This weekend, my friend sent me the video below. Can keep the post quick, but the video really hit home for me. If you know anyone graduating from college, make sure you send them the video to watch. Although it’s geared for recent graduates, the message of the power to make a conscious choice to be happy, work towards balance, and viewing the world from different perspectives, is clearly applicable to everyone. It’s a great video – hope you all enjoy it and consider the message.
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Thanks for sharing, Pat!
This reminded me of something my father always said when I was growing up. Whenever I’d complain about homework or chores, or anytime I wondered into the room when he was paying the bills, he’d tell me, “you don’t just wake up one day and know how to be an adult”…all those banal things we don’t talk about, but we have to do everyday make up the world around us. This video is great because it reminds us that we get to decide how we view the world and the decisions we make, which color our world and the world of those around us.
Interesting video, Pat. Not sure I agree with everything the commencement speaker says, but I’d definitely concur with the importance of listening to ourselves. We are always thinking something and the default is most certainly me-centered. Some phrases that have helped me to overcome this me-centeredness are “take every thought captive” and “consider others as more important than yourself.” When used hand in hand, it’s allowed me to start observing the world from a place of, “how can I help these folks around me to get through life’s monotonous routine?” – to be a bright spot through a smile / head nod / understanding look or a kind gesture or just a “hello” or “hang in there.” No perfect record here, but a gradual change over time has been transforming the monotonous moments into tremendous opportunities that give life new meaning.
Thanks for posting this – I like the emphasis it puts on the thoughts you choose to have. Today I listened to one of the CDs from our church, and in a way it was saying the same thing: our thoughts create the world around us.
Personally though when I get into that mode, I spend the time trying to find building code violations. It helps me focus on things around me most people don’t pay attention to or notice – the type of ceiling material, flooring, light fixtures, wiring, etc in the store – I guess kind of like the water example in the video.
I concur with Andy that I’m not in agreement with everything that the speaker says. That being said, there is food for thought in his message. My daughter is graduating from the University of Nevada this weekend, and I think that she would benefit from hearing this speech. Life doesn’t always turn out the way you expected, but you have the opportunity to make it better by changing your thoughts. Pay attention, change your perspective, question your perception of things and don’t sweat the small stuff.
After watching I researched the author and discovered that he was a chronic depressive that committed suicide. That perspective cemented in my mind that this is not a video I want to share with anyone. My life was not handed to me. I make it. My typical day: I greet the homeless man Rick and gave him a dollar. I worked through lunch and was really hungry when I left at 6 pm for my hour long train-subway ride. On the train were six noisy little kids just back from the zoo and their five adults with bags and bags of luggage. We chatted about what their favorite animals were. Off the train I was so hungry I decided to stop at Sam’s club rather than driving another 45 minutes home for dinner. Of course the pizza wasn’t ready. Instead I noticed a heavy duty splint on the arm of the lady in front of me. Then I noticed another on her left arm. She had disabled herself caring for the disabled, a low paying profession. She had been getting the run around in finding a new job and was told to complete more and more paperwork. I told her about a book that would help her find a job in accordance with her strengths, and advised her to buy the actual book, write on it, dog ear it, etc, but added that she might find it used at Amazon. I also gave her some websites to apply for jobs on. She wrote all of this down on her receipt. I thought about giving her the number of a coach colleague but didn’t and regreted it. On her way out she thanked me. I finished my pizza. On my way out I looked for Cheryl, the clerk with recurrent breast cancer. She was not in. At home I walked my dog and ran into my neighbor and his teenager. I commented that he was a good daddy for walking his daughter home after dark. I went to bed happy because I had made my day. Maybe that’s why I like my story better.