Bryan Parady's Blog, page 42

Love Affair

There is a huge love affair that is very prevalent.  The conspirator in this affair is very seductive, affecting both men and women. It’s a genius at stealing attention and making itself the center of a person’s world.  It is very very smooth.  It’s successfully hurt relationships and marriages, is a source of conflict and as a result can make your loved one feel very alone.

So who is the perpetrator?  Your phone.

That’s right you phone.

Rarely do I go out anymore and see individuals fully engaged with one another.  Instead there are constant distractions and buzzes from those little things we carry around in our pockets.

Facebook notifications, tweet updates, new pinterest posts, photos on instagram, added people in our circle on linkedin.  Not to mention the countless lame and utterly pointless youtube videos.

Communication is dying, much like the dinosaur.

We become more and more self absorbed in our selfie, false reality, I’m better than you showy digital world.

We use filters and adjustments to make us look thinner and sexier.  We showcase all the good things in our lives, while keeping all the bad habits and ugly parts off so the world doesn’t see them, and we have this completely fake persona of a perfect life that is anything but.

Who are we really fooling?  Ourselves?  Our friends?  People who are in our friends, but we have no idea why?

Trying to impress people and win approval from people we don’t care about, or compete with strangers we don’t know.

The love affair is getting worse.  It sticks it’s grimy fingers in everything. And as with all dangerous affairs there is a need to cut it off.

I love some of the benefits of social media, the ability to convey thoughts and ideas, share moments with loved ones across time and space. It’s a useful tool.  But like most tools, if you can’t handle it properly it can become dangerous.

How has social media grown you as a person, or made you a better person, or gotten you closer to your life goal?  Maybe it’s time to start asking if it’s getting us closer to those things, or distracting us from getting there.

Rise To The Occasion

 

 

Life presents us with problems, obstacles, confusion and all kinds of crazy twists and turns. But while we usually look at these things as bad things, it’s all a matter of perspective.

You see that crazy twist, has an amazing surprise around the corner.  That obstacle is there to make you strong for the next one which is bigger.  That problem is going to make you have to be creative and come up with amazing new ideas to conquer issues.

We don’t have to look at seemingly endless stairways as insurmountable.  Everything is attainable, it’s just a matter  of perspective. You can do anything you want, and you can get over any obstacle.

So how do you do this?  Work.  Work your butt off.  Don’t sit and talk about how your problem will pass, and just try to make it through….bull crap.  Your problem isn’t going anywhere unless you take it and throw it off a mountain.  Get rid of it and run. Your problems, you obstacles, aren’t meant to keep you held up, figure out how to get around and go quickly.  Move on.

Take life by the horns, and own your day. Own your problems.  Own your life. You are capable.

Don’t Give Up

There are days when I question everything I do.  Am I doing the right thing?  Am I doing the wrong thing?  I think most of us have those days.  We wonder if we are heading down the right road.  If we missed a turn somewhere, or if we’re now miserably lost.

The truth is you are never going to know if you are making a right or wrong decision until you actually make it.

I know people, and I am one of those people who at times talks about doing things, but never makes a decision.  We have to act.  We have to be bold in our decisions.  Choose to act, choose to choose.  Even if it is the wrong decision, you will learn something, and you will know one less thing not to pick.

But the thing is making choices and decisions all open up doors.  You may make a choice that doesn’t end up being what you want, but you may meet someone or open up a new opportunity for something different.

So….go for it!  Stop asking if you should, if you could, or if you would….just quit with the questions and do it.  You will be glad you did.

 

We Choose

It’s a crazy thought sometimes to think that we choose whether our life stays in the direction it is heading, or if it changes paths entirely.  If you feel stuck, if you feel like you are heading to a dead end, do you know who’s responsibility it is to turn around?

Yours.

We each have to make choices.  When you look back at decisions you have made, how many big life events were made by seemingly small “decisions”, The choice to take a different route home, to stop a at a store you usually don’t stop at, to say hi to that person, to make that phone call, to choose to dare great things.

Life is made by making decisions.  Yes some are much harder than others.  But if your life is heading in a direction you don’t like, make a decisions and change it.  You have that power to reroute where you are going.

And if you don’t make that decision, nothing will change.

So choose your new life today.  You can do it.  You were meant to do it.

