The Pursuit

A reoccurring theme in my life lately... I posted this quote on facebook quite a while ago: 

"Enjoy life now. Don't wait until the weekend, or when you get a better job, or go on vacation. Make the decision to be happy and eventually you will be."

I've been reminded over and over in the past months that we are the ones who decide our attitudes, no matter what happens in our lives. The reality is, we create our own reality and attitude is everything.  


Here are some of those words that have splatted on my windshield and now I can't get them off:


“People are always either on the way down or the way up. You never really enjoy the moment when it’s all put together because it probably never really is. Those moments where things come apart is only setting you up for that moment where you put it back together again and you’re so surprised. There’s this beauty of being in repair.” -John Mayer


"Life is a journey, not a destination." -Ralph Waldo Emerson


In the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, "It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking: How did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue. How did he know that?"


If you wake up each morning thinking about how much you don't look forward to doing something or seeing someone, maybe they're not the problem. I make sure I'm the one who decides how I'm going to approach every situation in my life. I don't do it perfect. I don't even do it well sometimes, but I do it with the mindset that I'm going to pursue happiness and benefit the lives of others. 

 

Man In Black

It’s safe to say I have an odd music collection. Many of us do. Mine’s pretty random. It’s ranges from hip-hop to ska, alternative to acoustic, but it’s all stuff I still listen to. 

              Side note: Have you noticed people tend to dress in the style of the music they like? You see a kid in baggy jeans, most likely he likes rap. Same with the dude in the cowboy hat, he likes rap too. Haha, just kidding, but you never know.  

As my mood changes through life events and evolving seasons, so does the music bumpin’ out of my macbook. I really started getting back into Johnny Cash today. AKA- The first real man to go Goth. Nobody’s music is like that man’s. He sounds like my grandpa, 75% of his songs all have the same beat, and today he’s still one of the best. How does THAT make sense? I thought about it for a second and realized this guy put his heart into every one of his songs. He was genuine and original.

              I felt his pain in Hurt, which I recommend. I would quote the whole thing if I thought you’d read it-

“I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel. I focus on the pain, the only thing that’s real.”

I felt him find himself in God’s Gonna Cut You Down-

“Well, you may throw a rock and hide your hand, working in the dark against your fellow man. But as sure as God made black and white, what’s done in the dark will be brought to the light.”

And everyone knows Walk the Line-

“I find it very, very easy to be true. I find myself alone when each day’s through.”

            I hope I’m not the only one who sees the humor in that quote. Man, although honesty is the best policy, it certainly doesn’t help you make quick friends.

           Even though Johnny couldn’t sing well, he was still a success because he loved what he did and gave it his best. People relate to someone who is so true in their art as well. I always divide the people who really love what they do and want to do their best, from the people who just go through the motions. I don’t think he cared about fame, he just had to get his feelings out and performing was a healer for him. Through this, he was able to help others. It’s been a while since I’ve seen his movie, but that’s the vibe I get from his tunes. 
           I’ve been writing a lot of songs recently for that same reason, to deal with how I feel. I know I’m not a great musician, but that’s not going to stop me. I have thoughts to share if people are willing to listen. If not, at least I helped to make sense of myself and of the world I live in.
           The lesson I learned from Mr. Ca$h and the reason I’m writing is that you don’t have to be the greatest musician, doctor, brother, cousin, teacher, athlete, whatever it is you are, to make a difference. If you have a passion for it, be it a thing or a person, if your heart’s in it, you will make a difference in someone’s life and/or in your own. Don’t aim to be the best, aim to be your best. 

Quotes~Two

I don’t post what I do to be preachy. I’m pretty sure I’m my own worst critic. I find value in what other people have learned throughout the courses of their lives. A lot of these quotes come to me in the day and help me to be more self-aware, which I think is completely necessary. They say an unexamined life is one not worth living.

 “Fathers, be good to your daughters. Daughters will love like you do. Girls become lovers, who turn into mothers, so mothers be good to your daughters too.” –John Mayer (Daughters)

Addicted to this song lately! One of the most well written choruses of all time. It reminds me of how important my responsibilities are. Life’s a cycle and if each person does their job, they’ll not only be happier, but we’ll all have a better world.

