Youthful Life: X

"Part of adulthood is searching for the people who understand you." Hanya Yanagihara Adulthood can be lonely. In the pursuit of our passions we often sacrifice connection to others, but at what cost. Life is about connection - relationship, proximity, care, love. Without those things what is the purpose of life, and yet still we find ourselves adrift, aloof, and away from all those we've forged connections too before. We're all looking for something, but what could we be searching for that continues to evade us? We are looking for those who understand us, and even more so to be understood. We want to be around people get us, experience us the way we want them to, see us for who we are, and celebrate us in our imperfect actuality. We want those who want to hear our life stories from cover to cover, who will take notes in the margins, and resonate with the characters. We strive for people who see us transparently and yet remain despite what they see. We want peo...

Truth - Those who succeed may not necessarily be exceptionally talented but they do have the persistence to reach their goals. Sometimes waiting it out and chugging along is all it takes to make a breakthrough. Whereas others may give up or fall by the wayside, those who have that extra oomph in life keep going no matter what. Those who distinguish themselves from others do so by just doing what they need to longer. It may just very well be as simple as that. This is endurance. "Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance - the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it; better, will preserve it longer, than the sad or sullen" Thomas Carlyle One of the most valuable traits a person can demonstrate is endurance. It's that ability to keep going regardless of what comes their way. It's those that can wade through the deepest waters that emerge not only stronger but on the other side of tidal waves. Those that able to weather ...

Truth - We are exponentially more powerful than we every actually realize. What lies inside us is quite literally unfathomable. They say that we only ever use about 10% of our brain power but even with that miniscule amount we are empowered to do awe-inspiring things. Some may think that power is only metaphysical while others believe we are nothing more than conduits for what we siphon off of others. It has always been clear to me that our power comes from within. Those who are able to hone it are the most dynamic. They are able to most effectively use their power.   "Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control; these three alone lead one to sovereign power." Alfed Lord Tennison     Doubt can strike a profound fear in hearts and prevent us from reaching our full potential. By thinking we are incapable we create a self-fulfilling prophecy. We have the ability to not only make our doubts come true but to be rendered powerless against them. Doubt has the far-r...

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...

Truth - Love is the most powerful force on this Earth ... that I know. When people say that love conquers all, they are speaking a powerful, undeniable truth. Love is not something to be trifled with. It cannot be stifled, hidden, or silenced. Love is louder. Love is everything. Love is life. I sincerely believe our entire purpose as human beings is to love; to give it, receive it, and to pursue it to no end. Nothing should ever stand in its way and nothing ever can. This the L-Word. "Love is life. And if you miss love, you miss life" Leo Buscaglia The uttering of those three little words in succession, "I love you" can sometimes be so easy and other times so difficult. It wasn't until the past few years that I understood the absolutely crucial importance of saying I love you. It was only in recently times that I switched from the taboo conceptualization of the l-word to embracing it in its monumental magnitude. I think for me the complication of telling ...

Truth - Life is a constant fluctuation of emotions, situations, and states of being. It's so easy for me to get caught up in the changes and get lost in the chaos of it all. I find myself stuck in my head or flustered in my heart rather than living in the moment of taking into account all the good things around me. I find myself ragging on myself, pointing out where I could have done better, and holding on to moments that may not be have been so significant. What I miss out on is that in the grand scheme of things life really is good.   "When we only look for the good in people, we often miss the rest of them" Unknown Something I have been working on throughout my college experience and I guess life in retrospect is looking for the good in everything and everyone. I often fall into the trap of pointing out faults, flaws, and imperfections in myself instead of highlighting the things that I'm damn good at. Thankfully I'm better with others in being able to...

Truth - everyone gets one special day out of the year that is dedicated to them, their birthday. Today is my 22nd birthday and I cannot believe it. I'm telling you time absolutely zooms on by and all of sudden another year has passed. In the blink of an eye it seems that the annual celebration of my coming to this world has returned. For one day it gets to be about me and me alone, but you know what I've come to understand ... I'm not me without everyone around to support me. This birthday isn't just mine it's for all those that have been part of getting me through this year. I may be the birthday boy, but it's everyone's day. "We have to be able to grow up. Our wrinkles are our medals of the passage of life. They are what we have been through and who we want to be" Lauren Hutton   As someone who highly values reflection and tracking change I love rereading my old birthday posts (check them out here:  21st   20th 19th 18th ). It's...