Find YOUR Guiding Light...

It takes anywhere from 21 to 66 or even 122 days to form a habit (and I'm not talking the nun kind of habit). One hundred twenty two days or more precisely 10,540,800 seconds is a long time. That being said, waiting for a habit to form is like a snail saying "I'll be right back." I'll wait. Never mind.

If habits are not the answer to eating healthy, exercising daily, or quitting that pesky addictive behavior, how then can one expect to sustain anything? 

From my own experience and blogging the past 23 days, it is no easy feat. There are sick days, sad days, sleepy days, and Seahawk days - all of which bang on the door and beg me to come out to play or on other days, plead for me to stay in bed just 5 more minutes. In sum, it's not easy but I think I've found a light at the end of this oh so dark tunnel.

Find the ultimate reason you are doing it.

Follow Me...

At the end of the long, dark tunnel there needs to be a light. A light that shows the way even when everything around you is crumbling to the ground. My goal is to make money doing what I love. My goal is to inspire, educate, entertain and connect with people through writing. These goals matter to me so much I will do anything, except for waiting for that snail to come back, to achieve them. I have the support of my boyfriend Chris who asks me every morning if I've written my blog and friends who call when I haven't posted, however when it's all said and done, they are not the reason I put my hands to the keyboard each morning. As I said before, find the ultimate reason. Take time to seriously consider the why as it will provide the step to where you want to get to. The goal is to find the light at the end of the tunnel so that when you fall, and you will, you know how to reorient yourself again.

What Can YOU Spare...

Altruism: the act of sacrificing something - time, energy, possessions - without expecting anything in return. 

Community meal at Slab City

Our culture is severely inflicted with me mentality, where sparing even the slightest moment is met with the question "how will this benefit me?" Yesterday's discussion of medicating children highlights repercussions when individual's in a family or community setting focus solely on meeting their own needs. Parents will sacrifice their own life in order to save their child from harm, yet will neglect the child's emotional and psychological needs daily. I witnessed a man come into the casino yesterday badly wanting to play poker and "only had an hour because his 10 and 7 year old were home alone." He explained poker being a "better" addiction than the addictions he's had in the past, yet continued to play well past the hour he'd planned. Although an extreme example of selfishness, our thought should not be "at least I'm not as bad as that guy," but rather should be "how can I sacrifice my time and energy more?" 

Get Yourself Together...

The ups and downs of life are something we all experience. No one person is above the pain loss brings, the fear that comes with uncertainty or the disappointment when life didn't turn out the way you planned. You had two kids and you don't like your body, you had a miscarriage and your dreams are gone, you were cheated on and you no longer want to live. I get it. It sucks. It really does. Cry, scream, plead, bargain, blame, makes excuses but at the end of the day nothing changes. The fact remains regardless of what the circumstance, you are still here. Get up, put your big girl (or boy) panties on, and know that even if you're heading into the hardest thing you'll ever have to do you'll get through it. Most likely you will be better for it.

If It Can Snow in Florida...

The only time snow has ever fallen in Miami, Florida was 37 years ago today. Due to the light dusting, 150,000 migrant workers lost their jobs and a state of emergency was called. The city of which I currently reside is in a similar state of emergency. Their precious Seahawks are up against their rival, a team only a month and a half prior they lost to by two points, and of which stands between them and a never won Superbowl. This rival was taken to new heights after Seattle fans flew their logo on a banner above Candlestick Park and matched by San Fran fan's when they raised $9,000 for a billboard boasting their five Superbowl trophies. Whatever the outcome, downtown Seattle will become a rabid dog in just a few hours. Unknowingly I purchased tickets to Jerry Springer: The Opera, a mere six blocks away from the stadium. The play will most likely let out just as the game starts, hopefully making the play to game transition as seamless as possible. If there is any doubt as to where my allegiance lies, let me say one thing before I forget, GO HAWKS!

Give Me a Break...

Write the story you would want to read. This is the advice given when I googled "what kind of book should I write." In my own daily struggle to find the right words, I've put undo stress on myself. I want each post to be perfect and in my pursuit of perfection put undo stress on myself. This undo stress manifested a week and a half ago when I pinched a nerve in my neck. I went to an acupuncturist for the first time this morning, hoping to find relief from the constant shooting pain. The acupuncturist told me he would take care of 80% of the problem but that I would be responsible for the other 20%. He made me aware of the strain placed on my neck while on the computer, watching television in bed and if I use more than one pillow. In an almost prophetic Chinese medicine man kind of way he said, "Sometimes things just need a break."

Here I lie, positioned on the left side of my body, laptop on its side and my head limp on one pillow, giving my neck its break. Purposefully relaxing this way is not something I normally do. Even if my body isn't moving my mind is on think auto pilot, straining the heck out of my psyche. Tonight is oh so needed break. Here's to doing my 20%.

Let's Go Fly a Kite...

I have been commemorating birthdays lately - Martin Luther Ling, Albert Schweitzer, my own- therefore it would make sense for me to give a shout out to Benjamin Franklin. Happy birthday Ben! He's the reason I get up in the morning. Check out his schedule, then I'll tell you more. ----> Schedule.
As for 'ol Benny, being the reason I get up in the morning, it's true. I now get up two or more hours earlier after reading his schedule. I figured since he invented bifocals, the lightning rod, glass harmonica, library chair, swim fins, Franklin stove, catheters and Daylight Savings Time, following in his footsteps might not be such a bad idea. The only problem I had with asking, what good shall I do this day, is that it takes away the element of surprise. Doing good things is fine as long as I decide when. 
Purposely thinking about doing good things before I do them is foreign to me. Herein lies my question: In order to do more good, in an enjoyable, sustainable way, is Mr. Franklin's planning good at the beginning of the day or my way, whenever I feel like it, the better option?
For the next three days I will wake and plan good things in the morning. After the three days are up I'll let you know my results. If anybody out there wants to do it with me, that would be super sweet. Maybe even email me something good you did and I'll put it in my report on Monday. Happy Friday!