One of my biggest fears is singing- or having someone hear me sing...
I don't even know why. It's always been there and I don't even remember when this fear started. I got annoyed at myself for this even being an issue so I made the decision to face it. Just like that.
So- Here goes.
PS- in NO WAY am I proclaiming to be a guitar player- I just started playing 2 weeks prior to this recording so no judgements- on either!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
The outside World
I had a weekend from hell (coles notes- I lost my marbles, Alexander had a relapse with his bowels again, and I made a very poor choice that caused me to really rethink some of my decisions as of late) and yesterday I needed a day of deflation. I needed to regroup, gather my thoughts and through what energy I had into something positive. So, I went to my new favorite coffee shop and started editing photos.
I must have been wearing my heart on my sleeve.
A complete stranger (a very cute one) came up to me and thought perhaps I was troubled.
He asked me.... "are you ok?"
I was taken back and startebd to smile immediately. I wasn't OK but I faked it.
I responded with "Im ok, Thank you".
After he left I asked myself what his motive was.
Then I thought. Perhaps there was none? And then I asked myself- when was the last time I really set aside myself from me and my world and cared to just watch and see what was going around me.
Sadly- its been too long. I think the world as a whole has this problem. We are so engrossed in our own lives that we haven't a clue what is going on around us. We have become oblivious creatures of habit- consumed by our "lives" that we forget to realize that we are indeed sharing a world. I think perhaps I should make a better effort to share....
I am serious when I say I wish to make a serious effort to step out of my box and really LOOK at the world around me. I all of the sudden feel like I'm missing out on something this gentleman is experiencing and feel a desire to experience more.
That, I can say, was officially the best part of my day. So thank you young man, for the realization and the impact you made.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Wednesday, August 07, 2013
Dreams Have Expiration Dates by Tony Retrosi
DREAMS HAVE EXPIRATION DATES
When I was younger, ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS MAKE AN OLYMPIC TEAM. It wasn’t a far-fetched dream either; I was pretty good. But I got slower, and I got less motivated, and I had other interests. Sooner or later, it became clear that it wasn’t going to happen. My dream of being an Olympian had an expiration date, and expire it did.
I am admittedly one of those painfully hopeful people who believe that you should never give up on something that you really want. I think that far too many people go to the grave with regrets from not pursuing their dreams. It’s not that I believe that pursuing dreams will guarantee that they will come to fruition; I don’t. I simply believe that that giving your dream everything you’ve got is the only way to truly live with yourself.
Of course this idea is met with great cynicism. The messages that we consume often encourage us to quit, to give up; to be “realistic.” And many of us fall prey to these messages because chasing dreams often involves suffering and sacrifice. And suffering and sacrifice are not valued experiences, at least not anymore. We value comfort and we value it a lot. Turn on the television, log into Facebook, go for a walk outside, and all the messages are the same: Be as comfortable as possible.
In our naiveté, we mistake comfort for fulfillment and happiness. And in our effort to be as comfortable as possible, we start chipping away at our dreams. We tell ourselves that once we get enough money or enough experience or meet that right person or move to that right place, then and only then, will we give ourselves the chance. We are always looking for the perfect time to pursue our dreams and tomorrow always seems like the perfect time. Because tomorrow never dies. That is of course, until it does.
Look around you and look inside you. How many people do you think are settling? I will tell you: a hell of a lot of people. People are settling every day into okay relationships and okay jobs and an okay life. And do you know why? Because okay is comfortable. Okay pays the bills and gives a warm bed at night and allows one to go out with co-workers on a Friday evening to enjoy happy hour. But do you know what okay is not? Okay isn’t thrilling, it isn’t passion, it isn’t the reason you get up every day; it isn’t life-changing or unforgettable. Okay is not the reason you go to bed late and wake up early. Okay is NOT the reason you risk absolutely everything you’ve got just for the smallest chance that something absolutely amazing could happen.
