You are there. Alone. You pass by the simply form of debris. It restlessly on the ground shuttered by the wind. You pass it by. It had no implication in your life. It did not bother you in anyway. I question: why didn't you pick it up and dispose of it properly?
Sure, this is a silly argument. However, those of you that know me understand where I am going. This is a simplified version of what you should do. Its easy and convenient to do the "wrong" thing. We make excuses not to call our aunt or uncle who appreciate our lives. Our lives become encompassed in needless television when we should be studying or reading. Wendy's was on the way home instead of preparing a delicious ground beef burger at home. This is what is silly. Here is something you should try to think about: if you don't want to do it (because its annoying, boring, inconvenient), then you probably SHOULD be doing it.
I am not going to sit here and pretend that I am perfect. I am not trying to be your role model. Often I find myself sitting around thinking about studying. Yet, I fail. My point is though, I am developing self discipline to hopefully do the things that need to be done. That is what you need to begin doing. Self-discipline. Everyday you should find time to do 5 things. Do something physically, monetarily, socially, intellectually, and independently.
Physically- workout, hit the gym, jog, sit-ups, push-ups, even if its just stretching after a tough day, it will be worth it. Push yourself on days you want . Take it easy when needed. It is important to simultaneously listen to your body and push yourself to the limits. Your mind will open up. You will feel healthier. You will gain confidence.
Monetarily- decide what you need to do with money. Find good ways to invest or save money. Educated yourself on the public economy.
Socially- this may seem easy, but it is also very tricky. You talk with friends often. You converse with co-workers or classmates. Take it one step further. Call someone you haven't spoken to for years. E-mail your aunt or uncle that lives on the other side of the world from you. Step outside your comfort zone and approach a new/interesting person. You never know what people have to offer until you allow them to offer it.
Intellectually- challenge your mind. Read something thought provoking. Do crossword puzzles. Play chess. Our brains are meant to be used. Why not try to get every last minute you can out of it?
Independently- this one is important, and my favorite. Spend time by yourself. Reflect on your day. Write in your journal. Read articles on self improvement. Try to do something amazing. The possibilities are endless. Just spend 30 minutes alone with your thoughts without TV or Music. Just allow yourself to have a self image and realize if you did everything you wanted to do today. It feels amazing.
I promise, if you do these things you will feel great. Everyday will be a complete and full day. If you are willing to take it to the next step: pay it forward. Volunteer somewhere, coach someone, buy a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line. Here is what is amazing. Those people you are helping out, they don't care about any problems in your life. They don't care if you just got laid. They don't care if you are a stand up person or an asshole. They don't care much about the stranger. They do care about the amazing gesture you just provided. You can enlighten someone. You can make their day amazing. Proof:
I was at Kroger before my travels overseas. I saw this lady looking ruffled. She was stressed, upset, and in a rush to get out of the store. It turns out, she was $5 short on her budget. Now added pressure of the embarrassment of not having money and deciding what to put back, she lost it. I saw a tear stream down her face. Before I could even comprehend what was happening, the lady in front of her finishing putting her groceries in her cart pulled out a 5 and handed it to the cashier. The lady that didn't have enough money said in her teary voice. , "Thank you so much. After the day I have had, you just made it amazing." The lender asked for a hug and she was off. To see tears of pain and agony quickly stream to tears of joy is simply amazing. It inspired me.
No one is watching. What do you do? Are you going to pick up that piece of trash, or are you going to go with the convenient route?
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Friend or Foe?
It is no hidden fact that our consciousness pushes us forward. I wonder though, what about the subconscious thoughts? Einstein said we only use 10% of our brain. Whether this is true not is not the scope of my blog, however, I'd like to take this one step further. I believe we only use 10% of our consciousness.
We start out as unconscious beings. Well, I did at least. I don't remember my birth, I can barely remember what I had for breakfast last Tuesday- probably oatmeal with blueberries. How is such a primitive part of ourselves become minuscule as we age? We develop self awareness as we grow, mature, develop or whatever you want to call it. Our brains become bigger, our minds become open. We absorb things around us. We learn to talk. Are we active learners then (as in conscious learners)? Psychologists, researchers, and doctors will argue that we learn from trial an error.I understand and respect that many famous psychologists have talked about similar subjects. However, there is no certainty in the unconscious or the subconscious world in a very conscientious world.
