Never ever, in my whole entire life, would I think that a bunch of smooshed up words on a piece of $36.00 paper would mean so much to me. But, as time has passed, I've realized that it has been a $36.00 very well spent.
I've had this poster for about a year and a half now. I've moved a few times in between, but every time it's time to unpack and [my favorite thing in the whole world...] decorate(!), I make it a point to hang it in a place where I know it'll be the first thing I see when I get up. Yes... I read it every single day.
Now, that may sound crazy... or obsessive... or all of the above... and you're probably right, but how can you blame me? Following these smooshed up words has truly reminded me things about life that I would otherwise forget.
& by that, I mean...
"This is your life. Do what you love and do it often."
Sometimes I'm a little hard on myself. I don't exercise much. I don't read as often as I'd like to. I don't follow the news as closely as I should. But, this first sentence reminds me to give myself some credit: I do what I want to do. I work for the common good, even if it means never being a millionaire. I listen to "old" music, even if my friends think I'm outdated. I cuddle my ugly little cat. I move around - a lot - which makes me miss out on things at home. I'm not afraid of going places by myself, even if I look like a huge dork doing so. Some call it being passionate, others call it being stubborn, but by doing what I want to do (what I love to do) I create ownership of my life, and I never miss out on a darn thing.
"If you don't like your job, quit."
A few months ago, I read this specific line every.single.day. Things aren't always easy working as a full-time volunteer at such a large institution. I was frustrated. Really frustrated. But this simple little sentence really made me question if it was bad enough to give up. I mean really, if we absolutely hate our jobs, then it really can [and should!] be that easy... which is awesome. But I didn't want it to be that easy, so I kept challenging myself until I learned to love it. I like that it reminds me that I should never be miserable at a place where I spend 40 hours of my week, but that it also challenges me to question my role in a position and why I accepted it in the first place.
"If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV."
This is actually a line that has really shaped my current lifestyle. I kept telling myself that I wanted to do all these things: become better at crocheting, read a good book, start a blog, etc. What was standing between me and these things? Yeah, you guessed it. I mean, I think we can all agree that Duck Dynasty is nothing short of a godsend, but not exactly the best use of my time (sorry Uncle Si). Pretty proud with my progress so far...
"Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people. We are united in our differences."
I am an introvert. Being an introvert, I hated myself when I arrived to my little dorm/apartment that first day in Oregon... and for a week, or two (or three) after that. All I wanted to do was stay locked up in my room and Skype my friends and family. However, I quickly realized that life would continue to be less-than-stellar if things continued down that path. Again, I read those lines over and over again. I got up the courage to take myself out to dinner, to the movies, even to the bar to enjoy live music one night! I ended up meeting my very first friends that night. Whenever I feel discouraged about life in a new territory, I remind myself of this reality and find inspiration in the new people I meet.
I can promise you that I have a story for each and every thought explained here, but I won't continue to pour them out. Instead, I will confidently say that each of these sentences has touched me greatly, and I hope they do the same for you. One of the greatest compliments I ever received was from one of those very first friends in Oregon that told me that he thought this manifesto suited me very well. I hope to continue to be true to these words throughout the rest of my life.
Take the chance and buy it*. Hang it somewhere you'll see it every day. Chew on the words a bit, and see if you can't challenge yourself to live just a little better because of it.
*Did you buy it yet?! What if I told you that 10% of all of Holstee's sales are given to budding entrepreneurs in the developing world thanks to Kiva.org? Track their progress here. Pretty awesome, huh?
