Youthful Life: X

Truth - People are never who we imagine them to be; they are so much more. All our predictions of how each and every person will turn out are nothing more than romanticized fantasies There's no way to know what the each person holds inside them or how things will go until you get to know them. Why then do we spend so much making things up instead of being in the here and now with them? Why do we settle for cheap imitations when we can have the real thing? Why take the fool's gold when you can have genuine gold?   "We are treasure chests with more jewels inside than we can imagine.” Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha The great outdoors have never been something that I have been too fond of but there have been times where I've truly enjoyed it. One of those times was my in my childhood when I'd want to explore a forest or near a streaming creek. I'd get down in the mud and make little trenches for the water to flow in. I could spend hours redirecting the flo...

Truth - Saying goodbye may be one of the hardest I ever end up having to do. I guess it's the finality of the statement that signifies a severance, a disconnect, and an indefinite end. It's the ambiguity of not knowing when but even more if you will ever see someone again in person that makes it so difficult. I can say all I want that this is only see you later, but the actuality is that if I do not make the effort to visit or stay in touch with people, goodbye may be the last parting words some hear from me. There's a big difference between goodbye or farewell, and see you later/soon. No matter what some connection make it through it all - that's forever and always.   "You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." C.S. Lewis It's so easy to come into situations with this attitude or mindset that you're there for one reason only. You can accomplish your goal but it becomes apparent quickly if life has other plans for your...

The 20s are all about redefining your comfort zone. Everyone has those places and situations that knock you right on out of your safety net. You're nervous, anxious, and sometimes even a little (or a lot) scared. It's normal but it doesn't make it any less daunting. We face brand new things daily and immediately it becomes clear whether we're up for it or not. Knowing and understanding your discomfort are the keys to overcoming it. We're headed into uncharted territories. This is the final frontier.    "As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal" Robin S. Sharma Growing up is both exciting and scary at the same damn time. I like the adventure that it brings but the uncertainty I could probably do without. I can admit that I've spent the majority of my life trying to be in control of everything that happens around and/or to me. In a world where young people often have relatively lit...

The 20s are all about doing the most. There is no other time in our lives that will be like this. College is a microcosm of ideal situations that come together. With little responsibility save your own well-being, it's the best time to live life the fullest. Get as much out of what you are able to do daily here because sooner or later it'll be over and life changes, for better and worse. Adventure, explore, and exert yourself - what have you got to lose? You'll never know what you're capable of unless you push yourself; this is running on empty.   You know how people have that one thing they are super passionate and knowledgeable about? It's the thing that they can talk about endlessly and when they do their eyes light up. For a lot of guys I know it's sports, alcohol, or cars. I on the other hand don't care for any of the above but have learned a lot, particularly in the past year about them all. Learned the basics of rugby and lacrosse, nuances of brew...

The 20s are all about being grateful for those around you. There comes a time in your life where you gain this awareness of truly how blessed you are. It's the moments when you realize you're surrounded by people that you value and reciprocate those same feelings for you. It's this moment of immense clarity where you are conscious of what you built for yourself, but even more so what has been afforded to you. People will do good unto to you if you let them do so. There are no such things are ordinary people, everyone can be extraordinary. The day I discovered that sometimes happiness was easy as deciding to be so was the day that found an immense power within myself. Instead of letting circumstances beyond my control bring me down I tapped in an inner goodness that serves as a never-ending source of positivity. Even more so is coming to the understanding that the moments that I cherished most where the ones where I let myself be happy. Too many times had I stood in the ...