The Value of You

I know what you're thinking, another self-help article about feeling better, about being better. Wrong. I would never lecture somebody about their life, I'm just here to put in my two cents in and hopefully someone turns it into a million. How many times have you sat at home and swore to yourself that tomorrow was going to be the day? Tomorrow I'm going to do this, tomorrow I'm going to change that. I've been there, trust me I'm with you buddy. I hate to break it to you, but you might be dead tomorrow. That's not a threat, I'm just saying. How many times have you come home from a stressful day and thrown yourself directly into additional responsibilities? I'm active duty military with a wife and a two-year-old and sorry if you're reading this babe, but I'm going to say it. When I come home I give myself 20 to 30 minutes, sometimes even an hour to decompress. In that time, I am on my own, just me in my own thoughts, I do what I want and it has changed my life ever since I started the habit.

I can read your mind, you're probably thinking I should be cleaning the house, feeding the kid, mowing the lawn. All of those things are going to be there when my "me" time is done and I assure you, my son is always going to be fed. What I'm trying to say is that this time could completely change the outlook on your day. You need to start doing things for the betterment of yourself. I've never used conditioner in my hair because I always thought it was a waste of time; it's not, it makes your hair smoother and probably increases its longevity. Longevity. That's the word. Take a walk to the store and leave the car at home. You will save gas and get some fresh air, or at least somewhat fresh. Listen and observe things around you, because at the end of the day there's more to the world than you. Pay a little more for that good meat or milk. Buy that extra large popcorn at the movies. It's called balance. People get so worked up trying to be healthy, they spend every second of the day on a routine like a robot. Some people, on the other hand, consume anything in sight and let themselves be consumed by their emotions or whatever the toxins they choose are. If you find balance in your life and put a little more care and thought for yourself, you will learn to appreciate the world around you. Change doesn't happen overnight, change happens when you finally let it. Don't like the way you look in the mirror? Work at it, every single day, work you ass off. When you are on the path to success, don't do it for anyone but yourself. No one is just going give you the trophy, you have to take it. If it ends up you're not that great at what you want to do in life, either swallow your pride and work harder or choose a new path. As a man that's getting older, I'll tell you that you have to know when to say enough is enough, I know when I can't run hills or drink three days straight like I used to. Accept that you're changing, you're getting older, it comes with a great reward if you have the right mindset. If you do all these things, life just might be a little better for you, at least I hope.

-One day at a time.