You Can Just Do Things

Brdy is a mountain range located in the Czech Republic that’s desperately in need of a vowel. It also contained an area that desperately needed to be restored to its original state as a natural wetland after it had been drained years ago to accommodate a military base. A revitalization project was drafted by environmentalists and funding was secured, but it was mired in red tape, land ownership disputes, and building permit delays.

Then, practically overnight, a local beaver colony built the necessary dams in the perfect location without any project documentation and for free. 

These industrious beavers embody something I wish all people understood and believed:

You can just do things.

Unfortunately, it’s easier to complain. To blame someone else. To wait for instructions, permits, permission, or for the timing to be just right.

But the timing will never seem right.

You don’t have to wait for permission.

You don’t need a hall pass.

You don’t need a note from your parents.

You don’t need a document signed by a notary public.

You can just do things.

“Woah, hold up, pal,” you might be saying. “You can’t just be a surgeon without a medical degree.” Well, obviously. Of course. It’s easy to come up with exceptions, but they only prove the rule.

You don’t need permission to change the direction your life is heading and you don’t need a piece of paper on the wall to start improving your life today.

Real life is not a schoolyard version of kickball, where you wait anxiously for someone to pick you, hoping it’s sooner rather than later.

You can just ask for help.

You can just start a side hustle.

You can just ask her on a date.

You can just homeschool your kids.

You can just apply for jobs, even if you already have one.

You can just stop spending money on stupid things.

You can just end that toxic relationship.

You can just cancel your subscription to Netflix.

You can just offer forgiveness before receiving your apology.

You can just talk to God, and ask Him to show you He’s real.

You can just stop waiting for permission.

And you know what else?

You can be afraid and still do all of these things.

Don’t waste your life waiting for the fear to magically disappear.

There will not be a time when you will have all the assurances you need.

You will not be able to eliminate every risk.

You will not receive a guarantee of success.

You will not earn everyone’s unconditional approval.

But still, the truth remains, and the beavers in Brdy know it well.

You can just do things.

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🤔 I wonder…what is something you need to stop thinking about, worrying about, and waiting for permission to do?