Inspiration and Motivation.

Flipping through Twitter this morning, I found a link entitled “Rules for Maintaining Your Sanity Online”, originally posted by Sean Blanda on “The Discourse”. I’ve highlighted the ones I found particularly compelling.

• Reward your “enemies” when they agree with you, exhibit good behavior, or come around on an issue. Otherwise they have no incentive to ever meet you halfway.
• Accept it when people apologize. People should be allowed to work through ideas and opinions online. And that can result in some messy outcomes. Be forgiving.
• Sometimes people have differing opinions because they considered something you didn’t.
• Take a second.
• There’s always more to the story. You probably don’t know the full context of whatever you’re reading or watching.
• If an online space makes more money the more time you spend on it, use sparingly.
• Judge people on their actions, not their words. Don’t get outraged over what people said. Get outraged at what they actually do.
• Try to give people the benefit of the doubt, be charitable in how you read people’s ideas.
• Don’t treat one bad actor as representative of whatever group or demographic they belong to.
• Create the kind of communities and ideas you want people to talk about.
• Sometimes, there are bad actors that don’t play by the rules. They should be shunned, castigated, and banned.
• You don’t always have the moral high ground. You are not always right.
• Block and mute quickly. Worry about the bubbles that creates later.
• There but for the grace of God go you.

This quote from my 1982 high school yearbook has been bouncing around in my brain lately. This was a response from one of the teachers to be included as a caption under her photo. Most of the other teachers wrote things like “knitting” or “filling out sheets like these”, but Mrs. O’Brien wrote this:

While I never had Mrs. O’Brien as a teacher (she taught what was called “Adjustment” or “Special Education”), she was active with the drama club and a couple of other organizations I was involved with. She was the teacher who practically “talked me off the ledge” after an 11th grade Ethics class whereas the class conversation around homosexuality turned, what seemed to me at the time, rather hostile.

I’ve never had the chance to thank her for that pep talk, not even all these years later. But her optimism and her zest for life continues to inspire me.

We went to the Chicago Expo today. It was our second time attending this Art Show; like last year, I found this experience to be quite enjoyable. Actually, enjoyable is probably an understatement. I found several of the exhibits to be powerful.

This photograph probably touched me the most. Taken by photographer Jess T. Dugan, the energy captured in this photograph brought me to tears. Such beauty. Such confidence. Such groundedness.

The story of Momma Gloria moved me.

Society tries so hard to force us into boxes: pre-defined existences that fall in line with the lowest common denominator. You’re either male or female. You act like a man or you act like a woman, and you better be acting the way that’s been defined by the genitals you were born with.

I don’t believe the world was meant to be so narrowly defined. This is so apparent to me. Earl remarked, “are you evolving”? I am.

I met with my new doctor for my annual physical in January. He had little interest in my health records up to that point, save for my prescription medications. He did his own thing, with blood tests and the like. Since I’m turning 50 years old later this year, I’ve started getting a little more serious about my health. I might as well try to be healthy for the second half of this life.

The physical in January was summed up with a follow-up phone call: cholesterol, blood sugar, and weight were all too high. It was up to me to fix it.

I like this doctor.

Last week I had a three-month follow up appointment. More blood work. My cholesterol is now an excellent number. Blood sugar levels are where they are suppose to be. And while I haven’t been talking about this as I have on similar journeys in the past, I’ve lost 22 pounds since January 31. It’s all about the Weight Watchers and SmartPoints. And walking, lots of walking. I was surprised when my blood pressure clocked in at 115/74.

There are times when I become very frustrated about not whipping through a burger bomb drive thru or when Earl and I used to enjoy “two supper Saturdays” during a Jeep ride, but in the long run if I keep things in check I’ll enjoy the second half of my life as much as I’ve enjoyed the first.

I have my sights on a goal and I intend to reach it. And that goal is to be as healthy as I can for as long as I can.

I watch this TED talk by Mel Robbins on a routine basis. It’s the motivation I need to keep going, keep growing and keep living life. 

Watch this. Grow with me.