I come to you tonight, exhausted. It is a 2 AM on a Thursday morning in Newcastle, England. My days consist of waking up at 7:30 AM, studying until 10 AM, class until 12, break. Classes straight from 1-5 PM. As we exit the fluctuating temperature of the same building we have been in all day we see darkness. Night time fell sometime between the start of Anatomy lecture and the middle or end of biochemistry. Normal people would find this as a full day. I push forward because I am a grinder. I relax briefly then study, workout, and eat for the next 5-6 hours. In bed by 11 out cold by 12. Anyways, I digress.
My point is that type of day should wear anyone out. Yet I stay awake. My mind is going 1,000 mph. I can relay my conscious thoughts out, but more and more thoughts arrive...from where?! There in-lies my story. The subconscious. This guy...he is a tricky one. He is the reason you won't talk to a pretty girl at Starbucks because he will remind you of any failed attempt. He is the one that keeps you up at night, thinking of outrageous things. He is the one that makes your dreams grow bigger and bigger, when in reality you don't live in a fantasy world. Ummm, maybe this guy isn't so evil. . .
He was the one that has helped me make good snap judgement in the past. He works abruptly to help me break my fall when I trip so I don't get hurt. He pulls out information stored in the back of my brain and makes me act on them. When teetering between two ideas, he picks one for me and makes me stick to the choice. He battles my ego to tell me how to be a gentleman. He has allowed me to live an amazing 22 years of life.
I challenge you to become the master of your subconscious. Ask it why you are being pushed one way or another. Try to understand with the morals of lifes' mysterious lessons. Be open minded, be open hearted. Learn to effectively communicate. Yearn to see if all his decisions lead you in the right path. Maybe he teases you about the girl Starbucks because he is challenging yo and wants you to succeed. Maybe he wants you to dream big so you aim high, and not be disappointed when you fall- mainly because he will be there to catch you. Maybe he keeps your up all night because. . .maybe sometimes you need to do something great.
We start out as unconscious beings. Well, I did at least. I don't remember my birth, I can barely remember what I had for breakfast last Tuesday- probably oatmeal with blueberries. How is such a primitive part of ourselves become minuscule as we age? We develop self awareness as we grow, mature, develop or whatever you want to call it. Our brains become bigger, our minds become open. We absorb things around us. We learn to talk. Are we active learners then (as in conscious learners)? Psychologists, researchers, and doctors will argue that we learn from trial an error.I understand and respect that many famous psychologists have talked about similar subjects. However, there is no certainty in the unconscious or the subconscious world in a very conscientious world.
I come to you tonight, exhausted. It is a 2 AM on a Thursday morning in Newcastle, England. My days consist of waking up at 7:30 AM, studying until 10 AM, class until 12, break. Classes straight from 1-5 PM. As we exit the fluctuating temperature of the same building we have been in all day we see darkness. Night time fell sometime between the start of Anatomy lecture and the middle or end of biochemistry. Normal people would find this as a full day. I push forward because I am a grinder. I relax briefly then study, workout, and eat for the next 5-6 hours. In bed by 11 out cold by 12. Anyways, I digress.
My point is that type of day should wear anyone out. Yet I stay awake. My mind is going 1,000 mph. I can relay my conscious thoughts out, but more and more thoughts arrive...from where?! There in-lies my story. The subconscious. This guy...he is a tricky one. He is the reason you won't talk to a pretty girl at Starbucks because he will remind you of any failed attempt. He is the one that keeps you up at night, thinking of outrageous things. He is the one that makes your dreams grow bigger and bigger, when in reality you don't live in a fantasy world. Ummm, maybe this guy isn't so evil. . .
He was the one that has helped me make good snap judgement in the past. He works abruptly to help me break my fall when I trip so I don't get hurt. He pulls out information stored in the back of my brain and makes me act on them. When teetering between two ideas, he picks one for me and makes me stick to the choice. He battles my ego to tell me how to be a gentleman. He has allowed me to live an amazing 22 years of life.
