Hold on, pause. Don’t close your storybook just yet. Just because I mentioned the words starting over, doesn’t mean that this particular story has come to a close. Yes, go ahead. Open that book, your book, one more time for me. Now, give me a chance to explain.

For over a year I thought my book had been full, I had achieved so much in a quite frankly—short, amount of time. So much so, that at the first hurtle, the first sign, I had lost sight. I had forgotten that I was the narrator to my own story, that I had control over what could happen to me and what couldn’t. I was the ultimate editor, constantly making meetings before sending my novel to the press. As a result, I had decided to tie up my lose pages, and top it off with a knot and a bow.

Now as I have taken a step back, looked over the storyboard of my life I’ve realized that this book definitely hasn’t come to a close. Perhaps the chapter ended, yet my story was just getting interesting. I’m in the process of regaining my position after a temporary suspension, waiting to sit in my large editing office, kick back my legs and take back control of what the novel “My Life” is supposed to be about.

With that being said, I encourage you to do the same.

There is nothing wrong with dreaming, with constantly striving to meet your own goals. There is no sign of weakness in following what one believes.

This life is your own, this is yours. You have the power to choose what your life may bring, there is always another option. Yet, starting over, going back to what you used to is never a sign of failure. Take it as a sign of strength, of you realizing you’ve strayed from the original plot line and are making the correction to change.

A year ago, my story would’ve been filled with weight loss success stories, exercises, and advice on how to lose weight and be truly healthy. It would have had a beautiful photograph of my driver’s license, and me sitting in the driver’s seat. There would have been an etsy shop, and traveling plans.

Yet, I spent so long thinking that that book had ended for me, and that starting over meant I had to do everything in a different way and had to find all of these new answers that differentiated from what I already knew how to do. All because I associated starting over, with being a failure.

I’m here to tell you, it’s the exact opposite. The only way you can fail, is by not being true to yourself. Not listening to who you are and what you really want out of life. Of course, this differentiates for everyone. We all have different goals and aspirations in life. Not allowing yourself to live, for yourself—that’s failing. You have so much to offer, individually. Even you, who may decide not to read this article, or you, sitting and playing on your cellphone. You are choosing what you want to do with your life. There’s no shame, no failure in that.

Life is going to get in the way, that’s why it’s called life, and it’s not the board game. You can start over, you can continue on your novel, or you can even create a sequel, that is your choice. Yet I’m here to tell you, it’s not over. You always have the option to start over, to change your life to be the way you truly want it to be. I believe in all of you, each and every one of you. No matter how different, or evolved your problems may be, there’s a way for you to take back your life, and to be in control.

Now let’s open that book again, shall we?