Life Isn't Fair

Daily Quote

"I know the world isn't fair, but why isn't it ever unfair in my favor?"
-Bill Watterson-

"The world is not fair, and often, fools, cowards, liars and the selfish hide in high places."
-Bryant McGill-

Lesson of the Day

Life isn't fair. That's a fact. Life operates on a set of rules, completely independent of our sense of justice or fairness. You can find someone that you love with all of your heart, truly, and never be able to  be more than a friend to them. You can give your all and hold nothing back, and still fail due to conditions outside your control. You can have the most potential of any human being, and die shortly after birth. Life isn't fair, life doesn't bend to our whims and desires. There is no life that you're supposed to live. There is nothing that you're supposed to do, nothing that you're supposed to have or achieve. Whatever comes, is what comes. Just because you're smart doesn't mean you'll ever get a chance to do more than labor. Just because you want something, doesn't mean you can ever have it. Just because you hurt, doesn't mean the wound will ever fade. Life isn't fair. Drop the expectations, because they aren't real. Live in real life, not in some illusion. Yeah, it might be starker, or more depressing, but at least it's real.

Questions to Ponder

Do you live in the real world, or in an illusion? Do you expect things from life?  Do you life your life to what you want it to be? Or according to what others want it to be? Are you seeing clearly?

Gratitude

I'm thankful today for clarity, for being able to see things for what they are. I'm thankful for being me, in all of my dark and all of my light. Thank you all for reading, I hope you all have a great day.

The Fear of Pain

Daily Quote

"Recovery is something that you have to work on every single day, and it's something that doesn't get a day off."

-Demi Lovato-

Lesson of the Day

Fear is everywhere these days, and indeed it's an intrinsic part of the human experience. One of the worst manifestations is hate, and the fighting that comes from it. Particularly, I'm talking about the avoidance of dealing with pain. I see these people who stay connected to others literally every waking hour of their lives, who are always with others physically, always busy, who avoid silence and solitude like the plague. In silence and solitude, we can hear our inner thoughts, process our lives and what we're feeling, to think without distraction. You see, I don't think, in this case, that people are fearing doing things alone, rather I think that they don't want to face themselves, don't want to face their lives, don't want to hurt. I've found that, in myself, I'm more apt to be overly busy when I'm hurting than when I'm doing great. When I'm hurting, I used to avoid dealing with it by staying overly busy, and I see the exact same behavior patterns in people of all ages out in the world. We avoid pain, and that's it. That's all it is, we fear pain, and so avoid it. From experience, the best path I've found is to use the silence and solitude to feel that hurt, to process it and explore it, to deal with it. I get it, it sucks when you hurt, you don't want to feel like crap. When you don't end up where you wanted to be in life, when you lose the things you love, when you fail, it hurts, I get it. Pain sucks. Do you know what's worse? Bringing that pain into everything you do, carrying it for years and years, inflicting it's negative effects on those close to you, just because you don't want to deal with it. There is no substitute to dealing with your pain, not a single one. You just pawn it off on others in a new form. Don't live in fear, deal with your issues, deal with your pain, choose to live a better life in reality than one avoiding it.

Questions to Ponder

What pains are you bringing with you? Are there things you're avoiding? If so, why? Are you truly happy, or are you so out of touch with yourself that you don't even know how you really feel? Do you know yourself?

Gratitude

Today I'm thankful for having time to be in solitude and silence. I spent the entire morning just thinking, and thus the post was born. I'm so thankful for you all, thank you all for reading! I hope you all take something from this, and that you all have a great day!

Envy

Daily Quote

"Never underestimate the power of jealousy and the power of envy to destroy. Never underestimate that."

-Oliver Stone-

Lesson of the Day

One of the worst feelings to have is envy. It's more than just unpleasant, it poisons what you do have while you pine for what you don't. The thing about envy is that it shifts your focus away from what you do have, to all the things you don't have. It makes you feel like what you have isn't good enough, makes you feel like what you have isn't worth having. One situation I often see is one in which a person sees that others have what he or she wants, whether that be money, a person's time and energy, or even being healthy. This person tends to see themselves as inferior, when they aren't. They feel like what they have isn't valuable, when, in reality, what they have is very valuable. Once you sit and think for awhile, you come to the realization that it all comes down to focus and clarity. Let's start with the latter, it's easier. Clarity is seeing clearly, so what aren't they seeing? Well, envy is a common human emotion, which means a lot of people do it. Which means that, all those people who have what you want, want what someone else has. So, in reality, there are people who are envious of what you have, who feel that what you have is more valuable than what they have. The second part of the clarity portion is that, while each party may feel that what the other person has is better, both are skewed perspectives. Settle it to say that everything you have is valuable, is worth quite a lot, whether it be friends, money, health, talents, skills, etc. What you have is valuable, believe that. Now for the former: focus. We all know what it is to focus. Take a look at an example here. There are two neighbors, and two gardens. The first neighbor's garden is beautiful, well-kept, and flourishing. The second neighbor's garden is overgrown, ugly, and headed to desolation. The first neighbor spends his time tending his garden, while the second only watches the other garden grow and flourish. The moral is to tend what you have, to focus on what you have, and what it can be. That's really the way to fight envy. The more you focus on what you have, and it's potential, the better your garden will become. Pining away at things you don't have does nothing, so take care of your life, tend your garden, see clearly, and focus.

Questions to Ponder

What do you envy? Do you fight your envy, or are you giving in to it? Do you give your own life the attention it needs to flourish and grow? What can you do better? How can you make things better?

Gratitude

I'm thankful today for what I have, all of it. I'm thankful for the opportunity to make my life great, to make things better. I'm thankful for all of you, thank you for reading, and I really hope each of you have a great day!

Know Before You say

Daily Quote

"Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family."

-Kofi Annan-

Lesson of the Day

Many people talk about things of which they have no knowledge. Our society has an issue with people thinking that everyone has a right to speak their mind and provide their opinion. That's not the case. The biggest example I have experienced is people judging the value of something without even knowing whatever it is. You can't say that someone is bad and deserves punishment, if all you have to go on is one person's word. You don't know enough. Many times I've been called , because I refuse to take a stance on the Edward Snowden case until I've gone through as much information as I can. I will not condemn anyone or anything until I know enough. I have been called a disloyal friend, because I do not accept a single person's word as evidence for the quality of a human being or their actions. People lie, people twist truth, people make mistake, the longer I know someone, the more weight I give their word should they keep it, but even then I need more than someone's word. I have been called heartless, for not blindly believing what people say. I'm not sorry if I come off heartless, cold, distant, indecisive, whatever. I've had enough people lie to me to know a word isn't proof. I've made enough misjudgements on value and worth due to a lack of information and thought to know that a single piece of information more could completely change the outcome. I've had enough people misjudge things and others around them due to a lack of information and thought to know others aren't perfectly reliable to say the least. I've had enough people manipulate my emotions with stories to know that, while people lie, emotions shouldn't rule my head. Facts, information, proof, logic, those are the things that should govern decisions. Emotions have their place, but so too does logic, and in today's society emotion is too oft used in lieu of logic and reason. Call me cold, call me heartless, call me whatever you want for not blindly believing you, but I will listen to reason and logic and evidence, should you decide to bring such upon my mind.

Questions to Ponder

How often do you use emotion where logic and reason should be used? How often do people try to sway your opinion solely with emotion and words, rather than by logic and evidence? Why do so many people think emotionally rather than logically?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for the ability to think logically and for the strength to be myself, even when others disapprove. I'm thankful for the tools I have that allow me to make better decisions and to lead a better life than I did before. Thank you all for reading, I hope you all gain something, and that you all have a great day!

The Burden of Proof

Daily Quote

"What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof."