I challenge you to become the master of your subconscious. Ask it why you are being pushed one way or another. Try to understand with the morals of lifes' mysterious lessons. Be open minded, be open hearted. Learn to effectively communicate. Yearn to see if all his decisions lead you in the right path. Maybe he teases you about the girl Starbucks because he is challenging yo and wants you to succeed. Maybe he wants you to dream big so you aim high, and not be disappointed when you fall- mainly because he will be there to catch you. Maybe he keeps your up all night because. . .maybe sometimes you need to do something great.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Words of Motivation
Nothing is ideal. When choosing your path for the future, you must correlate your mindset with the following;
Ultimately, you will be the person most please when your dreams are fulfilled. You must meet and embrace challenges. Your specific talents play favorably for your future career. Strive for your dream. You must learn to make significant changes and sacrifices to your priorities and work habits to achieve your goal. Surround yourself with people who influence you and support you. Make sure they are honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Do things everyday that will better your career. Be willing to do extraordinary things to grow and change. You must give up your idealism for the reality. Ask yourself if you are willing to work years even decades to see through your plan of success. Remember, what you are doing will matter in 5, 10, even 100 years from now.
Use that as a positive affirmation (i.e read it out loud a few times to yourself) whenever you feel the difficulties of life burdening you.
Cheers
Ultimately, you will be the person most please when your dreams are fulfilled. You must meet and embrace challenges. Your specific talents play favorably for your future career. Strive for your dream. You must learn to make significant changes and sacrifices to your priorities and work habits to achieve your goal. Surround yourself with people who influence you and support you. Make sure they are honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Do things everyday that will better your career. Be willing to do extraordinary things to grow and change. You must give up your idealism for the reality. Ask yourself if you are willing to work years even decades to see through your plan of success. Remember, what you are doing will matter in 5, 10, even 100 years from now.
Use that as a positive affirmation (i.e read it out loud a few times to yourself) whenever you feel the difficulties of life burdening you.
Cheers
Friday, January 14, 2011
Dear son,
Dear son,
I am writing you because by the time you read this, I will no longer be around. I apologize for that, however there are often things in life that you cannot control. Destiny tends to be one of those factors. I hope you read this with a nonjudgmental attitude. I need you to understand I wanted to leave the best advice. I have only learned so much at this point of my life. I stay humble because there is a whole world out there that I do not understand. This advice is timeless. Take it to heart.
First off, live your life by being humble, confident, honest, and grateful. By sticking to these qualities, you will help yourself in any situation into which you may stumble.
Get out there. A true judgement of a man's character is assembled by his experiences. Live it, man. It will be worth it. Your stories and life will be much more satisfying.
Never fear that you are missing out on something. Your own life and experiences are just as important as what society or your friends are doing.
With that being said, never act nor believe that you are better than anyone else. Be confident, however every person you meet will have some knowledge that you do not posses. They have talents, skills, and abilities that can help you. Use that to your advantage. You do this by having an open heart and an open mind.
Learn to read people, but not in a negative context. Try to understand a person to their core level. Understand why people act or respond how they do. Body language, human development, and personal relations will help you tremendously in life.
Be a gentleman at any and all costs. Open doors for people, smile, be charming, over tip, etc. There are encyclopedic sized books written on the subject. Use them to your advantage. While the bad boy may look cool and fun, the gentleman has a higher status in society.
Women are confusing. Don't try to understand them. Don't try to dominate them. Learn what makes them happy. Learn to please them. Believe in yourself and your abilities.
In terms of a bad break up, cut off all communications for at least 6 months. At all costs.
People are mean to each other sometimes. Do not take it personally. Shake it off and try to make the world a better place.
Learn the art of human communication. Learn to talk to people and chat with people. When you are connecting with people, you are living.
Remember you are destined to do great things. Always use your resources and connections to allow you get there.
Life is tough. It will throw you around. It will eat you up and spit you back out. Best analogy I have heard: Life is like climbing an icy mountain. Sometimes you are at peaks, sometimes at valleys. Often you will slip off the side and find yourself in the valley. Never find yourself settling in the valley. Always be on the climb no matter how hurt you are, how bad you feel. No other way to live life.
