No One's Watching

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?