-Christopher Hitchens-

Lesson of the Day

People today have an idea that the burden of proof lies upon others to disprove, rather than on the self to prove. That's a blatant misconception, one of laziness and hubris. Some people think that their ideas and actions should be taken as true without proof, unless someone can disproves them. That's complete crap. I am responsible for proving that my ideas, plans, views, actions are good ones, that they are relevant and useful. If I want to pursue a plan to solve a problem, it is my job to prove the logic and reason, to illustrate how it solves the problem. If I want to pursue a dream, and I need help, it's my job to prove that it's a worthwhile one that's worthy of help. If I am for or against something, it's up to me to prove why or why not, to show my reasons. If someone leverages a complaint or argument against another, they need to have valid reasons why they do. At the same time, if someone challenges an idea, view, action, that you have or do, and they provide valid reasons, then it's on you to defend your position, or else the other person is right by default. If you don't feel like defending what you think and do, that's fine, but stop expecting people to listen to you. Either prove it, or be okay with people not believing you and not listening to you. I've said it before, proof is everything, but it must be said that no one is exempt from the burden of proof.

Questions to Ponder

What times have you shrugged the burden of proof? Did you still expect people to listen and believe you? What times have others done the same? Why would it ever be okay to not provide evidence?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for all of the critical thinkers out there who rely on logic and reason, who contemplate life and the world. I'm thankful for all of the chances I have to develop myself and learn and grow. I'm thankful for my mindset. Thank you all for reading, and I hope you all have a great day!

Do What You Love

Daily Quote

"Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still."

-Henry David Thoreau-

Lesson of the Day

Find what you love to do, and do it. Find what interests you, what draws the attention of your mind and heart, and pursue that. And, never let it go. I love math and writing, as I have mentioned before. If I were told one day, that I would never be able to work in either, that I had to find a career outside of those, I honestly would still write and do math in my spare time. When you go to invest your time, obviously you do what you have to do first. It comes down to priorities, whatever you want most, do that, and accept the costs. Seriously, it's that simple. If you want to work a job that you love, and you want that more than a family, then it's okay to not make a lot. But if your priority is to raise and support a family, you have to pick a job that pays enough to do so. In this case, you love having a family more than you love having a job you like. That's all it comes down to. It's not bad to not have a family, it's not bad to have one, it's not bad to not make a lot, and it's not bad to make a great deal. It just matters what you love more, and being realistic about the consequences. I love math, science, and writing, and I'm willing to sacrifice for those, because I would be miserable outside of those fields, because I am miserable outside those. Know that even if I can't pursue those as careers, I will still pursue them as passions. Also know, whatever you decide, once you make your choice, it can be difficult to change paths, so decide wisely. Regardless, do what you love, even if it's just as a hobby, be true to who you are, and get out there and make what you want a reality.

Questions to Ponder

Do you love what you do? Do you love your life? Are you proud of what you do and who you are? What could you do to improve your life? What could your life become?

Gratitude

Today I'm thankful that I can work in the fields I love, and that I am pursuing those fields to higher degrees. Thank all of you for reading, and for your continued support, have an amazing day!

What Makes You Special?

Daily Quote

"What you have, what you are - your looks, your personality, your way of thinking - is unique. No one in the world is like you. So capitalize on it."

-Jack Lord-

Lesson of the Day

I see so many people who consider themselves more qualified for something because of skills, or because of the right clothes, right car, right age, whatever. Let me shed some light on what really makes a person more or less qualified. Skills can be learned and improved, and should only be a factor when time is an issue. Effort can be given by anyone. Things can be purchased. Age has no bearing on knowledge, wisdom, skill, or mentality, it has no meaning of it's own. What really makes you stand out isn't any of that, it's the things you can't just learn to do, it's your mentality, it's your story, it's who you are. Look at the greats of this world, and rarely will you see that no one else had the skills, you will see that who they were made all the difference. Business has had the same concepts since the beginning, with different shells. Anyone can go and learn the concepts of business, it's really not that hard. So what separates the best from the rest? The best examples are self-made men. A great one is Abraham Lincoln. He didn't have a lot given to him, but he wanted to be more than he was born into. He didn't have access to formal education, so what did he do? He read as much as he could, he taught himself law. Sam Walton began Walmart, on the exact same principles of business that have been around for centuries. Walt Disney came from nothing, and forged an empire of cartoons that have affected millions of people. Bill Gates founded Microsoft, revolutionized modern society, and continuously donates to causes. All of these people, all of them and many more have a few things in common. They never gave up on what they wanted to do, they never quit trying even when they failed, time and again. They didn't let circumstance dictate what they could do and what they couldn't, rather they utilized every single resource they could and were relentless in their pursuit of their goals. Most importantly, these people were themselves, and no one else. They each had unique mentalities, personalities, mixtures of skills and talents, views. Each of them was special, was unique, and they used that to do all that they did. Find what makes you special, what sets you apart, and use that, take full advantage of it. You are special, unique, and only by embracing that will you ever reach your full potential.

Questions to Ponder

What can you do that no one else can? What do you bring to the table that others don't? Do you use those things that make you different to benefit your life? What makes you special?

Gratitude

I'm thankful today for my personality, my perspective, my mindset, for all I am that makes me different and unique. I'm thankful for being an individual, for getting the chance to be one. Thank you all for reading, and thank you all for your support and help! Have a fantastic day!

Live with Passion

Daily Quote

"Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you."

-Oprah Winfrey-

"Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75."
-Benjamin Franklin-

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose."
-Steve Jobs-

Lesson of the Day

Live with passion. Living with passion means to live fully, to do the most you can each day, to not waste time, to get up and be excited to face the day. When you decide to live with passion, it doesn't mean having hobbies, or having free time, or doing everything you want. It means that no matter what you're doing, you give your all at everything you do. It means that when you go to get up, you don't hit the snooze button. It means that when things get tough during the day, you get tough right back and get it done. It means having a goal, long-term, and working each day to achieve it. To live with passion is to fully live life. I bring this up because I see so many people who sit idly by while their lives dwindle away. They sit and watch tv, not for the programming but simply to vegetate. They could be doing something they love, pursuing a passion, practicing a skill, interacting with others, anything, but yet they choose apathy. I see so many people who do drugs, or drink, or have other behavior patterns to escape their lives, when instead they could be changing them. They could be making a better budget to get out of debt, or implementing an exercise regimen to become healthier, or getting rid of negative things in their lives. I see so many people who pursue things that detract from their goals in life, simply because whatever it is is nice and they give in, or pressure from others, or what have you, when they need to be focusing what little resources they do have to their goals. You don't have time to be anyone but you. You don't have energy to do everything you could ever want to do. You certainly don't have any time to throw away. Live your life, fully and with passion, every moment you can.

Questions to Ponder

How fully do you live your life? Do you give your all in what you do, or are you giving less? Are you where you want to end up in life? Is there more you could be doing? Is there more you want out of life?

Gratitude

I'm thankful today for you all, my readers. I wouldn't have a point to write this if it weren't for you, and in doing so I am pursuing a deep passion and living my life more fully. Thank you all, for your comments, for your time, and for reading! Have an amazing day!

The Will

Daily Quote

"The training is nothing! The will is everything! The will to act."