You might not achieve what you set out to achieve when you pursue your dreams; there is a very real likelihood it won’t happen. But don’t you want to give yourself the chance while you can? Because even though you might not want to give up on your dreams, if you put if off long enough, your dreams could give up on you. Because dreams are not perpetual; they are temporary. Like many things in life, they have expiration dates. And when they expire all you might have left is your comfort. But you may find that your comfort will soon start to resemble regret. And as I’m sure you’ve heard before: regret is eternal.
How would you live your life if YOU had an expiration date?
Some questions I ask myself (yes, I know these are a little bleak)
Have I lived past my expiration date? Do I have anything left to contribute?
To contribute to society?
To contribute to my friends?
To contribute to the gymnastics community?
I once said, “if you’re not having fun what’s the point?”
Now I wonder if I’m not contributing what’s the point?
- See more at: http://www.gymmomentum.com/2013/08/07/dreams-have-expiration-dates/#sthash.EFIOPAte.2HKTOkA9.dpuf
When I was younger, ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS MAKE AN OLYMPIC TEAM. It wasn’t a far-fetched dream either; I was pretty good. But I got slower, and I got less motivated, and I had other interests. Sooner or later, it became clear that it wasn’t going to happen. My dream of being an Olympian had an expiration date, and expire it did.
I am admittedly one of those painfully hopeful people who believe that you should never give up on something that you really want. I think that far too many people go to the grave with regrets from not pursuing their dreams. It’s not that I believe that pursuing dreams will guarantee that they will come to fruition; I don’t. I simply believe that that giving your dream everything you’ve got is the only way to truly live with yourself.
Of course this idea is met with great cynicism. The messages that we consume often encourage us to quit, to give up; to be “realistic.” And many of us fall prey to these messages because chasing dreams often involves suffering and sacrifice. And suffering and sacrifice are not valued experiences, at least not anymore. We value comfort and we value it a lot. Turn on the television, log into Facebook, go for a walk outside, and all the messages are the same: Be as comfortable as possible.
In our naiveté, we mistake comfort for fulfillment and happiness. And in our effort to be as comfortable as possible, we start chipping away at our dreams. We tell ourselves that once we get enough money or enough experience or meet that right person or move to that right place, then and only then, will we give ourselves the chance. We are always looking for the perfect time to pursue our dreams and tomorrow always seems like the perfect time. Because tomorrow never dies. That is of course, until it does.
Look around you and look inside you. How many people do you think are settling? I will tell you: a hell of a lot of people. People are settling every day into okay relationships and okay jobs and an okay life. And do you know why? Because okay is comfortable. Okay pays the bills and gives a warm bed at night and allows one to go out with co-workers on a Friday evening to enjoy happy hour. But do you know what okay is not? Okay isn’t thrilling, it isn’t passion, it isn’t the reason you get up every day; it isn’t life-changing or unforgettable. Okay is not the reason you go to bed late and wake up early. Okay is NOT the reason you risk absolutely everything you’ve got just for the smallest chance that something absolutely amazing could happen.
You might not achieve what you set out to achieve when you pursue your dreams; there is a very real likelihood it won’t happen. But don’t you want to give yourself the chance while you can? Because even though you might not want to give up on your dreams, if you put if off long enough, your dreams could give up on you. Because dreams are not perpetual; they are temporary. Like many things in life, they have expiration dates. And when they expire all you might have left is your comfort. But you may find that your comfort will soon start to resemble regret. And as I’m sure you’ve heard before: regret is eternal.
How would you live your life if YOU had an expiration date?
Some questions I ask myself (yes, I know these are a little bleak)
Have I lived past my expiration date? Do I have anything left to contribute?
To contribute to society?
To contribute to my friends?
To contribute to the gymnastics community?
I once said, “if you’re not having fun what’s the point?”
Now I wonder if I’m not contributing what’s the point?
- See more at: http://www.gymmomentum.com/2013/08/07/dreams-have-expiration-dates/#sthash.EFIOPAte.2HKTOkA9.dpuf
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