Breaking Habits

Habits are hard to break. Whether it’s unhealthy diets, bad sleeping habits, bad substances, or negative thoughts.

I tend to be a glass half full person (I know right?)  I tend to look at the “rationale” part before anything else.  This is very unhealthy.

Now I’m not saying we don’t have to be rationale, we do.  But when we allow rationality to defuse excitement or hope for the future, then it turns into something not only unhealthy, but dangerous.

Rationale when taken to extremes keeps us stuck, it keeps us from ever doing anything bold, because usually bold steps toward goals and dreams, are anything but rationale.

Sometimes this rationale can even come across as being negative, it’s not intentional in that sense, but nevertheless, it happens.  And this negativity is what leads us down a dangerous path.  If we ever want to change, if we ever want to do something bold and great, then negativity has to go, because it is the death of crazy dreams.

So start breaking old habits, and start stepping away from rationality.

Facebook Anger

Sometimes I really think I need to keep away from Facebook.  I find myself getting more and more frustrated every time I’m on it, and sometimes saying things I shouldn’t.

The competition, pointless debates (yes I must confess I’ve gotten caught up in some), and obsession to impress/show off drives me absolutely crazy.

Maybe it’s not right that I feel this way but I do.  Just keeping it real.  It’s as if facebook has become a place where people can try to find validation and attention. Now don’t get me wrong, I think it definitely has its benefits, but I’m really starting to wonder if they are worth it.

I know that much of my issues could be resolved if I just simply stay away from it.  There are some friends and family that I like to stay in touch with and Facebook allows me to do that, but I really don’t know if I can take the drama and attention seeking from it anymore.  And selfies……don’t even get me started.

I know this blog has been more of a rant than anything, but it’s caused me to reevaluate what if anything I get off Facebook and if it’s bringing me down more than anything.  So I am seriously considering just staying  away from it all together.

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Vulnerable: Being Vulnerable In a Brick World

Keeping Your Mouth Shut

 

Sometimes keeping your mouth shut can be the best thing in the world.  There are definitely times when you need to speak out, but just as much, there are times when you need to know to not say what you think, or the first thing that comes to your mind.

I unfortunately am too familiar with this.  It’s really easy to talk out loud at times, or just say something on the spur of the moment, only to realize seconds later it would have been better not to say it.

It’s hard when we feel so passionately about something, but I have to realize that their are times when other people feel just as strongly about something different.  That doesn’t make them wrong and me right, or vice versa.  We all have different ways of seeing the world, different ways of living our life.

But this even carries over into our relationships with those around us.  A good rule of thumb is if what I’m about to say isn’t life building, I probably shouldn’t say it. This is preaching to me probably more than anyone.  Best of luck in learning to keep quiet sometimes.

Giving

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My daughter likes old school movies and tv shows.  The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, etc.  If it has real people and singing in it she’s entertained.  The other night she was watching an episode of Little House on the Prairie.  I had just gotten home from class and plopped on the couch to sit with her.

The episode was centered around Christmas and basically consisting of each of the family members making huge sacrifices in order to give something to their family.

Selfless giving is a good way to describe it.  It made me think how often do I give like that?  It can be easy for me to write a check to something, but is that the sole way we are supposed to give?

Isn’t giving supposed to be more of a sacrifice?  Maybe I’m not giving enough, maybe my whole definition of giving is off-kilter.

I don’t really have the one size fits all answer other than I think giving should be a completely selfless pouring out of myself.

If so I have a lot of work to do to get there, but I want to.

Pushing Yourself

Lots of things in life require quite a bit of work.  Staying fit, managing your money well, providing for your family, fulfilling dreams, making it through college, getting up every morning and heading to work. All these things can drain us and sometimes bring us to our knees.

But there is a reward. I frequently go through different weight lifting techniques and exercises to change up what’s happening to my muscles.  This usually is painful.  I am in the midst of a 12 week program right now that just incorporates different workouts with different weight amounts each week. My arms are aching today.

But in a good way, Because I know that with that pain I will see results.  I know that the amount I lifted today was far more than just two weeks ago.  It sucks on one hand.  There are a lot of days I get home from work and the gym is the last place I want to go, but I do it.  It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

If you have a dream, a passion, and want to get somewhere, keep working at it. You might not get there in a week, a month, a year, or even five, but keep working towards it.  It will pay off.