All of a sudden, / I was asking myself / where my decision-making / was coming from. / Was I scared to disappoint people? / Was I scared to fail? / Was I scared I wasn't up to the task / or was I excited and nervous about the unknown? / Did I picture myself possibly pushing past what I thought limitations were? / We have to consciously choose love / because it's scary. / Choosing love / is not always the easiest answer / and it doesn't always put you on the clearest path. / Choosing love is inexorably tied / to taking risk. / What this actually means to you, / I can't ever know / because it's different for everyone. / What you love / is so personal, / what inspires you, / what makes you tick. / So I can only say / when big decisions pop up, / get quiet, / real quiet / and listen. / Turn off your phone, / turn off your computer / and listen to your true heart. / Hear the thing / that makes you feel sick with excitement / and scares you because you know you will learn / and do that thing. / So just to review, / because I think maybe some of you are hung over / or maybe have been asleep / for a little bit. / Here is what's going to stave off / your midlife crisis. / One, / don't count on the system, / count on yourself. Two, / protect your instincts / and do it loudly. / Three, / choose love / even if it's scary some time. / There is still plenty of reason to be optimistic about your future. / The world you are inheriting / has less violence, / longer life expectancy, / more available education, / more ways / to stay in touch with the people you love, / more good television shows / and more flavors of gum than ever before in the history of the world. / But there is still so much work to be done / by you / and it's totally possible, / but it's not enough to talk about it. / Question everything. Yes, / absolutely. / But then figure out how to change it. / You must act. / Stay curious, / stay empathetic, / stay fearless. / Become a loud / and fervent participant in your world. /