By Lauren Schwab

My grandma brought in a photo of me as a young girl and my Dad said, “That little girl is gone.” It can be sad to think about time passed and changes made, but I reminded him of the woman he has helped me become. I would not be who I am today with out my parents, our farm and faith in God. The older I get, the more trust I have in my ability to create the life I want and make all my dreams come true. We only have one life and I truly believe in living with purpose and passion.

If you read my previous blog about my friend Emily who lost her husband Ryan at 28 years old, you should know my mind has never been the same since. Life is too short not to do the hard things, to make each moment count and have no regrets. If you just make the call you have to make, so much can change in a year, month, week, day or matter of minutes. Awhile back Emily posted this from Business Insider and it has stayed by my bedside as a constant reminder:

You have to make the call you’re afraid to make.

You have to get up earlier than you want to get up.

You have to give more than you get in return right away.

You have to care more about others than they care about you.

You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.

You have to feel unsure and insecure when playing it safe seems smarter.

You have to lead when no one else is following you yet.

You have to invest in yourself even though no one else is.

You have to look like a fool while you’re looking for answers you don’t have.

You have to grind out the details when it’s easier to shrug them off.

You have to deliver results when making excuses is an option.

You have to search for your own explanations even when you’re told to accept the “facts”.

You have to make mistakes and look like an idiot.

You have try and fail and try again.

You have to run faster even though you’re out of breath.

You have to be kind to people who have been cruel to you.

You have to meet deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that are unparalleled.

You have to be accountable for your actions even when things go wrong.

You have to keep moving towards where you want to be no matter what’s in front of you.

You have to do the hard things.

The things that no one else is doing. The things that scare you. The things that make you wonder how much longer you can hold on.

Those are the things that define you. Those are the things that make the difference between living a life of mediocrity or outrageous success.

The hard things are the easiest things to avoid.  To excuse away. To pretend like they don’t apply to you.

The simple truth about how ordinary people accomplish outrageous feats of success is that they do the hard things that smarter, wealthier, more qualified people don’t have the courage — or desperation — to do.

Do the hard things. You might be surprised at how amazing you really are.

I am inspired by this little girl, Tegan Marie. She is pursuing her dreams and doing the hard things to make it happen. While this little girl will grow up just like I did, she created her reality to give back to the world. Hard work and dedication has shaped my life and if I have a little girl someday I will teach her the same.