-Ra's al Ghul-

Lesson of the Day

It doesn't matter how much knowledge or training you have, they both mean nothing without the will to act upon them. It doesn't matter how much you know, if you don't use it. I could have everything handed to me, such as money, connections, material possessions, but, without the will to use those things, I might as well have nothing. But with the will, everything becomes a resource. Let me tell you a story. There was this student I knew, and they had all of the resources to get a bachelor's degree, for free. They entered college and were doing fine, with no issues. Things started to get harder, as they always do. He started to get involved in a lot of clubs, to do more around campus. He was great, he had a nigh perfect GPA with high involvement in the college, and working on the side. He had this college thing down. Then, on his third semester, complications arose, but he still finished the semester with only a minor loss to his grades. On the fourth semester, he failed. You see, he didn't want it bad enough. He had this free ride, mountains of help, and he didn't take it. He didn't have the will to act on his resources to succeed, so he failed. He had to start working more, well above full time. He had to reevaluate his entire life, his system, who he was. Now, he faces his fifth semester of college, but something has changed. He'll be working sixty plus hours a week instead of the sixteen a week, with a nigh full time course load. But that's a minor change. No, you see the biggest change was in him, where he found his will. He knows exactly what it'll take to succeed, to make this possible future real, and now he has the will to use anything to make it happen. People have to lose, before they realize how much they really have. People have to be thrown into darkness and hardship before they find the will to get back out. Will is not something that is given, it's not something that is innately held, it is developed through pain and struggle. Without the will, the resources mean nothing.

Questions to Ponder

How much are you willing to take to make that one future a reality? How much do you really need? How much can you endure? How strong is your will? Do you even know?

Gratitude

I'm thankful today for my will, forged in failure and loss. I'm thankful for a second chance. Have a great day, everyone! I hope you all like the story!

Chains and Illusions

Daily Quote

"It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere."

-Voltaire-

Lesson of the Day

Everyone has the complete freedom to choose, though circumstance and personal past restrict options. The fact is, we can do so much more than we think, if only we throw down our self-imposed chains. I used to say that I couldn't do something, in lieu of admitting that I didn't want to do it. I have been taught this from the start, that it's better to be polite and spare feelings in our society. But, since I have decided to just be myself, I came to the thought that I would rather be honest and rude, than a liar and nice. I would rather someone knows exactly where I stand with them, even if it hurts them. I would rather be mean and hurt someone, than be nice and lie. I bore the chain called "You have to Spare People's Feelings", but I bear it no more. I don't care what society says, or what those around me say, not any longer. If someone has rent my heart, they will know. If anger has been aroused in me, it shall spare no feelings. I am who I am, and I'd rather be honest than nice. If they coincide, that's great, if not, too bad. Social conventions are fine, so long as they don't compromise who I am. We all bear chains of some kind, things we think we must do, or things we think we can't do. Often, these are just lies, and once you free yourself from them, you'll find that you have more choice and power than you thought. For example, no one has to be a good parent, that is a choice, and yet everyone will tell you that they have to do this, or have to do that. The truth is that they don't have to, they choose to but deem it a forced action. I don't have to work everyday, or do a good job; I choose to and fully recognize that it's a choice. It's all a matter of clarity. See beyond the illusions of life, and see life for what it really is, then go live it as the person you really are.

Questions to Ponder

What chains bind you down? What illusions lie upon your heart that twist your reality? What do you think you cannot do? What do you think you must do? What happens if you do or don't do said things? Just how much in your life do you choose?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for my freedom, and for my clarity in life. I'm thankful for my logic. I'm thankful for all of you readers, and I hope each and every one of you have a great day!

The Whole Picture

Quote of the Day

"We all have darkness, mingled with the light. They are a false duality, not separate, but parts of a whole."

Lesson of the Day

Everything we are has good and bad aspects. Everything has good and bad to it, to varying degrees. So many people look at me, at my gifts, and wish they had them, but all of those gifts come with curses. So many people, they see how fast I learn, how I seem to just remember things. Every time people wish they had that. It's not that hard, basically I connect everything I learn with everything else I know, and then I remember it. But, the reality behind it is that my ability to learn quickly stems from an insatiable desire to learn, that's what developed the skill. It's like searching endlessly for answers. So, over time you develop ways to search faster, to find the answers you need sooner. My ability to learn faster is just a result of an insatiable desire to know everything there is to know. Part of an insatiable desire is that no matter how much you get of it, no matter how much I learn, it's never enough. So the fast learning, comes with never being satisfied with what you learn. My math is another great talent that people often wish they had. But, imagine if, when you looked out at the world, you didn't see human beings just bodies, that you didn't see emotions just data points, that you didn't see humanity, just objects and values and numbers and facts. Imagine life with emotion cut out of it. And you'll find it a little easier to understand the math. When you get to the point where you can cut emotion out of it, math and logic and science are easy. When you see the math in everything you do, everywhere you go, all the time, then of course it's going to be easy. That detachment is what makes me great at math and science, but people don't exactly view detachment as a good thing, more as a trait of a psychopath. I must stress that I'm not a psychopath, everyone who knows me knows I am not. Everything has good and bad, everything has pros and cons. My advice this day is to know that everything good comes with bad, every gift comes with a curse. Don't just look at someone's light, and love it, without knowing the darkness behind it. Understand the world around you, in its entirety, don't just settle for one half of the picture.

Questions to Ponder

What curses do you bear? What gifts stem from those? What has inspired you to do good? Do you see the whole picture, or just a portion? Do you want to see everything?

Gratitude

I'm thankful today for my gifts, and for the curses that make them. I'm thankful for the good and the bad in me, because it makes me who I am, and from what I hear, that's a good thing to be. Thank you all for reading, I hope you all have an amazing day!!

Facing Death

Daily Quote

"I learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

-Nelson Mandela-

Lesson of the Day

We all have things that we fear. They all go back to death and pain. I separate these, because people often don't fear death for pain, but rather because it's the end of the story, while people fear pain for the obvious reason, it hurts. We, as humans, don't like to contemplate pain, and especially not death. As I have contemplated my death, as I have realized and accepted my ending, I have realized a lot of other things. I realized that I don't have a lot of time. I don't waste time doing things that don't enrich and support my life. I don't waste time doing unnecessary things that I don't like. I don't waste my mind thinking about things I don't need to and that I don't want to. I don't waste my time worrying about things. I found that once I cut the crap and filler in life, take care of what I need to, and do what I love in the time left over, that my life is a hell of a lot better. I don't hide who I am, I'm up front and unabashedly me. That way I'm me, everyone knows me, and those that stay like me for who I am, not for someone I'm pretending to be. I found that I'm happier being exactly who I am, even if I lose people, even if I piss people off. I'm happier being myself, than being anyone else. I plan my life out, what I want in life, and then I go do it. I don't worry about the odds, or about how hard it's going to be, or who will approve. I decide what I want, what risks I'm taking, and I go do it, I make it real. People keep asking me if I like the life I'm living, since I work so much. And my answer is yes, I do, because each day I'm working towards making a better life, I'm doing what I love, I'm making people happy. I love my life. Facing my end has made me more driven, more enduring, more successful, more grateful, more happy and content. It's shown me who I am, in all of my flaws and strengths. It's made me prioritize what matters to me, not what matters to others or to society. Face death, find out who you are, find out what matters to you, and live.

Questions to Ponder

If this was your last day, would you spend it differently? If you weren't going to wake up tomorrow, would you go to sleep knowing you lived a life you are proud of? If you were out of time, what would really matter to you? Why do people go through life with an assumption that the story won't end?

Gratitude

Today, I'm just thankful to be alive, and to be living it each day. Thank you all for reading, I hope you all take something from this, and that you all have fantastic days!

To be the Best

Daily Quote

"In every aspect, have a game plan, and then do your best to achieve it."

