Go Live

I started blogging as a way to get my ideas out in the open and to figure out my own mind.  But the more I write on it the more it becomes an advice column.  I thought about that for a little while today and asked myself what is the best advice I know to give right now, at 20 years old.  The best thing I could come up to is to just live.

Live and explore.  Explore everything around you.  Learn everything you can about yourself, your family, friends, city, and everything that is important to you.  Go all the places that you've always wanted to go.  Figure out your favorite thing to do and do it every single day.  Find something to be passionate about and someone to passionately share it with.  Think.  Think about everything that happens and why it happens.  Think about what you care about and then fight for the cause.  Set a time to go back to your childhood and remember what made you laugh.  Remember what made you happy.  Get in the car one day and just drive, drive until you're so lost that you need directions.  Stay up all night long one night and then sleep all day.  Turn off every electronic device you have for a full day.  Let curiosity grow you until you can't grow anymore.  Read a book that no one has ever heard of.  Find God, trust me, He helps!  Don't be effected by everything that is bad in the world.  Be the cause that effects people and makes them happy.

All I'm trying to say is that nothing is certain.  Nothing is for sure, not even time.  We don't have much time here on Earth, let's be honest.  So use what time you have.  Dream, and dream bigger than anyone else ever could.  Build yourself a life that makes you wake up smiling.  Be the person that defines what life is instead of letting your life define you. Just go live.

Expectations

In everything we do, say, or hear we have a vision of how it will unfold.  When we ask our friends to go to the movies we expect that they will want to and will be able to.  When we study for a week before a test we expect that we will make a good grade on it.  Even when we hear a story, we have some preconceived notions about how it will end. 
But what happens when our expectations aren't met? The image in our heads is almost never lived up to.  Our friends have something to do or the teach throws a curve ball, and we get disappointed.
We obviously have good intentions for these expectations but how do we take them from the hope stage to the expect stage? Because, make no mistake, that is what we do.
I go to the beach and expect to lay in the sun, throw frisbee, throw football, and just hang out.  When I bring people with me I automatically think that is what they'll want to do too. That's where my thinking is wrong.
It's almost like some kind of subconscious selfishness.  I do it without thinking.  But at the same time I don't how to combat it.
I feel like it's a symbol of growing up and becoming up tight and not being able to just go with the flow.
Going with the flow, it sounds so easy, it actually used to be easy. For some reason it has gotten harder and harder for me. I'm constantly challenging myself to live a better, happier life and this is another thing I want to add to the list. Just go with the flow.
Still work hard, play hard, and love hard.  But don't expect anything in return. Always hope for the best, but expect nothing, ever.
T.C. Street