I used to listen to heavy metal music while studying for my online schooling. I never graduated, because, well... that's another blog post. But I suffered from severe headaches before being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. And believe it or not, the intense sound made my head feel better! I know it sounds crazy, but it really worked. Back then, that was a crazy time; I was going through a divorce, losing my job, being kicked out of said online schooling due to lack of attendance (Wes... you said that was another blog post!). So the last thing I needed was more stress and the music helped. The band was Meshuggah, an extreme metal band from Sweden... the song was Bleed and I will warn you; it's loud! But I would put on some headphones, work on classes, and sometimes... just sometimes, I would get rid of the headache. There's a point to all this...
If not you... who?
I was trying to take control of the situation. I knew things were going to be difficult. I knew the decisions being made, would affect not only me but everyone around me; my son, ex, even those I interacted with on my online schooling. Always like me to think of everyone else first, before my own feelings. But I knew life was going to keep going, so I had to be the one to steer the boat. This is my situation of course, but I am sure all of you have been through some rough patches in your life. Dealing with these kinds of problems isn't easy, but at the end of the day, it is you that has to look in the mirror and say, "I did the best I could". Sure... things always end up working out, but if we keep looking around for someone else to fix our problems, it might be time to step back and remember how lucky we really are.
I ramble a lot... stay with me...
The whole, "if not you...who" could be used in any given scenario I suppose. I was raised by women my entire life. Parents divorced when I was young... Dad was more interested in getting everything for free and having lots of kids; not a good way to be. So my Mom worked three jobs... 9 to 5'er then bussing tables, then Night School for secretarial skills. We had two new homes, two new vehicles, and it was just her and I. We never went hungry, and really, we never went without. I did mention she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 20... right? She used that if not you...who mindset and I have to say, I am quite proud of my Mom and how she raised me. She had wonderful parents; when my Mom was working my grandmother watched me. So that was a big help not having to find babysitters. So you see, my Mom did have help. But she still chose to overcome the situation. Work all those hours even while having an autoimmune disease, and still able to look in the mirror and say, you guessed it... "I did the best I could". I think we can take this same mindset, and apply it to any problem we have; don't you? The same could be said for the blockchain... it is, after all, just a bunch of us trying to share our experiences, learn about and from others, and maybe be a part of something that could be so much more. Like one of my other favorite words... Community.
So what am I trying to say? I wonder sometimes lol. But as I scroll through my 100 Discord Groups and see all the interactions on each one; people chatting, asking questions, or waiting for the next #random-event at the EliteGamers Discord Shout-out to all the good people there...click this link to visit their website!, I can see this very vibe within each Server. Making personal choices and decisions, to be the one to take those first steps. Whether for a specific initiative or simply asking how to create footers on the blockchain... it's all starting with them (you). It is my hope to instill these very mindsets through my #thoughtfuldailypost's. Because we really do need more thoughtfulness in the world... Probably time to wrap this up before I lose my train of thought again...
Are you having a good week so far? Any new Communities or maybe life events you are thoughtful for? Let me know in the comments! I have been saying goodbye to a few of the Discord Servers I was in... ones that aren't very active anymore, or others that I only joined to send someone to... then leave until the next time. I will share one I recently joined at the bottom of this post... The whole point of this message is to tell everyone it's okay to be uncertain! It's ok to question everything. We only learn by asking questions after all! But for goodness sake, don't let the actions, or opinions of others make you come to a conclusion on something you don't really beleive in. If all else fails, listen to that song I shared up above... your unruly neighbors might move out and make your day!
@stealthunicorn using Canva
@ashikstd
@xenonflux