-Alan Kulwicki-

Lesson of the Day

When I was in junior high, I was big. Six foot and two hundred pounds to be precise. I didn't have to try hard at football to be great, considering I was significantly bigger than everyone else. Now, the tune changed once I hit high school. People caught up to me, and I was forced to work harder to be good, let alone great. For awhile, I worked harder at practice, at lifting and during conditioning, and it payed off. I became a great football player. But, it doesn't end there, there's no conflict there. No, I wanted to be the best on the team, and to do that, I would have to sacrifice a lot. I constantly pushed myself harder than those around me, and put in more time, often around six hours a day, not including a two to three hour practice. I became one of the strongest, the fastest off the line, the most enduring, a monster on the field. I worked my form constantly, hours a day, to nigh perfection. I played all of every game, minus maybe five minutes. I could take an opponent out within a second of the snap. I would often take out two to four players each play. I became the best. But it cost me sixty hours a week, for two years. It cost me time with friends and family. It cost me my health, as now I have a lot of joint issues and a heat intolerance. I gave up a lot, to be the best. I don't regret the prices I paid, the things I gave up, and the costs I continue to pay. Rather, I want you to understand that, just like everything you do, the better you want to become, the higher the price you pay. Everyone remarks at how good I am at math, or at writing, and they say that they can't write like that, that they can't do math that well. The fact is that, while they are talents, I would not be as good as I am without hours and hours and hours of practice and reflective thought. I constantly reflect on my writing, from how to make it more interesting to how to structure it better. I constantly reflect on my math, to find easier ways to do things, to find alternate ways to think about problems, to find ways that formulas and ideas connect. The math that I help people with today, I have practiced and used and toyed with daily for over a decade now. The only path to greatness and skill is through exhaustive effort, through countless hours, through failure, through exploration and creativity, and through a will that won't quit. Ask yourself how much you're willing to pay to be great, how much you're willing to hurt and lose and fail, to become the best. Are you willing to give up sleep? Free time? Or time with family and friends? Raising a family? Love? Community with those around you? If you aren't willing to sacrifice, you will never do your best.

Questions to Ponder

How much are you willing to pay to be great? Are you willing to give up comfort and fun to succeed? Do you put time in daily on what you're doing? Do you push yourself to your limit? How badly do you really want it?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for my talents, and for the skills I have built. I'm thankful for knowing what matters to me, and for having the drive to pursue it, even when it hurts most. Thank you all for reading! I hope you all have a great day!

Lights in the Dark

Daily Quote

"No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world."

-Robin Williams-

Lesson of the Day

Words can change everything. You could be going about your life, and you say maybe just one sentence to someone, and they're gone. Years later, say you find that they're happy and productive humans, perhaps they killed themselves, perhaps they live a life that they hate, perhaps they've given up. You can shrug it off, and say they made their choices, it was their responsibility. And it's true, it was all their responsibility to choose correctly. But, your words, your actions, regardless of what you wish to hear, had an impact. There is one time, in my life, that sticks out past all others. It was one of my darkest, and yet also where I found the smallest of embers, which grew into the great inferno that is my heart. Her name was Ori, and her gift one word. I was on the stage of life, my garb a mask so complex that I forgot I was wearing it.

I was an above average teen. I had nigh perfect grades, I excelled at both football and track, I made everyone around me laugh and smile and feel loved. I had many friends, and a lot of love from them and my family. Now, there's always a 'but', otherwise there wouldn't be a story, now would there? But, as happy and content as I seemed, I was hurt. I was like a car, on its last tank of gas, with parts falling off as it goes. Blind to myself, I kept walking towards the cliff. Right about now, maybe you're expecting that girl to swoop in and turn me around, but no. I'm a great actor, and, until the end there, no one knew. I walked off of the cliff, willingly, because I didn't want to see. I broke. The person I had been, he died. I kept falling farther still, alienating people, hurting people, quitting football, dropping my grades, and worse. In my fall, Ori said one sentence to me. She said I was beautiful. I gave her a weird look, unable to even comprehend that she might be right. I kept falling, until I crashed completely. When I found myself in the dark, alone, one thing kept coming back to me, stronger and stronger. I was beautiful. I scoffed at it, endlessly. Until one day, it clicked. That beauty doesn't mean perfection. That broken things were beautiful, too. That even in all of the pain and darkness inside of me, there was good and light and beauty. That was the foundation for my change, the foundation for everything I do and everything I am now. The light in the dark.

Questions to Ponder

What has changed your life? What scars do you bear on your soul? What lights up your darkness?

Gratitude

Tonight, I'm thankful for Ori, and for the lights in the darkness.

Don't Worry

Daily Quote

"There is a great difference between worry and concern. A worried person sees a problem, and a concerned person solves a problem."

-Harold Stephen-

Lesson of the Day

I often get asked why I don't worry more, about things such as college debt, working during the school year, future consequences, etc. Honestly, I'm puzzled by this question. It's not because college debt isn't serious, or because the consequences of my actions now won't be far reaching, or because it won't be hard. I'm confused why I should worry. Worrying itself does nothing, except to cause excess stress and to make life harder. Now, I'm not saying I'm not concerned, I am. I have laid my plans as carefully as I can, fully aware of how hard it's going to be, of how much it'll cost, of the reality of my path. I have done what I can to prepare for it, to minimize the costs and pains, and as I go I'll readjust as things change. However, don't think that, for even one minute, I'm going to waste time worrying over something that I can't change. It's a waste of my time, and it's a waste of my health and happiness. Do your best to set your plan up, and then enact it. It's really that simple. Worrying about how hard it's going to be, or how much it'll hurt, or how long it'll take, will only slow you down and make you less effective. When you come to an obstacle, either decide to stop, or to go on. Take things one day at a time, and work your plan. It's simple: don't worry, just make it happen.

Questions to Ponder

How much time do you spend worrying about things? How far has that gotten you versus working towards a solution? What do you gain from worrying? What do you lose?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for my drive, for my mindset, for all that I can see. I'm thankful today to be alive and be back to work. I'm thankful I get to do what I love everyday, even if it's difficult at times. Thank you all for reading. I hope you each gained something from reading this, and that you have a fantastic day!

Everything is Connected

Daily Quote

"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world."

-John Muir-

Lesson of the Day

Everything in our universe is connected, even in the smallest ways. My gravity affects every particle on and in this planet and throughout the universe, albeit very very lightly. When I make people laugh and smile, it improves their mood. This improved mood makes every interaction they have with people generally go better, not to mention them feeling better. And then the others have a positive experience with the person and it has an effect on them as well. It goes on and on. My actions affect everything else, I'm not an island. Hell, even this blog is far reaching, having been read in eight countries all over the world. Our actions, states of mind, and even emotions create ripples of change in the world that echo throughout time, coursing through the actions and states of others. At the same time, realize that everything around us impacts us, unless we are so absorbed in ourselves that we take no notice. We are affected by everything around us, and we affect everything around us. Everything is connected, find the connections.

Questions to Ponder

How much do you feel everything is connected? How often do you feel that things actually make sense? Are there things that don't seem to relate to anything else to you? How do you use the knowledge of interconnectedness?

Gratitude

I'm thankful today for the clarity to see and learn from life and for everything I'll learn today. I'm thankful for my journey through this life, and for those on it with me. Thank you all for reading, I hope you all have a fantastic day, and that you ponder some things yourself!

Knowledge, Power, and Will

Daily Quote

"Knowledge is Power"

Lesson of the Day

It's said everywhere, that knowledge is power. It's true. Knowledge allows you to better understand everyone and everything around you, to better understand yourself. Knowledge gives you the instructions to change the world around you and yourself with accuracy and potency. The more you know, the better off you are. Even if you think that something doesn't relate to your life, it does. Everything connects. I may not know everything about a field, but even basic knowledge helps. In football, the reason I was successful as a lineman wasn't because I was the biggest, the strongest, fastest. The reason I easily took out opponents a hundred pounds heavier, at least, was simply because I fought with my brain. If you know the right things a task becomes a lot easier. For example, hitting someone in just the right spot, with just enough force, can force the air from their lungs and render them useless. Or perhaps a psychological approach. If you spend extra energy early one convincing the opponent that you can't be beat, they start to believe it, and they try less. Or perhaps just going harder. I always went all out, I was ferocious and violent beyond necessity. Why? Because it psyched out the other players and scared them. I was effective because I used my knowledge of people, of people's minds, of the products we use, to my advantage. You can do this with anything, if you take the time to connect bits of information, and if you have the will to use the knowledge. It benefits every area of your life, so take up the throne of your life and get learning.

