Today's Path: Learning

"The day you don't learn something is the day you die"

-Groucho Marx

Last Monday I started my internship at KMOX 1120 AM. Each day I am there, and even those that I am not there, I learn so much. Somedays it might be how to do something new, while others it is how to juggle the million things happening in my life.

At the end of somedays I have to really search to see if I learned something. Once I get thinking, things just keep flowing.

Take the time at the end of the day and just think back at what you learned today. The list is longer than you think.

Today's Path: Good Things

"Good things come to those who wait."

Whoever said this was right on the money. I have been trying to get an internship all summer with no success. Last Monday, however, I interviewed for a marketing and promotions internship at KMOX, and I was offered the internship.

I was getting upset over not having an internship and being afraid of graduating college with little to no experience in my field, but now I don't have to worry about that.

I guess what I am trying to say is that if you want something you will get it if you don't settle for something else along the way. Just wait and you will succeed.

Today's Path: The Dance

"Life's a dance you learn as you go,

Sometimes you lead,

Sometimes you follow."

-John Michael Montgomery

Life is a dance. Each day adds a new step to it. It is the next line in the song that we all struggle with, "Don't worry about what you don't know." But what happens if you cannot learn the routine? Does life stop? Do you get left behind?

Many times you switch into auto pilot and just keep going. Sometimes things change and you can't switch to autopilot. It is at these times when you feel the most stressed, whether it is good or bad stress it is still stress. We try to get back into autopilot as soon as we can, but many times it takes to long.

So the question is what is better: autopilot or pilot?

What is better is pilot; what is more comfortable is autopilot. Once we settle into autopilot we stop changing what we do. Right now I am one of many who are struggling with autopilot. I am fighting to turn it off but the switch seems to be stuck on on. Each day I become closer to getting the switch flipped, but there are some days when it seems like it has been broken off.

If you are like me and are struggling with the autopilot switch, take some "me time" and re-sort what you think you should be on autopilot for and start over. Fill your rut in and start a new path.

Today's Path: The Window to the Soul

"The eyes are the window to the soul."

-16Th Century Proverb

I am reading the book The Four-Hour Work Week. It is really good. At the end of the fourth chapter, author, Timothy Ferriss, challenges his readers to eye gaze.

One of the most challenging things to do is to look into the eyes of others, especially the eyes of bigger more confident people than yourself. As with any challenge, I grab it with both hands. Each day for the past five days, I have made an effort to look directly into the eyes of at least one person who was talking to me.

I found it easier to do each day. I always thought that people would ask me what I was doing because hardly anyone looks into another's eyes. In each conversation, I found that it did not take long for the other person to look away. It is uncomfortable to look into the eyes of others.

But for the next few days try to look into the eyes of those around you. You will learn a lot.

Today's Path: Fear

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

-Franklin Delino Roosevelt

Why is it that we fear unacceptance? Maybe it is just me, but for some reason I highly doubt it. The past few days this has really bothered me. I want to be liked and have many friends, but there is something itching inside of me saying, "Try and be funny. Strike up a conversation with somone." And I have listened to the voice. However, during those conversations I start, I wonder if they are thinking in the back of their mind if I will ever leave them alone. Then, of course, there is the akward silence, and we both walk away.

How can you fix that fear of not being accepted? Is there a way or is it just human nature?

I try hard to avoid akward silence situations, but every now and then I run into them and have to fight through. It has never killed me or caused severe heart palpitations nor will it.

Fear is good. Fear keeps us going. But we need to do things we are fearful of, or we wil never grow. Without growth we will never acheive our potential.

Fight the fight of fear with strength. For strength look to friends, family and faith. Without the three we are nothing.

Today's Path: A little here

Today we had a meeting at work. (I know...sounds like fun.) We watched a quick clip, The Simple Truths in Service, about how a bag boy named Johnny did just a little here and a little there to give a smile to someone.

Johnny is a Down Syndrome Individual, but he took the time every night to print up thoughts for the day and cut them out. The next day he would put them in the bags of groceries.

On my way home, I drove past a house and in the driveway was a truck with its hazards on. I stopped to let the owner know the lights were on. He seemed a little shocked that I would take the time to stop and let him know.

What can you do to put a smile on someone's face? Or make it seem that the world isn't such a horrible place?

Today's Path:Imagination

Today there were several thunderstorms that came through our area. The genius (or insane daredevil) that I am, I went out to a pavilion at work to wait to see if any other geniuses showed up for my 4-year-old t-ball class. I was the only one, but that is beside the point.

While I was outside I was taking in what was going on around me. There was a breeze, and the lightning was lighting up the dark sky. While the thunder was breaking the silence.

I thought back to my younger days (which was not all that long ago). My brothers and I would think up things to explain the sound of thunder. Sometimes it would be that the angels were bowling or some baby was throwing a tantrum in heaven.

Then I thought to myself, "Where has my imagination gone?" How come it is after we know the reason for something we stop creating our reasons. We slowly lose our imagination. Or does it just hibernate for awhile?

After I realized that I was going to be the only one to be outside during the thunderstorm, I went inside to create an imaginary island. It started small but ended up enormous.

Why not have an imaginary things? Who said that imaginary friends were for children? When you see me ask about Joe-Bob.

Use your imagination this week. Exercise what is hibernating before you lose it.