Once the paradox of choice is off the table, you can see things more clearly. In other words, decide. Don't flirt with 2-3 different ideas. Just go out and do it. If you are stuck between two options, flip a coin. Whatever side you want it to land on; is your decision.
Treat yourself well. Eat healthy, exercise, and learn. Everyday spend time working physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. This will help you maintain a healthy all around lifestyle.
You have the ability to metabolize alcohol very well. Do not abuse this ability.
Surround yourself with people that will not allow you to fail in life.
With that said, accept failure in the smaller battles. Fail at small things often. You will never know if you don't try.
If you don't want to do something, maybe that is the thing you need to be doing....
I am missing many other life lessons. However, life is best learned from the first hand view. Live well, prosper and make your world amazing. You have the ability to inspire, influence, and stabilize the health and minds of everyone around you. Do it. Your life will be amazing. I know this because your family (my family) will always be there to support you, no matter what.
Love,
Dad
^
I suppose that is what I would tell my child at this point in my life if I were not around to raise him. I have so much more to say, putting them into words is a difficult task.....Cheers all
I am writing you because by the time you read this, I will no longer be around. I apologize for that, however there are often things in life that you cannot control. Destiny tends to be one of those factors. I hope you read this with a nonjudgmental attitude. I need you to understand I wanted to leave the best advice. I have only learned so much at this point of my life. I stay humble because there is a whole world out there that I do not understand. This advice is timeless. Take it to heart.
First off, live your life by being humble, confident, honest, and grateful. By sticking to these qualities, you will help yourself in any situation into which you may stumble.
Get out there. A true judgement of a man's character is assembled by his experiences. Live it, man. It will be worth it. Your stories and life will be much more satisfying.
Never fear that you are missing out on something. Your own life and experiences are just as important as what society or your friends are doing.
With that being said, never act nor believe that you are better than anyone else. Be confident, however every person you meet will have some knowledge that you do not posses. They have talents, skills, and abilities that can help you. Use that to your advantage. You do this by having an open heart and an open mind.
Learn to read people, but not in a negative context. Try to understand a person to their core level. Understand why people act or respond how they do. Body language, human development, and personal relations will help you tremendously in life.
Be a gentleman at any and all costs. Open doors for people, smile, be charming, over tip, etc. There are encyclopedic sized books written on the subject. Use them to your advantage. While the bad boy may look cool and fun, the gentleman has a higher status in society.
Women are confusing. Don't try to understand them. Don't try to dominate them. Learn what makes them happy. Learn to please them. Believe in yourself and your abilities.
In terms of a bad break up, cut off all communications for at least 6 months. At all costs.
People are mean to each other sometimes. Do not take it personally. Shake it off and try to make the world a better place.
Learn the art of human communication. Learn to talk to people and chat with people. When you are connecting with people, you are living.
Remember you are destined to do great things. Always use your resources and connections to allow you get there.
Life is tough. It will throw you around. It will eat you up and spit you back out. Best analogy I have heard: Life is like climbing an icy mountain. Sometimes you are at peaks, sometimes at valleys. Often you will slip off the side and find yourself in the valley. Never find yourself settling in the valley. Always be on the climb no matter how hurt you are, how bad you feel. No other way to live life.
Once the paradox of choice is off the table, you can see things more clearly. In other words, decide. Don't flirt with 2-3 different ideas. Just go out and do it. If you are stuck between two options, flip a coin. Whatever side you want it to land on; is your decision.
Treat yourself well. Eat healthy, exercise, and learn. Everyday spend time working physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. This will help you maintain a healthy all around lifestyle.
You have the ability to metabolize alcohol very well. Do not abuse this ability.
Surround yourself with people that will not allow you to fail in life.
With that said, accept failure in the smaller battles. Fail at small things often. You will never know if you don't try.
If you don't want to do something, maybe that is the thing you need to be doing....
I am missing many other life lessons. However, life is best learned from the first hand view. Live well, prosper and make your world amazing. You have the ability to inspire, influence, and stabilize the health and minds of everyone around you. Do it. Your life will be amazing. I know this because your family (my family) will always be there to support you, no matter what.
Love,
Dad
^
I suppose that is what I would tell my child at this point in my life if I were not around to raise him. I have so much more to say, putting them into words is a difficult task.....Cheers all
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)