to the words that it really started to speak to me. Below are some excerpts from the lyrics and what I took away from them.
“I’ve lived a life that’s full
I’ve traveled each and every highway
But more, much more than this
I did it my way”
I listened to the above lyrics and felt inspired to live and experience life to the fullest
“Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption”
I heard this and felt encouraged to do my very best in all things, and in so doing, to live in a way that minimizes regret.
“I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way”
Again, I feel like the above lyrics just spoke to me about doing everything to the best of my ability. There is a satisfaction in a job well done.
“For what is a man, what has he got
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way”
And finally, I heard these lyrics and felt anew the importance of speaking the truth in a world where everything is fake and put on, and felt encouraged to speak boldly and ultimately to live my own life, the way I was meant to live it.
Why are these messages so important to me? Well you see, this world puts a lot of pressure on us. Pressure to be a certain thing, to act a certain way, to look a certain way, to have certain jobs that are considered “real jobs.” It tells us that we are just like everyone else, that we shouldn’t go against the norms, that we shouldn’t think differently or outside the box, that we can only be creative in certain ways, that we can only learn in certain settings, that we must believe what everyone else believes, regardless of whether it is true or not. The world doesn’t want us to be different, to be unique, to be special, to be extraordinary. It wants us to fit in a box. Well, I refuse to fit in a box. I refuse to accept the norms. I refuse to be like everyone else. I refuse to believe what is popular if it isn’t true. I refuse to believe that my dreams and passions are incapable of creating a living for myself. I refuse to be normal. I refuse to be socially acceptable. I refuse to be ordinary. I choose to live a life that is extraordinary. And if I have to step on a few toes to get there, if I have to dent a few egos along the way, I will. Because it is worth it.
I choose to live this life my way, as in, the life I feel I was called to live or meant to live, regardless of what anyone else says.
I choose to be my own person. I choose to follow God, for I believe with all my heart that Jesus holds the keys to life, because He has an excellent plan for my life and because I am incapable of achieving my dreams without Him. I choose to follow my dreams, to pursue my passions, to cultivate the talents God has so graciously given me, to speak the truth even when it is not popular, to stand up for what I believe in, to do what is right even when it is hard, to live this life to the fullest to the very end. Will I always achieve all of this? Of course not. Will this kind of bold approach to life work, or be appropriate in every situation? Maybe not, as there are times for meekness just as there are times for boldness. But is this a bad thing? I don’t think so. I struggle with getting out of my comfort zone, so thinking along these lines has really helped me take some risks (as in trying things that I might fail at), especially in my business endeavors, that have led to some amazing opportunities. It has also encouraged me to speak more boldly and to be more confident in my decisions, as I tend to second guess them. But, everything is a balance and everything should be weighed with wisdom and discernment. I personally struggle to find a balance of both confidence and humility. I know you can have both at once, but sometimes I feel like I ping-pong back and forth between the extremes of arrogance and timidness or a self-deprecating mindset that keeps me from doing anything worthwhile. I sometimes feel like I am never able to find the middle ground that I so desire. But I think it is a goal that is worth the effort. The world portrays confidence as arrogance by calling anyone with any skill a “showoff.” But I don’t think confidence is a bad thing at all. What matters is the heart and the intention behind it. I don’t think living a selfish, arrogant life is a good thing. But, I also don’t think that living a life that is controlled by our own fears, and by what others think and expect from us, is a life lived to the fullest.
This was a little insight into my journey of figuring out the way I want to live my life. It is far from over, but it is getting clearer every day. Now I ask you, what does your way look like? What are your goals, dreams, and passions? Are you making decisions and living this life in a way that will get you to where you want to be? I hope you will give this a bit of thought and maybe take a look at what you are living for, and if you are walking the path you set out to walk. Wherever you are on your journey, I wish you the best of luck.
That is all I have for you today. I really hope you enjoyed it, if you did please subscribe to my newsletter below to get notified when new articles are posted. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment down below. I love discussing these things, and I will do anything I can to help out.
Thanks for reading, take care and have a blessed week :).
Joshua Waters
JoshsMusings.com
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You are a very special young man, my son, and your insights into life are well beyond your years. Continue to fuel your passion to be real. God created you special, not only in your gifts and talents, but in your drive and passion to be all that He made you to be. You are a one-of-a-kind masterpiece! Your musings have inspired me, and I have no doubt that you will continue to stir up everyone who reads them and inspire them to be more real. A spark may see small and fleeting, but the light and heat it produces is real…and individually capable of causing a forest fire. Burn on, my son! I pray that your musings will continue to light the way and blaze the trail on our own journeys to live a better life!
Thank you so much for the kind words! Really means the world to me :).
Great stuff man!
A few more thoughts…
“But, I also don’t think that living a life that is controlled by our own fears, and by what others think and expect from us, is a life lived to the fullest.”
That’s called “the fear of man” in the bible and yes, it’s considered a sin. We are only supposed to fear God. What this means is that we are only supposed to care what God thinks not man, and not ourselves. God is the key to all of this.
God provides the direction and the strength. The most well known biblical example is David and Goliath. David knows that God wants him to confront Goliath. David chooses to obey which is great but he doesn’t go into battle relying on his own strength, he relies on God and that is why he triumphs.
Peter walking on water shows what happens when you look away from God. Jesus asked Peter to come to Him across the water. Peter obeyed and was walking toward Jesus until he took his eyes off Him and started worrying about the world around Him. The moment he turned away he sank.
Never rely only on yourself. Never try to confront the world alone. Never take your eyes off Jesus.
Thank you! And thanks for your insight man :).
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I ‘m sure that you may be trying to be PC with your content, but please know that the unpopular musings sometimes promote healthy dialogue when argued respectfully..and it IS your blog so let your voice set the tone here!|