“I never learned anything while I was talking.” –Larry King

Enough said.

 “Outside noisy, inside empty.” –Chinese Proverb

Still thinking about this one.

“Things are to use. People are to love.”

Corny, I know, but very true. People are the most important. Don’t let things, problems, schedules, etc. get in the way of the time that you can spend showing someone you love and appreciate them.

“Winning isn’t everything. The will to win is everything.” –Vince Lombardi

I love this quote because my mom would tell me ‘winning isn’t everything’ every time I lost one of my baseball or basketball games. I remember thinking, “Why am I playing then, to have fun? No, there’s got to be more to it.”

“Fool me once, strike one. Fool me twice, strike three.” –Michael Scott

Hahaha! I love that show!

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” –Albert Einstein

This is a hard one for me. If I’m not good at something, I feel insecure and shy away from it. Lately, I’ve been trying to overthrow that idea in my head. I think it’s better to be well rounded than just really good at a couple things.

“Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but religiously follows the new.” -Henry David Thoreau

I like to be an individual.

“They say the grass is greener on the other side. Time is like a healer, gonna let it pass me by. Love is an addiction, everybody knows. Pain is like a prison, where everybody goes.” –Wideawake (Greener)

I like the comparisons in this. We all go through that at some point in our lives.

“Just do it!” –Nike

Sometimes, you just gotta shut your mouth, quit complaining, get up and take care of what needs to be done. You’ll be a lot better off.

“When you don’t speak the truth, it comes out later in silence.” –Tyson Haskins

Honesty is the best policy. Too much time is spent by playing games of manipulation, beating around the bush, second-guessing… Over time, you can’t hide what’s inside. 

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."  -Maya Angelou

I tried to cut this down as much as I possible, but I liked it too much. It’s a wise person who learns from the mistakes of others. This is a very valuable quote. It’s basically a paragraph of things to consider each day. They’re the things that help you decide what kind of person to be each day. Maya Angelou is one of the best at what she does.

“It’s not lonely at the top if you help someone get there!” –Rev Run

Great guy. I suggest you “follow” him on facebook.

“Stop talking about the future because the future’s now.”  -Caleb Parsons

This is a good one for me because I procrastinate. Tomorrow is a scary word. 

The "Quotable" Event

Listed below are some of my favorite quotes. I thought I should share them because they've had a positive impact on my life. Hopefully, they will do the same for you. They're from a crazy-variety of sources: songs, movies, friends, etc. but they're all relevant and equally valuable in my eyes.

“What hurts more, the pain of hard work, or the pain of regret?”

One of the great quotes from my Boston Celtics. Tough words to swallow, but they help me every day to try and make the right decisions. Hard work is something everyone can handle, but regret is hard to let go of.

“There are mistakes you can’t undue, then they bring out the best in you.” –Graham Colton (Love Comes Back Around)

Life’s a learning experience. Learn from what you do wrong. Make your old weaknesses your new strengths. Nobody’s perfect. We try to be, but good luck with that, right?

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them. –Ether 12:27 (Book of Mormon)

My favorite scripture! I don’t care if you’re LDS or not. Truth is truth. If you don’t let things hold you back and you try your best, nothing can stop you at improving at whatever it is you want to get better at. God is on your side.

“Am I a part of the cure or am I part of the disease?” –Coldplay (Clocks)

In life, you’re either moving ahead or falling back, never stagnant. You’re either help or a hindrance. You’re the only person who can change you. If you don’t like something about the world you live in, change it. It’s funny how quotes spur other quotes. Michael Jackson said, “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make the change.”

“Tina, you fat lard! Come get some dinner!” –Napoleon Dynamite

jk, failed attempt at humor.

“Indecision becomes decision through the passage of time.”

When we don’t make choices for ourselves, our non-choices become our results. It goes along with another saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

“Anything is possible!” –Kevin Garnett

Speaks for itself.