Questions to Ponder

How much do you know? Do you actively go out and learn new things every day? Do you agree with me, or do you not agree? Can you see how it all connects?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for each day I get to keep doing everything I do, for each day I get to be alive and experience life. I'm thankful for everything I know, and for each thing I learn every day. This is a crazy journey, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you all for reading, I hope you all have an amazing night!

Something to Offer

 Daily Quote

"No matter what age you are, or what your circumstances might be, you are special, and you still have something unique to offer. Your life, because of who you are, has meaning."

-Barbara de Angelis-

Lesson of the Day

We all have things to offer this world. Whether those are talents, skills, viewpoints, experience, effort, or even just our time, there is always something. Every single one of us has talents, and every one of us can learn skills. Not everyone has the same talents, or can learn the same skills, but that's not the point. Never say you can't do something, until you've tried it, otherwise you can't know. Never say that you're worthless, because even when you have nothing else, you can give people time, you can give them love and appreciation, wisdom. What you have inside of you is unique, a blend of emotions and memories and biological mechanisms and so much more that makes up you. There are things that you can do, that no one else can. There are things others can do, that I will never be able to do. I can't do sports, others can. Okay, that's an easy one. Here, I'll never be able to be normal. Everyone who knows me knows that I'm weird and goofy and that I rarely ever act "normally." I can't paint or draw at all, or write music, or do a great deal of things. But there is so much I can do, I just had to learn some skills and learn who I am. I can make people laugh when they're about to freak out, I can bring a smile to a face that's soaked in tears, I can ease the pain. In the darkest nights, I can be like a dawning sun. And that is my center, the core of me. I ease pain, I bring laughter and smiles and lightheartedness. That's why I do every single thing I do. That set of skills I have developed from the core of myself, I can do rain or shine, night or day, rich or poor. Not everyone does that, but it's a good example of things people can offer that aren't material things. Be aware that there is more to you than you know, and know always, always, that you are important, and valuable, and special, so long as you choose to be.

Questions to Ponder

What things can you do that no one else can? What are you skilled at? What are you talented at? Where do your passions and loves lie? Who are you, and what do you have to offer the world?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for my skills and talents, for the things I can do. They enable me to better the world around me and to make lives brighter. I'm thankful for living the life I have, for learning what I have, it's made all the difference in the world. Thank you all for reading, I apologize for the lateness. Have a fantastic night everyone, sleep easy and rest well.

The Reasons Why

Daily Quote

 "I think that everybody has their reasons for what they do, and if you really look through their eyes, you could probably understand them."

-Stephenie Meyer-

Lesson of the Day

I have reasons behind everything I am and everything I do, whether I know them or not. Nothing occurs without a reason for occurring, it just doesn't. That's not to say that the reason is good, though, as not all are, but even a bad reason can have a good action sprout from it. Even the best reasons can have bad actions follow. For example, when I have a really bad day, I have a habit of getting myself cake and ice cream, a mini-celebration. Obviously the reason is to make my day better, and the action itself isn't too bad, but there are much better options that would be healthier and more effective. I have a good understanding of a lot of things, because I'm fairly learned, because I think a great deal and do research in my spare time, because I like to do so, because I have an insatiable lust for knowledge, and beyond that I have yet to discover. You see, you don't always know the true origin of your reasons, but there is a chain where you can follow it back, and as far as I've found, in every person and myself, it always goes back to emotion. I act weird, we all know this. I'm goofy and odd and funny. Why? Because I love to see people smile and laugh and have good times. Why? Because I don't want them to hurt, I want to alleviate the pain that life brings. Why? Because I hurt, all the time, and I don't want others to feel like I feel. It comes down to emotion, that's what drives us, everything else stems from that. The ultimate font of reason. To truly find out why you do things, you need to know how you feel. It's not as easy as it sounds, emotions are not simple. But once you know how you feel, then you'll know the reason behind every reason you could ever construct logically.

Questions to Ponder

 Why do you think you do the things you do? Why do you really do them? How well do you know yourself and your motivations? What is really your primary motivator?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for clarity with myself, for being able to explore who I am and why I am the way I am. That journey has been the best and most rewarding thus far. I'm thankful for being employed and having a bright future, not everyone has that, and it's something to cherish. Thank you all for reading, keep being your awesome selves, think and challenge things, and have a fantastic day!

Bad Days

Daily Quote

"I don't have too many bad days because I just don't let them happen. When I'm having one of those days, I'll just be like, "I'm not going to let this be a bad day" and I'll do everything I can to turn it around."

-Matt Dallas-

 

"Light up the darkness."

-Bob Marley-

Lesson of the Day

If you're having a bad day, it doesn't matter if people are there or not, it's on you to make it better. It's nice, having the love and support of others. It makes the day better, easier to manage and get through. People can offer advice, or do something to remedy it. Some people have this idea that, when things go bad, others should help fix it, should make it easier or better for them, but, they aren't obliged to, it's my responsibility. When they leave, I'm still left dealing with whatever made my day bad to begin with, and that's exactly as it should be. My struggles and challenges are my own, just as every other person has their own struggles and challenges. It's my responsibility to try turn the day around, it's my choice. I must stress that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the day will still be bad. But that doesn't mean that you get to just not try, because you won't know until you've done everything you can. If you want your day to be better, hell even your life, give your all to make it so. Do things you like, get rid of bad influences, avoid unnecessary stress, whatever, but do something. If there is literally nothing you can do, then change how you think about it, change how you see it, change yourself to better cope. It's up to you. Own your pain, light up the darkness.

Question of the Day

How well do you cope with bad days? Do you bounce back quickly after being knocked down, or do you stay down? When you do get knocked down, is it because you let it happen, or did you do everything you could?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for the things I have that I can give to the world, for the laughter and smiles I bring those around me. I'm thankful that I get to see the light I bring into the world, the results of the good I do. I'm so thankful for great friends, and family, and for all of you readers. I hope you all have an amazing day, and, if you aren't, you know what to do.

Family

Daily Quote

"When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching - they are your family."

-Jim Butcher-

Lesson of the Day

My family isn't determined by genetics, but rather by who they are and how they treat me. You see, family isn't something you're born into, it's not something just given. It's forged through experience and time and effort, it's chosen by everyone involved, it's earned. I don't care what the law says, or what blood says, until you've proven yourself to me, you'll never be family. My family is supportive, kind, mean when they have to be, loyal, independent, respectful, disrespectful when it's necessary, hard-working, driven people, among many other things. You don't just get accepted into it, you have to prove with your actions that you deserve the highest places in my heart, and I expect nothing but the same in return. My mom is family, she has spent twenty years and god knows how much money raising me and helping me succeed. My grandmother is family, she was like a second parent to me growing up investing a great deal more time and energy and money in myself and my brother than most grandmothers do. My brother is my family, we went through so much together, and no matter how we differ, he's family to me. My closest friends are family, they have gone through fire with me and been there for the darkest times, and to call them less than family would be an insult like no other. Genetics doesn't make family. Spilling blood, sweat, and tears for and with someone is what makes them family.

Questions to Ponder

Who is your family? Why are they family? Are your reasons good ones? How much are you honestly willing to go through for your family?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for all of those I consider family, and all of those I consider friends, you all mean a great deal to me and have had quite the impact on my life. You all are amazing people, don't you for one second think otherwise. Thank you all for reading, I hope you all have great days, and that you take some time today to show those closest to you that you love them.

