Appreciating the basics

I wanted to jot down a few words about something while emotions and thoughts were still fresh.

For months it's been very difficult dealing with some instabilities at home alone with my father. Empty words day after day, night after night, used as leverage for my help and companionship at times seem to mean nothing in the end. Now, as situations perpetuated by my father complicate themselves, I find myself here staying at my brother house more inspired to achieve my goals and exceed the expectations of my father.

Things have truly been put into perspective during the tougher times. I have never been more appreciative of basic commodities like food, health, and a roof while luxuries suddenly seem so insignificant. Things like a big home with a swimming pool mean absolutely nothing without a loving family and great friends. For some people the only thing that matters is wealth and great riches but I have gone through my fair share of experiences both good and bad to recognize that the things that must be appreciated first are the basics in order to capitalize on the wealth that tomorrow holds. I will stay inspired to achieving 'excellence' even if it means taking a step back to appreciate the simple things in life at the costs of postponing future hopes and dreams.

Beautiful Mistakes

I have found myself struggling in the past to solve the constant puzzles my life has most recently been drowned in. It’s easy for us to think that we are deserving of things as a result of our struggles, but far too often do we use this as an excuse to pass off the blame for our current status. I feel like we are tried and tested with things that don't work out according to plans, especially when we these tests are so serious they force us to reexamine where we stand in life and where we are going. The psychological hardships that we must fight through when we face adversity or change for the worse can be devastating if we let them. These situations impose on our comfort levels and routine state of mind a mandatory shift in perspective which can lead to two outcomes; a selfish unwillingness to adapt to ones situation or an opportunity for further self progression and excellence through misfortune.

The notion that we deserve things for any reason is far too often used as an excuse to complain about what may not be working out in our favor. When we don’t get the raise at work or we get in a fight with a loved one or we get in some trouble it’s easy to think that we are undeserving of these things. We should never have to be put in these positions right… Wrong! This is simply a form of denial of reality which ultimately leads to regression and an unsettled misfortune. I've personally been a victim of this addictive frame of mind which has ultimately taken away precious time in which I could have been devoting to self progression and helping others who are affected by my actions. It is unquestionable that after this form of denial is confronted and dealt with, the problems that we may be burdened with are easier to learn from and avoid in the future.

I feel that regardless of the level or difficulty these situations present to us, the underlying theme of remaining hopeful and progressing remains true. The idea that we should continue to search for hope and optimism from situations that have us at our lowest points in life has been an enigma to me in past because I had always been able to accomplish my goals regardless of complexity. That paradigm seemed short lived. The real world hit me like a ton of bricks when I moved away for college and I was forced to deal with some of the most severe, life-changing issues that I would be challenged with on my 'road to excellence'. My inspiration comes from the drive to minimize the amount of foolish mistakes I make and keep from repeating them. It comes from the power of the human will we must put to work when we're at the rock bottom.

Progressing with Politics

It's going to be hard for me not to write on and on for hours about this topic because there's so much I have to say regarding my thoughts on politics. I really could write a novel-sized entry but I'm going to do my best to cut this short and stay focused on the topic of this post which may actually have some people mislead. I'm not going to get into the politics that we see everyday in the media about democrats and republicans. I'm sure I will address that issue at a later date anyway before the date of the election on November 4th. Instead, I wanted to focus on the politics we are more apt to face in our everyday lives like in our careers, our communities and and relationships.

According to the trusty internet source wikipedia, politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions. ... politics has been observed in all human group interactions, including corporate, academic, and religious institutions. Politics consists of "social relations involving authority or power"^[1] and refers to the regulation of a political unit, ^[2] and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy.^[3]

The main ideas that I got from this excerpt were that politics has been observed in "all human interactions" and that it consist of "social relations involving authority or power". I love that we have the ability to play such significant roles in group, social relationships without having the highest, most powerful position. Granted, one would need to appeal to the group of people he/she is playing politics with, most anyone can be a proponent of political influence based on the approach and execution of their political methods.

For example, a group of random student assigned to a project will go through a phase of assessing each other with underlying political judgments in which case we should have as much control over as possible. It may not always be to our advantage to act like we do in front of our best friends and family if we're attempting to appeal to a different group for any certain reason. There's a time and a place for everything; including politics. One more example. A newcomer to a group of activist in a small town would have the opportunity to strategically play politics to fast track the achievement of his/her goals.

This is not to say we should become chameleons changing every time we create relationships or get involved in any organization, but to reinforce this concept that we already know about and employ in our own lives. Job interviews require it. Business gatherings require it. Family functions may even require it. I have been inspired to stay engaged in the course of my life and the extent of my achievements through being a proponent of progression through a successful understanding of when and where politics should be used day by day. To me, this idea is both challenging, enjoyable and inspiring!