“The truth hurts, because it’s real.”  -Randy Moss

My favorite football player. He’s known for saying and doing a lot of crazy things, but this phrase has always stayed in my mind. I think a lot of people have a hard time dealing with the truth, whatever it may be.  It ain’t soft. The truth can smack you in the face. I believe though, once it’s out there, and you accept it for what it is, a door to progression is opened.  

“People search for answers, when they’ve already heard the truth. They don’t want to deal with how they feel so they hide from all the proof.” –Tyson Haskins

Yeah, I came up with that one. I try really hard in my life not to be close-minded. I see people struggle in their lives with decision-making and I find a lot of the time they know what decision to make, but they prefer to not see it at all because it’s inconvenient or not the answer they wanted.

“Don't ever let somebody tell you that you can't do something. If you’ve got a dream, you’ve got to protect it. People who can't do something themselves want to tell you that you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.” –Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness)

My favorite quote from that movie. A lot of the quotes I love have to do with believing in yourself. If you don’t make use of your talents, what are you good for?

“When we learn how to fly, we forget how to walk. When we learn how to sing, we don’t want to hear each other talk.” –Train (The Finish Line)

I got this quote from a friend of mine. I think this is a very simple, yet profound statement. Progression is a tricky thing. Sometimes we get ahead of ourselves and it can lead to our demise. This quote helps me to realize that I need to be grateful for the simple things. They shouldn’t be overlooked.

“Our biggest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our biggest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.” –Marianne Williamson

Probably my favorite quote. It’s easy to say you’re good for nothing. It’s beyond scary to think you’re capable of anything!

“You can be wise and happy or stupid and miserable. The choice is yours.” –Gordon B. Hinckley

Funny and to the point.

If you guys have a favorite quote or anything to say about this stuff, send me a message. I've got a ton more on my mind and I'm looking forward to doing this again!    

Might As Well Jump

Since I can remember, I've wanted to skydive. Maybe because when I was younger it was the craziest thing I could think of doing. "Why in the world would someone want to jump out of a plane? That is pure insanity!" I thought. "Why in the world would someone NOT want to jump out of a plane? That sounds like pure fun!" I thought back.
For years I had this thought go through my mind. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense to give skydiving a try.
If you know me, you know I'm into metaphors. I think metaphorically all day long. Sometimes they're pretty good, but sometimes I start to explain one and the wheels come off fast. They make sense in my mind... usually. When you make comparisons like that, you can avoid repeating mistakes in different circumstances. See the lesson- copy and paste. My sister taught me that the definition of insanity is living the same way you always have and then expecting different results.
Skydiving, to me, is the perfect metaphor. It's something not a lot of people are willing to do. Mostly, I'm guessing, because of fear. Fear of what can go wrong. Fear of the unknown. Fear of falling.
Fear: aka- the opposite of faith
With all these "risks" in mind, I signed up (and to my surprise, so did my sister).
As we pulled into the parking lot of the skydive hanger, my sister anxiously said, "What are we doing? This is crazy! We are jumping out of a plane!" I didn't say anything; Trying to understand what she really meant. Although her message was simple, I had trouble following. I was ready, but can you be too ready?
To my excitement and anxiousness, I was the first to jump out. The door opened and there we went! 

It's funny how the human mind works. For about 5 seconds my brain was trying to categorize what I was feeling and couldn't quite find a file that fit the description. The best example I can give is the sensation of crashing deep down into a pool. You're breathless. The sounds, the feel, the speed... NOT what I expected.

The next thirty seconds or so of free-fall was exciting. I was flying; A feeling of success and pure joy.

Then the parachute gets pulled and for a while, the world around you changes. Everything gets bigger and weirdly, everything gets smaller too. Then that experience is over.
I would do it again in a second, but yet it feels like it was just a dream. "Did that really happen? It was so quick," I asked myself and then my sister. Only minutes out of one day that I had been waiting for for years, done. 
So what's the metaphor? I like to call it life. You can stay on the ground, you can even wait on the plane, but I think you might as well jump... JUMP!