Know Who You Are

Daily Quote

"The better you know yourself, the better your relationship with the rest of the world."

-Toni Collette-

Lesson of the Day

Get to know who you are. Discover yourself. So many people are out of touch with who they really are, whether it be that they are pushed to fit a mold, or that they are afraid, or that they just haven't considered it a priority, what have you. But consider this, how can you effectively live your life if you don't know the one driving it? How can you choose a path for your life without an understanding of who you are, what you need, what you want and don't want, etc. Yes, you find those out along the way, but this isn't about people who haven't had enough time to know themselves, it's about people who have had the time, and who still don't know. See, only once you know the intricacy's of who you are, will you be able to live life most effectively and to the greatest extent possible. Once you know exactly what you like and don't like, you can make your life more positive by doing things you like and coping better with those you don't. When you know exactly what you need as a human being, only then can you live a fulfilled life. When you know exactly what each emotion you feel is, only then can you effectively act upon them. When you know yourself, inside and out, that's the only time you're going to be able to be your best. And yes, we all grow and change over time, and when you have changed, go out and explore yourself again. I know what I like and don't like, I know how to effectively cope with things that I don't like or hate, and overall my life is positive and progressive because of how I arrange it and cope with things. I know what I need, and that's food, water, some shelter, and hope. I don't need the latest tech, or a great house or car, or sex, or excess. Everything after my needs are met is icing on a cake, nothing but bonus. I know my emotions. I know the difference between irritation, pain, frustration, anger (an outward expression of pain), jealousy, envy, love, lust, sadness, etc. And knowing this difference helps me to act on them in constructive ways. I know who I am, what I want in life, what I need in life, and, because of that, I can live my life in the most effective way possible. Pay the right prices, take the right risks, take on as much as I can, push myself to my limits without falling, do what I like and love in the time I have, and grow. If there is anything you take from this, it's to grow, to learn, and to never stop growing and learning. No matter what anyone tells you, keep getting better, keep moving forward.

Questions to Ponder

What do you value? What do you like? Dislike? How do you operate? How well do you actually know yourself?

Gratitude

I'm thankful today for being able to explore myself, to know myself. I'm thankful that I know what I want in life, and that I know who I am. I'm also thankful for the opportunity to grow that we are given in every moment of our lives. Thank you all for reading, I hope you all took something away from this, no matter how small. I hope you all have fantastic days!!

Scarred Hearts

Daily Quote

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars."

-Khalil Gibran-

Lesson of the Day

There's beauty in a scarred heart. It may not be pristine, but the owner of a scarred heart has lived. Each one tells a tale where they were badly hurt, and where they grew, became stronger, wiser, etc. And the presence of more than one, means they went back out and tried again, despite the pain before. There is no shame in having scars, no shame in being hurt. The best people I have ever met have also been the ones most broken by people and by life. They were kind, so full of love and wisdom, so strong, the very best. They had been hurt so much, and instead of let it beat them, they made themselves better. They grew and became beautiful human beings. They have their flaws, they're broken people, but in their imperfection, in their brokenness, they are beautiful and amazing. I have been hurt, and broken, many times. With every trial, I have grown and become better. Each pain was a step to who I am now, another building block constructing the man I am. So when you get hurt and knocked down, broken, then grow, get back up, put yourself back together. Don't look at your scars with shame, or disgust, or hate. They're a part of you, and they make you strong, beautiful, amazing.

Questions to Ponder

What scars are on your heart? What pains lie deep in your soul? Are you ashamed of them? Or prideful? Do you hate them? For those broken people, do you think you're better for having them?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for my own scars, for my own cracks and pains. They've shown me so much, taught me so much, and, as much as they've hurt, I'm a much better person than I ever would have been without them. Thank you all for reading, as always, I hope that you take something from this, and that you have a fantastic day!

Life is Transient

Daily Quote

"If you're in a bad situation, don't worry it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry it'll change."

-John A. Simone, Sr.-

Lesson of the Day

Life is transient. It changes, in varying degrees, as time passes. Everything ends, all of the bad things that plague you, and all of the good things that bless you. Old things, good or bad, are lost continuously, and new things, also good or bad, are gained. That happens every second, every hour, every week, every year. Just as it's not good to dwell on the darkness that permeates your life, it's also not good to dwell at all. Love what you have, all of it, because, in the next moment, it could all be gone. Don't hold on to what you have, don't cling to it. Whether you want it to or not, it's going to leave you, or you're going to leave it. Holding onto what was or what could have been will only hurt you now in the present and hurt your future. I struggle with this every single day. Every day I want to grab what is, and never let it go. Each day I want what I used to have, want to be where I used to be. But doing that's not going to help me make a better life for myself, it's not going to help me be better to those around me. It's not going to bring back the things I miss. Rather, I've learned to be in the moment, to live each moment. To take time with what I have now, with who I have now. I cherish and love the things and people I have, actively, every single day, every chance I get. And once they're gone, I grieve, of course, because it hurts like hell. It's hard, really difficult sometimes, I know, to get back up and move on, to grow and change and live. But we need to be strong enough to let go, to move on boldly from what was into what is now. Life is change, life is growth, and if we stagnate, we aren't living. Embrace change, take control of what you can, let the rest go, and love life.

Questions to Ponder

What holds you back from living now? What things from the past haunt your waking moments? Do you pay enough attention to now? Or perhaps too much or too little? Does change give you hope, or fill you with fear?

Gratitude

I'm thankful today for the strength wrought in me from past wounds, for the wisdom learned from past struggles, for the power to change both myself and the world around me. Thank you all for reading! I hope that you gain something from reading this, and that each and every one of you have great days!

Relax - July 10, 2015

Daily Quote

"There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither."

-Alan Cohen-

Lesson of the Day

Take a break, breathe, relax. So many people nowadays just go and go and go without stopping. Don't get me wrong, a good work ethic and a drive to succeed are great, they're fantastic. However, when you start to overdo it, when you become unbalanced, it shows. You start slipping at work, you start slipping emotionally, you start slipping health-wise, it's just not good. When you push it too far, you can't perform at your work as well. Physically you are worn down, mentally you're fatigued and worn, emotionally you're fraying. Taking time to rest and recover, to rejuvenate yourself, isn't something for the weak, it's something necessary and vital to doing your best. It's vital to being healthy, to feeling your best, to getting more done. It's just like maintaining a car, the better you take care of it, the longer it lasts, the better it runs, the more reliable it is. Taking a break, mentally, physically, and emotionally, is vital. So, I implore each of you to take a break each day. It doesn't have to be long, so long as it has quality. Breathe, relax, balance yourself, it's well worth the investment in yourself.

Questions to Ponder

Do you find time to relax each day? Is your life balanced? Do you take on undue stress and strain that you really don't need to? Are you happy in your life? Does how you're doing things work? Short and long-term?

Gratitude

I'm thankful that I have time to breathe and center myself. I'm so glad that I can see what's necessary and what isn't. I'm thankful for great coworkers and amazing friends. I'm thankful for every day that I'm alive, and for each chance I get to do what I love. Have an amazing day all of you, take time to relax, find happiness in even the smallest things. Thank you all!

Memories - A Musing

A lot of people tell me that memories fade as we go through life, and they do. Though they may not hold the same clarity they once did, they've lost none of their potency. The hurts still bring all of their pain, the joys still elate me, the sorrows and losses still sadden me, the achievements still make me proud, the failures still shame me. The emotions, for me, have never gone away, have never left me. Others have said that as time passes, the past loses its bite, but none of mine thus far has. Maybe it just takes longer, maybe I dwell with memory too often, maybe I'm too reflective and thoughtful, and not alive enough, not present enough. Whatever the case, it remains a fact that though I may be oft okay, there are times that memories strike the core of my being and sunder both my mind and heart. It just astounds me at how powerful the past can be, how it reverberates along my entire life, long after it has already died. The best advice I have been given, is to be prepared, and to never sit long with things that have come and gone, to be present. If any of you have any thoughts or comments, feel free to share them, I would love to read them and talk. I hope you all have a great day, shape your day!

