Wednesday

pratice what you preach

.


This piece of writing was originally written for a friend who screamed for help at the bottom of a well. She knew she didn't belong there, yet she couldn't find a way out. With my friendship comes one sturdy promise...
no added sugar. That's right, I refuse to sugar coat reality, and I will not regurgitate Sesame Street sentiment. Always empathetic with open arms, I'll listen, observe, understand, and grab you a Kleenex ...and when you're ready I'll give it to you straight. So, I did.


Thanking me for an honest kick in the butt, she climbed out of the well and got back to living. Now, a few months later, I find myself searching for those dangerously candid words as
I swiftly approach the edge of that well. I, like most people, am on a boundless journey to practice what I preach. I understand actions speak louder than words, but whose track record isn't burned with eraser marks? Sometimes words are exactly what you need to jump back into action, and sometimes those words are the very ones you so confidently gifted a friend...



Listen to me carefully: You. Can. Only. Do. The. Best. You. Can. Do.

It's important to remember this in order to give yourself a break from self-criticism, but it's also important to remember this in order to step back and ask yourself: are you? Are you doing the best you can? It's your only true responsibility. That's it. Nothing more.

"Giving-up" isn't, if you've truly given your best and you have nothing left to give; but giving-up simply because you don't want to give your best, is weak. We make excuses like, "it's too hard! It's their fault! I just can't do it!" Every time we excuse ourselves from participating in life, we need to truly ask why. It's tough and requires sifting through a jungle of lies before discovering the core lack of motivation. Of course, stubborness always demands a voice too, so when we uncover the truth, we hardheadedly shout it out: "Fine, I just DON'T want to!" ...but when we hear that, we must laugh. It's funny because it's silly. It's silly because it's an excuse with such little depth. Laugh because this excuse belongs in a bib, sucking thumb, in a playground sandbox.

We treat desire like it's an evil green goblin, separate from the self. It's easy to blame desire (or lack thereof) for things like skipping class, playing hooky, ignoring a bill, or avoiding a long-overdue apology. The pay off is that we have an excuse. Sadly, the cost is missing out on life. What if we all realize we are stronger than our desires? Our desires don't control us. We control our desires.


You have only one responsibility right now and for the rest of your life: do the best you can. This, at the very least, means getting out of bed, keeping your commitments, being honest, and having a little integrity... even if you "don't want to." Stop pretending you're getting the most out of life, when you aren't even giving your best in life! There's no better time than NOW to step-up and start fresh. Don't ever wait for a "good time" to get your shit together. The "good time" is NOW ...and NOW ...and NOW! Every moment is a chance to begin again, new, and better.

...Don't wander the halls of mediocrity. You don't belong there!



"Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity.
We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand
...and melting like a snowflake."
-Francis Bacon Sr.