Through out our lifetime we pass through different stages. Periods of extreme joy, calmness and peace, periods of chaos and brutal struggle, and in order to emerge victorious from the different stages of life we have to keep moving forward. We have within ourselves the necessary tools to overcome any obstacle and achieve all our goals and dreams. One of the secrets to success is always keep moving forward.

I am an unstoppable dreamer looking always for new adventures, and leaving my comfort zone is something I have done from the past years. Every time I do it, it does not take long until I am face to face to the harsh reality of being in that place of uncertainty, but always God and life find their ways to show me that we must always keep moving forward, because we have within ourselves the power, the strength and the courage to overcome any obstacle, and that is one of the secrets to success.

A few days ago I was kayaking for the first time. I got in a single kayak, the guide pushed me into the water, and there I was, sitting alone in a small boat in the middle of the sea. We started the tour, paddling around the beautiful scenery that Norway has to offer. In the beginning the sea was very calm, then the wind started to blow against us and paddling through those waters became a very hard task. I knew I was trying very hard to move,  but I felt as I was not moving, exhausted I kept paddling, moving forward through turbulent waters, and suddenly it was calm again and everything became much easier. In some moments I simply stopped paddling and I took the time to enjoy the surroundings.

“We develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and obstacles.” – Stephen Covey

In that state of peace and relax I discovered a hidden message. Life was using that sea kayaking tour to explain me that in order to move forward in life one must keep paddling even in the worst of conditions. It taught me that life can sometimes be a calm and relaxed experience but sometimes can become a little harsh, but one has their own paddles, that is to say, our strength and courage that will help us move through the currents of life.

Life always finds its ways to teach you helpful lessons that can help you become the best version of yourself, specially when leaving your comfort zone which can happen even without your approval. Life sometimes pushes us away from our comfort zone in a very brutal way for a reason that can be very hard to understand in the beginning, and sometimes like a kamikaze we leave our comfort zone for no reason at all or to pursue a dream, a desire, a fantasy.

“Don’t waste your time looking back. You’re not going that way.” – Ragnar Lothbrok (Vikings)

Moving away from that place of comfort always means that you will have to face many challenges. They can be very simple or very hard ones, but in the end all of these challenges will make you grow and evolve in a personal and spiritual way. Always remember to keep your eyes in the horizon, keep moving forward, and don’t look back, you are not going there anyway.

Keep paddling through life, keep moving forward with strength, commitment, perseverance and courage, because that is the secret to success!