Priorities - July 9, 2015

Daily Quote

"Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work."

-H. L. Hunt-

Lesson of the Day

When you prioritize your life, knowing what choices to make is easy. Whatever things you value most, nothing should come before them. There is no excuse, no trickery, nothing. If that is first, you make it first with your actions. Otherwise it isn't your first priority. If you can't afford to go to school, to pursue your goals and dreams, and you consistently put other things above it, such as love, buying things you don't need, overspending in areas, an unwillingness to be uncomfortable, etc., then it isn't all that high of a priority to you. If you aren't willing to sacrifice for what you want, then you don't really want it all that badly. Set your priorities, hold to them no matter what people say, and act on them every day. When you really want something, you will sacrifice for it, you will hurt and struggle for it, because it's worth it to you. I really want to write, and to study mathematics and engineering. With the writing, I write every day, even when I'm tired, or busy, or don't have time, I make time to hone my craft. With the schooling, I work seven days a week, I study math and science every day, I refresh old skills and learn new ones. Every single day I am spending time on my dreams, because they're important to me and matter to me, because I make them a priority. Decide what you really want, pay whatever the price is, and work every single day to make it a reality.

Questions to Ponder

How are your priorities? Are they set up to get you where you want to go? Do you back your priorities with action? What's most important to you? Are you willing to do what you have to to get it?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for the drive I've been instilled with, for the work ethic I use every day. Today, I'm thankful to be working on my craft and getting better. Thank you all for reading, I hope you all have a great day!!

Prices - July 8, 2015

Daily Quote

"Everything you want in life has a price connected to it. There's a price to pay if you want to make things better, a price to pay just for leaving things as they are, a price for everything."

-Harry Browne-

Lesson of the Day

How much are you willing to pay for what you want? Yes, I mean money, but I also mean many other things. What you want can cost you people, time, love, your future, your life, even who you are. There is a give and take to life, an exchange. Nothing comes without its payment. I want to get a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and mathematics, and that's going to cost quite a bit of money. And it's also going to cost me all of the time to do the course work and to make the money, it's going to cost me my peace of mind, it's going to cost me sleep, it's going to cost me with a lot of stress and struggle. I want to have friends, and that will cost me time, and a lot of effort, and quite possible pain. I want to be who I am. To be who I am now, I had to go through every pain, every loss and gain, every failure and success, every mistake and lesson, every tear and smile, everything. Who I am now has cost me everything I have had until now, and who I will be will cost all of that and so much more. If you want something, be prepared to pay the price.

Questions to Ponder

How often do you consider costs other than money? What do you want? How much are you really willing to pay, to give up, for what you want?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for being able to see beyond the surface, for being able to see connections in life. I'm thankful for all of my friends and family, each of you is important in my life, no matter how small the role. Thank you all for reading, and thank you all for your help and support. You all are amazing, I hope you have an amazing day!!

Be the Change - July 7, 2015

Daily Quote

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world."

-Mahatma Gandhi-

Lesson of the Day

If you aren't happy with how things are, then change them, starting with yourself. The first step towards changing something, is changing yourself. This works by spreading what you want through action, rather than just saying it, and people respond a lot better to action. If you want a more loving world, be more loving. It's not going to change any faster if you're cold-hearted and jaded, if you just complain. If you want people to listen more, then start with yourself and listen to others more. If you want the world to be more generous, be as generous as you're able. By taking action in the world, you are changing it, a little bit at a time, and as you go, others will catch the bug and do the same. I want the world to be more loving, so even when I get hurt, I love. I want it to be more helpful to people in need, so even when I'm in need, I will help others. I want people to be more encouraging and supportive, so even when I need it most, I always encourage and support others. I want the world to be better, so I become better every single day. I'm not perfect, but I try. The world can be better, and it's up to each and every one of us to decide if we care enough to enact that betterment.

Questions to Ponder

Do you act the way you expect others to? When you notice that something is wrong, what do you do? Why are people who choose to not act on their words so afraid to admit that they don't care? Do you know yourself?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for who I am and for the lessons I learn daily. I'm thankful for those friends of mine closest to me, who continually support and encourage me, both in my life and in my writing. Thank you all for reading, and for all of the support. You are amazing, have a fantastic day!!!

Change - July 6, 2015

Daily Quote

"Everything comes to pass, nothing comes to stay"

-Matthew Flickstein-

Lesson of the Day

Everything changes. Even if only in the most minute ways, everything changes. The things we have loved leave us, as well as the things we hate, and even the things we never noticed. At the same time, new things come, good or bad, and replace what has come before. Every second is a renewal of life, a death of something old, and a birth of something new. I am not the same person I was a year ago, or a month ago, or even five seconds ago. The world I live in isn't the same one I grew up in, it's not the same on I arrived at work in, it's not in the same position in the universe, and even as I write this, the world is changing. At this moment billions of people are living, eating, sleeping, working, being broken, getting back up, loving, hurting, being happy, changing themselves and the world around them. At this moment billions of animals are going through their lives, some being born, most living, and others dying. At this moment, nuclear fusion is happening in the Sun, bringing us new energy constantly. Stars are burning, being born, dying. Planets and whole systems are moving and revolving around others. Everything changes, in each moment, and it's a beautiful thing, a wondrous and amazing thing to contemplate. Life is change, and life is amazing.

Questions to Ponder

How much have you changed? Does change scare or empower you? Do you embrace the transient nature of reality? Or do you cling to each moment afraid to let go?

Gratitude

I'm thankful today for good friends, for the amazing things I have had and that I have done. I'm thankful for the many gifts I have, the many wonderful things in my life. I'm thankful for being capable of contemplating life and the universe, it's a humbling and changing experience. I hope you all have an amazing day, and that each and every one of you find some time to be happy today. You have 86,400 seconds this day, have you used one to smile and be happy?

Be Yourself - July 5, 2015

Daily Quote

"Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly."
-St. Francis De Sales-

Lesson of the Day

Be who you are. There is no one else with your unique blend of DNA, environmental exposure, personality, experiences. So why would you not want to be yourself? You may think you aren't good enough, or you might not like who you are, or you might be afraid of what others think, or something completely different. My issue was a combination of all three, although I believed it to be the second for the longest time. Yet, I found it wasn't that I didn't like myself (which is what I thought), it was that I was trying to be something I wasn't because I was afraid of what others would think of me. I hated every minute of it, so I stopped trying to be someone else and embraced who I really am. Yes, I am weird. Yes I'm different. Yes, there are some people that don't like me. I make weird faces, and sing terribly everywhere, and loud, and I'm goofy and playful, and I go out of my way to make people laugh and smile daily. I am also dark, serious, and reserved and so much more. I am me, in all of my complexity, in all of my imperfection and damage, in all of my light and dark. I am me, and I love who I am, and others love who I am. I just want everyone to be themselves. Be weird, be strange, be out-of-the-box. If you like something, like it. If you don't, don't like it. If you want to try something, go try it!! We have short lives, and every single moment spent worrying about what someone else will think, or, worse, spent trying to be someone you're not only wastes what precious time you have. You are unique, you are valuable and interesting and amazing, you just have to be who you are. Go and live life, make it weird and enjoyable and a life you love, and always be you.

Questions to Ponder

Do you like who you are? Why or why not? Can you see yourself clearly enough to actually know who you are? What are things that hold you back from being who you are?

