When we were growing up, school began in September and ended in June. It was basically like clockwork and guaranteed. We had a start point to hate and a goal that, while it seems like it was only getting further away, was always getting closer. Once the end of the year came, boom! Throw your books in the air (then get yelled at by Mom and pick them up because education is important and blah blah blah) and live your summer of playing basketball (or in my case looking like a complete idiot while shooting enough bricks to build a house) all day, flashlight tag until way past when you're supposed to be home, and sleeping in until you get yelled at for being lazy. Go to concerts and do an absolutely terrible job of hiding that you're drinking or smoking something (and then completely deny that you EVER did anything of the sort) Or in 2014, play a video game that is about all of those things because why do it when you can pay $60 to pretend that you're doing it? Come on, Mom, duh.
When we get older, though, there is no set end point. Basketball hurts, playing tag hurts, running around hurts (okay, everything hurts), going to concerts is just traffic and loud, drinking is a glass of wine, and sleeping in means waking up 15 minutes before your alarm instead of the usual 20. This ends when your heart goes, "WTF am I doing all of this for? I'm out." You worked so hard and what did you end up with? A tombstone that says, "At least I had a 401(k) to never enjoy." Don't do that. Go have fun. It's summer! If you're thinking, "Actually, summer doesn't start until June 20, Jason," Then this post is DIRECTLY aimed at you. Lighten up, man.
When we get older, though, there is no set end point. Basketball hurts, playing tag hurts, running around hurts (okay, everything hurts), going to concerts is just traffic and loud, drinking is a glass of wine, and sleeping in means waking up 15 minutes before your alarm instead of the usual 20. This ends when your heart goes, "WTF am I doing all of this for? I'm out." You worked so hard and what did you end up with? A tombstone that says, "At least I had a 401(k) to never enjoy." Don't do that. Go have fun. It's summer! If you're thinking, "Actually, summer doesn't start until June 20, Jason," Then this post is DIRECTLY aimed at you. Lighten up, man.
I'm not gonna lie, I don't do the sun very well. My wife refers to me as a vampire (and she was Team Jacob back in the day, so should I be worried about that?) and my experiences down in Dewey usually end up with me being the DD (never drink and drive, seriously). I went back through pictures recently and realized, "Man, when did I become 90?" I was incredi-lame (that will [never] catch on), and I'm supposed to be the one helping other people be happy? That's like Oscar the Grouch telling you to not be an asshole. Completely unacceptable.
It got me thinking, what's the point? What's the point in living if not to have fun and be happy? I don't think that there is one. I know that you need to work. I worked really hard to get here, just like you worked really hard to get where you are. I know that we all have responsibilities, things to take care of, reports to do, I've got that. However, why do we work? We work for a living; we don't live to work. You could have all the money in the world, an alphabet soup of letters after your name, be vice president of sales in Guam or even SENIOR vice president of sales in Guam, a nice house, a nice car, who gives a shit? What does all of that get you? Nothing, nada, zip. Those are points on your life's résumé (hold down Alt and then type 0023 on the number pad on the right side of your keyboard - you're welcome). Who cares? What's the point of a Lexus with nowhere to drive but work? What's the point of a mansion with no pictures of fun times to put on the walls? And where the hell is Guam?
The point in life is to enjoy it. The point is to use those educational, professional, and financial successes as tools to make being happy easier. Working in foster care, I've seen a lot of poverty. However, I've seen people struggling on food stamps who wake up with a smile every day while I see millionaires who haven't laughed outside of when their managing partner tells the same joke for the billionth time (yes, two guys walk into a bar and take the law exam. Got it. Still not funny). Money and society's version of "success" are worthless if they aren't means to get to your end goal of smiling because life is good, playing basketball even if you couldn't make a free throw (yes I had to look that one up), and breaking out the good bottle of wine you've been saving for a special occasion that never comes because you're too busy working late "just one more time." You woke up today. THAT is a special occasion.
I know that it can be hard to change that mindset. It's been beaten into your head for as long as you can remember. You can be happy, though. I've worked with a lot of people who haven't been. They've been happier, but more "less shitty" than actually happy. It takes work and effort to be able to enjoy the fruits of your work and effort, but that's something that I can work with you on. You can always contact me through this website, shoot me an e-mail, or call/text me at (302) 464-0021. The sooner you do, the easier it will be.
If you had no responsibilities, if you could go or do anything you wanted, then what would you do? Where would you go? Who would you be with?
And why the hell aren't you doing it now? As Ferris said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
So go get some sun. Go take your lunch break outside. Go have fun. You can do this, WE can do this.
Remember: Nobody said that it would be easy, but nobody said that you had to do it alone.
It got me thinking, what's the point? What's the point in living if not to have fun and be happy? I don't think that there is one. I know that you need to work. I worked really hard to get here, just like you worked really hard to get where you are. I know that we all have responsibilities, things to take care of, reports to do, I've got that. However, why do we work? We work for a living; we don't live to work. You could have all the money in the world, an alphabet soup of letters after your name, be vice president of sales in Guam or even SENIOR vice president of sales in Guam, a nice house, a nice car, who gives a shit? What does all of that get you? Nothing, nada, zip. Those are points on your life's résumé (hold down Alt and then type 0023 on the number pad on the right side of your keyboard - you're welcome). Who cares? What's the point of a Lexus with nowhere to drive but work? What's the point of a mansion with no pictures of fun times to put on the walls? And where the hell is Guam?
The point in life is to enjoy it. The point is to use those educational, professional, and financial successes as tools to make being happy easier. Working in foster care, I've seen a lot of poverty. However, I've seen people struggling on food stamps who wake up with a smile every day while I see millionaires who haven't laughed outside of when their managing partner tells the same joke for the billionth time (yes, two guys walk into a bar and take the law exam. Got it. Still not funny). Money and society's version of "success" are worthless if they aren't means to get to your end goal of smiling because life is good, playing basketball even if you couldn't make a free throw (yes I had to look that one up), and breaking out the good bottle of wine you've been saving for a special occasion that never comes because you're too busy working late "just one more time." You woke up today. THAT is a special occasion.
I know that it can be hard to change that mindset. It's been beaten into your head for as long as you can remember. You can be happy, though. I've worked with a lot of people who haven't been. They've been happier, but more "less shitty" than actually happy. It takes work and effort to be able to enjoy the fruits of your work and effort, but that's something that I can work with you on. You can always contact me through this website, shoot me an e-mail, or call/text me at (302) 464-0021. The sooner you do, the easier it will be.
If you had no responsibilities, if you could go or do anything you wanted, then what would you do? Where would you go? Who would you be with?
And why the hell aren't you doing it now? As Ferris said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
So go get some sun. Go take your lunch break outside. Go have fun. You can do this, WE can do this.
Remember: Nobody said that it would be easy, but nobody said that you had to do it alone.
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