Reflections on life, death and what matters in between
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“So long, and make it a good day”
Are you letting the days happen? Or are you happening to the days?
“Reputations are not built on what a person intends to do.”
My Grandfather was a news anchor for a local channel back in the day. He used to end every show with a closing thought and the same slogan, “So long, and make it a good day.”
How simple, yet profound and impactful. He was also a writer and a poet. For those who are also writers, you understand the level of detail and effort that goes into finding just the right words to capture an intended meaning, moment and/or emotion.
The subtle choice to say “make it” vs. “have” when suggesting a good day; The simplicity of that line, yet the depth that it carries - it’s brilliant writing. All writers strive to say more with less.
Take a moment to reflect on your recent days as well as the days ahead. How have they been? Are you letting the days happen? Or are you happening to the days?
My Grandfather understood that good days, while some may end up that way by chance, are earned. They’re earned through being honest, well-intentioned and through focused effort. We each have that power, to make life good. Every day when you wake up - and this is especially true for the days you’re not looking forward to, or the days within a tough stretch when things aren’t going well and haven’t been for a while. What are you going to do to make it better?
We all have the same 24 hours. Some choose to let the day pass by. Some choose to dwell and wallow in spite of the new day afforded to them. Some just don’t care to take advantage of the time they have on Earth.
Some people wake up knowing that this day, like every other, is a gift full of opportunities to utilize and wonders to explore.
What kind of day are you going to have today?
So long -
Related Poetry
The Once-Shiny Nickel
From Air & Water: A ThoughtPose Poetry Collection | 4/3/2019
Saved for later
Spent, forgotten
The wish you tossed
The jangle when there's more
The 50/50 chance of luck
The change you need
To make a dollar
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What to do when you don’t know what to do
Feeling stuck? I’ll get straight to the point. This should take you ~20 minutes.
“Stop being a dick to your future self.”
Feeling stuck? I’ll get straight to the point. This should take you ~20 minutes.
On one piece of paper, make a list of four different lists, one in each corner, with 3-5 items each:
Types of content you consume most often
Successful people you admire/follow along with what they do
Skills you have or would like to have
Hobbies and other ways you spend free time
Now make one more list in the middle with three columns of:
Column 1: Potential ways to spend your time that combines items and ideas from at least two of your other lists
Column 2: How this idea could help others
Column 3: How this idea could help you (with boredom, purpose, mental health, and/or financially)
It should look something like this:
It might take some creative energy, but that’s the fun part. Here’s a free template you can use.
Filling this out marks the beginning of your next chapter. If you’re discouraged and you’re not sure what to do with your life, or you at least know that what you’re currently doing isn’t it, then this is what to do.
Don’t put pressure on this exercise, and don’t feel like you need to come up with THE answer right away. Rather, treat this exercise like a puzzle or like a video game with levels to beat. Start with this worksheet and, when you come up with something in the middle section that resonates with you, well then you’ve beaten level 1.
If you chip away at solving this puzzle/beating the game on a consistent basis (especially during those times where you feel stagnant and unsure of what to do), then you not only will have solved boredom or feeling stuck, you may well also have unlocked a career path for yourself and answered the question, “What is my purpose?”
Keep at it. You have something special to contribute to the world that no one else has. You owe it to yourself and to others who may benefit to figure out what that special something is.
For me, word art and sharing these reflections to help others was the thing in the middle of my piece of paper. Identifying and then pursuing this has changed my life.
I look forward to seeing what you come up with!
Love to all -
Related Poetry
Pick a hobby
From Air & Water: A ThoughtPose Poetry Collection | 11/7/2018
Hobby roulette
Not-too obvious intent
I find my goals get lost
Before they’re known,
Nevermind properly set
I’d probably be better off
Sharpening focus instead
But I’m more open-ended
Than closed off, I guess
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Please, stop saying these words…
If you practice this on the small things, you will become better at WILLING yourself forward through the big things.
“Be bound to your word, and speak it profoundly.”
Shoulda / coulda / woulda - knock it off with using these words? Will ya?
It should… wait… It will never be the case that something doesn’t get done, simply because you thought you should or could or would, but then still chose not to. Right?
Alas, as demonstrated above, how easy it is to fall into that trap?
I’ve talked about this before, but of course you won’t be perfect at this, and sometimes the opportunity to correct a shoulda/woulda/coulda will have passed.
But every time you think “I should [insert thing you think you should to]”, just go do the thing. Prioritize it, as your intuition suggests.
A small way to practice this every day is to respond as quickly as possible to everyone that reaches out to you - whether it’s a colleague or an old friend or even someone you don’t like. Whether it’s an email or a text or a call. Pick up. Respond. Be available. This is better than thinking in your head (for hours, sometimes days) that you should get back to that person.
This practice applies to tasks as small as cleaning your room, to goals as large as changing your career. It’s obvious, but still bears repeating that if you practice this on the small things, you will become better at WILLING yourself forward through the big things.
Hope that helps. Now, I shall get back to storyboarding this next project…
Love to all -
Related Poetry
Ways and means
From Fire & Earth: A ThoughPose Poetry Collection | 6/10/2019
I’ve got a dull edge
And a broken hand
Where the handle used to be
You’ve got bad vision,
Holding a sign that sort of
Looks like a bullseye from here
We’ve got a decent shot
Shoddy means,
But an end in sight, it seems
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