Gratitude

I'm thankful for my weirdness, it brings laughter and smiles and happiness wherever I go. I'm thankful for who I am, from how I think and feel to the effect I have on the world around myself. I'm thankful for each person's role in my life, regardless of how big or small. And thank you all for reading, feel free to comment and talk to me, I'd love a conversation with you all. Have a fabulantastic day, all of you amazing people!!!

Independence - July 4, 2015

Daily Quote

“Decide what it is that you are and then stay true to that thing. My brand is based very much on how I live my day-to-day life.” 

-Rachael Ray-

Lesson of the Day

Today is Independence Day in the U.S. We are often much less independent than we realize, than we'd like to think. Just right now, writing this, I'm depending on the builders of my laptop to have made a quality product, on various musical artists and internet radio to pump me up for work, on my internet provider, my electric company, and on so much more. We are an interconnected society with each part relying on other parts to work more efficiently to achieve more than one can alone. Our dependence on each other is a weakness of sorts, as we're vulnerable, but it also allows us to do so much more than we ever could alone. Now, there are things we shouldn't depend on others with, even in our dependent society. A great example is how we should take care of ourselves, by ourselves. Barring special circumstances, you shouldn't need another person to get through your day, to have a great day. That's not saying to never ask for help, it's saying to be responsible for yourself and learn to take care of yourself in the absence of others. We depend on others for sustenance, for making our lives possible, but we should depend only on ourselves to live. Boldly be who you are, without reservation. Don't wait for others to join you for you to stand and live, you don't need them to. Others make our life possible, we live it. 

Questions to Ponder

How independent are you? How interconnected is life? How many people work to keep you alive and to keep up your lifestyle? Do you depend on others to live life?

Gratitude

I'm thankful to live in our society, not just the U.S., but all of western civilization. I'm glad that I have the opportunity to do so much, to make the world better. I'm so thankful that I am who I am, and that I'm living a life I can be proud of.

Strength - July 3, 2015

Daily Quote

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Lesson of the Day

As the quote says, strength isn't something people just innately have, it is built and tempered and developed as you struggle. The things that we deal with don't have some set difficulty. Everything has a difficulty based on our own strength. You can very easily see it demonstrated in the gym. One person, who has trained and trained and become strong through years of dedication, hard work, and struggle, can lift a lot more than someone just starting to work out for the first time. Just like that, people who have struggled and persevered and pushed themselves are stronger than those that haven't experienced a whole lot. An example from my life is when I started working fifty to eighty hours a week (it's variable). I jumped from twenty-four to a minimum of fifty, and it was hard. I struggled a lot with the increased workload and the stress. Now I'm in the sixties and it's nothing to me. I can easily work eighty hours in a week and be fine. I grew, I became stronger. Humans are amazing creatures: the more we go through, the stronger we can become. This goes back to personal responsibility, but it's our choice to go on in the face of hardship. You don't have to know the way. You don't need to have the strength to go through it, because you're going to build it. You just have to choose that you aren't going to let the struggle break you, you have to choose to go on, to get back up. You have to choose to grow. That's it, then you persevere. You have it in you, it's up to you to decide.

Questions to Ponder

When have you been weak? When have you struggled and given up? How much have you made it through? How much more can you take? Hint: you're a lot stronger than you may think.

Gratitude

I'm thankful for everything I've been through, it's made me strong and capable of more than I ever thought possible. I'm so glad that I know all that I do, and that every day I'm learning more and growing, that every single day I become greater than I was before. As always, I'm thankful for all of you reading this. Thank you all, and I hope you all have a fantastic day. Find something to be happy for today, even just one thing.

Personal Accountability - July 2, 2015

Quote of the Day

"The price of greatness is responsibility." - Winston Churchill

Lesson of the Day

It's important to take responsibility for yourself and what you do. It's more than just being an adult or being mature or being what people expect. Personal responsibility is about realism and power. The realism aspect of taking responsibility for yourself is actualized when you look at the things you've done, or the situations you're in, and see clearly what you did to make it happen. For the vast majority of things, you yourself are at least partially responsible. For example, I have issues from my father never being in my life. He was and has been absent for all of it. I have issues relying on others, trusting them, believing them. However, no matter how I feel, it's my choice. If I don't trust someone or refuse to work with others, it's because I choose to let that feeling dictate how I act. No matter what he did, it's my action now, it's my responsibility. The power aspect comes in once you realize the former. Once you know that it's up to you, that you're the one who's responsible for you, you can begin to change. If you have issues, you accept that you have them, accept that you are responsible for your actions regardless of why you have them, and fight them every day. If you make a mistake, you own up to it, and don't make them again. I choose to trust again and rely on people. Not to be normal, or because I need to, but because it's my life. I refuse to let others or life dictate who I'm going to be, how I'm going to act. I choose.

Questions to Ponder

Are you responsible for your life? Or do you blame others and life? Do you see your actions and their effects without the veil of intent or emotion? Are you choosing, or letting others choose for you?

Gratitude

I'm so thankful that I've arrived at this attitude and that I am no longer blind to myself. I'm grateful that I can see, that I can read people and understand. I'm thankful to be alive, to be growing and learning and thinking about life and living every day. I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you all for reading, I really hope these posts are enjoyable and that they help you all as they have helped me. Have a fantastic day!

Broken - July 1, 2015

Lesson of the Day

We're all broken, in some way or another. We all have scars, and we all are deficient in some way. No one is perfect, and it seems like common sense, but it's easy to forget. I have quite a few flaws, as does everyone. I'm overly critical of myself, I have a need to know everything, I'm overly generous, I'm often distant, I have a hot temper, I'm scarred and overly cautious, etc. I've made a lot of mistakes, too, just like everyone else. I've been selfish, hateful, arrogant, manipulative, defeated, hopeless, dark, cold. I'm human, plain and simple. I don't go out trying to do bad, I didn't go out trying to make the mistakes I have. I do my best. All that a person can do is their best, and yes, at times it won't be enough, and you'll make a mistake. But what you can do is learn from your mistakes, and, with each one, make your best better. The next time around, don't make the same mistake, be better. Change and grow. Don't hide for fear of making a mistake, or of failing. No matter what you do you will at some point. Don't hide for fear of people not liking you. Some people won't like you, but others will love you. Don't be afraid to go out and live life, to be yourself. We all have scars, we all have flaws, we all make mistakes. Embrace your imperfections and be the best person you can be with what you have. Always keep growing and keep trying, always keep moving forward.

Quote of the Day

  "It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default." - J. K. Rowling

Questions of the Day

What mistakes have you made? Have you learned everything you can from them? How often do you inspect your mind and heart? Have you made the best of what you have?

Gratitude

 I'm thankful for the story I've written for myself, mistakes and all. I'm grateful for the opportunity to make myself better every day. I really appreciate all the people, good and bad, who've helped make me who I am today, and those who will help make me the man I will be in the future. I wouldn't be here without the lessons I learned from them and from experiencing life with them. Thank you all for reading, and for your continued support, I hope you all have an amazing day, and that you always keep moving forward.

Perception - June 30, 2015

Lesson of the Day

Perception is everything. It determines how you approach something, how you deal with it, how much effort you put to it, how long you stay with it, what and how you think about something, everything. It's also worth noting that we can choose how to perceive things, difficult at times, but we can. You can see things as obstacles, setbacks, losses, or you can see them as opportunities, lessons. Every day we choose to see things either positively or negatively, to see hope or despair, to see growth and opportunity or loss. You choose how you see things, own it and use it. 

Questions of the Day

What do you see in the world? How do you see the world? Do you choose? Or do you let the world decide what you see? 

Gratitude

I'm thankful for being able to see the best in the world, for being able to see the good. I'm so glad that I am who I am, and that I've been through what I have to arrive here. And I'm thankful for all of you for reading, thank you so much!