Forgive me for rambling but over the last week I’ve had a lot to unload from my mind and some of it just doesn’t fit in my little black book of poetry. If there is anything that I have perfected in this life, it’s the art of getting in the way of my own self. I can look at any psychological study, self-improvement book, or any other form of self-reflection that is out there and point out my own shortcomings in an instant. I may be reluctant in doing so depending on my company but I am aware. I have all the excitement and drive to get something started but when it comes down to it, I can easily see that the direction isn’t right and dismiss all the previous efforts to move in a different direction. The change of direction can often times mean that I’ll spin myself in circles with a two steps forward one step to the right approach, even when five steps forward is clearly the destination I am striving for.
Two things that were said to me in the past by people very close to me have been rattling in my brain this week like the sound of the Salvation Army volunteers that will soon be everywhere. The first statement that has been on my mind is that I am not a passionate person. The second is that some people need to be believed in by others before they can believe in themselves. Both of these things were told to me by people that I love and both statements were the furthest things from true in respect to the mouths in which they came from, at least that’s my belief. Often times we project our own “stuff” onto those around us but I’d argue that it is not always the case, especially in these two instances.
After this week I am thinking of these statements quite differently. There is never a shortage of passion from me. In fact, I’m the type of person that gets people excited about things they really had no interest in to begin with from Top Ramen to toothbrushes, or from coffee to shirts and sneakers, everything has a place in my heart for some reason, and I share it with whoever experiences time with me. If you’ve spent time with me, you’ve come to love things that I am passionate about and more than likely even if we’re no longer as close as we once were, or see each other less often, those things remain to be important in your life. However, perhaps my passion needs to be more focused, more directed towards goals and dreams, rather than the excitement of every possibility that pops in to my head. Which leads me into the second statement.
Does someone really need another person to believe in them before they can accomplish their dreams and goals? Of course. Usually it comes from parents, friends, siblings or partners, but nobody gets going in life without the support of others. Surrounding yourself with people that believe in your abilities, ideas or dreams is what life is all about. As difficult as it may be, separating yourself from those that aren’t supportive of your dreams and goals is one of the biggest keys to success, whether personally or professionally. Even if you just want to live a “normal life” finding people that want to do the same and will support you in that is important. Of course as we grow and strive to be better people, we find the people that will fill those shortcomings of our own to bring a certain balance to our lives, whatever that may be.
So why are these ideas rattling in my head and why am I still rambling? I don’t know. Just kidding.
I want to be better as a person, better with my direction, better in my listening abilities, and better at hearing what people are saying even if the words come out differently than they mean it. I do it often, say things that aren’t exactly thought out (yes, you are reading a perfect example), then realize how it came out and try to restate it in a more comprehensible fashion. It’s taken me a long time to hear many of the things that were said to me in the past, these are just two examples of hundreds, but they’ve returned for a reason and I am revisiting them.
I believe that every person has incredible passion for the things they cherish in life; some just keep it on the inside and share it with their most intimate friends. Sometimes I envy that because wearing your heart on your sleeve leaves you quite vulnerable all the time. In regards to those passions, I believe that every person in this world is capable of making anything they want happen. No matter how crazy the goal or dream sounds, it just needs a plan and the effort to get it moving. Our “natural instinct” thanks to TV and other forms of media is to believe that we’re not able to accomplish the unbelievable, that it’s reserved for more deserving people like the ones we see on TV. Believe me, someone already believes in you, whether it’s someone crazy like me, or your family, friends or teachers, someone believed in you enough to teach you how to read or use a computer and here you are reading this.
Thank you for believing in me enough to read this (even without a picture!). No matter who you are or if we’ve met before, I hope you understand my passion for making my dreams and your dreams come true in this life. That’s what we are here for, to help each other make this life the best it can be. I’m starting today and everyday that follows, to practice surrounding myself with positive people that believe the same and I hope you will too.
Dream loud enough for good people to hear you and they will support you 🙂
