Note to 20-Year-Old Self

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So things are going well, right. You’re in college. You’re meeting new lifelong friends. You don’t have many responsibilities. You’re free.

But with this freedom and free time comes a lot of decision-making.

You’re off to a good start in few areas. You began reading books, which will come in handy in many future situations, as well as put you on a good course to discover your creativity. But this is not the end-all be-all. It’s nice to have some confidence from reading a few psychology, success, and business books. But there are many people currently around you that instinctively have this knowledge without having to read this material. Continue reading books and articles that interest you. That challenges your existing opinions on issues. That leads to self-improvement. That opens your mind. By doing so, you will head in the right direction.

Your exercising habits are improving as well. It’s great you love to play basketball and hit the gym quite often. These will continue to put you on a course of discipline and being healthy. You’re still considered obese by health standards, but this will continue to improve if you keep this up and continue your education about healthy eating. Oh, quick tip. You have to really question modern advice. There is a lot of bad advice out there. Find trustworthy sources and test their ideas on yourself. Only then will you know what works for you personally.

I’m glad you’re having a good time with your friends. Some of these relationships you started will last for years, if not the rest of your life. Don’t take this time for granted. I would also say to be careful who you choose to spend your time with. Remember: You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.

I have to warn you about something though. You need a little help in this area. You’ve been taking the safe route a little too often. I notice you wait around for things to come to you. It’s almost as if think the universe owes you something. Now don’t get me wrong, you are a nice kid and you’ve starting improving yourself in some aspects of your life, but the world demands more than that. If there is one thing the universe requires in order for it to give something back, that would be you putting positive energy into the world. Focus on overcoming the habit you have developed of being passive in situations when you know you should take action. Do whatever it takes to pound this into your head. This is crucial.

In a similar topic, let’s talk about fear. I know you have found yourself in many situations that make you nervous. But you have to realize…this is normal. It’s better to attack this by paying attention to what type of situations cause this response, along with how you usually handle yourself. Energy can be transformed. Work on transforming your fear and inexperience into a positive by creating challenges for yourself and taking things less seriously. You have a long way to go. Take more calculated risks than what makes you feel comfortable.

You still have a lot to learn, Greg. Your path will not be how you anticipate it now. But that’s okay. Enjoy the highs and lows. There will be a lot of them. But don’t get too high or too low, as the opposite will find its way into your life quicker than you expect. Life is a journey that no one will be able to truly explain to you, even though many will say they have found the answer. Decide to learn on your own through your experiences. So make sure to have fun, spend a lot of time discovering yourself, and spread positivity around as much as possible.

In closing, all I have to say is:

Enjoy the ride my friend

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A Run to the Gym

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Last night I laid in my bed in silence and let my mind wander.

I was jumping from thought to thought. Seeing colors. Seeing shapes…

Then an old man made his way center stage. I couldn’t tell if he was supposed to be me in the future? Me in a past life? Or maybe a total stranger.

Who knows?

But this man was laying on his death bed and somehow I entered his mind. He was thinking to himself – what I would give to just get up and walk out of here one more time. I could sense his pain. I could feel it. He was so determined to get up, but he couldn’t. Time took its course on him and there was nothing he could do. His physical capabilities were gone. I just wanted to help him.

Then all of a sudden the focus went back on me. Immediately after experiencing these feelings, I realized I’m once again taking things for granted.

I have a loving, supporting family.

I have great friends.

I can support myself.

I can get up and run.

So today, on a 10 degree day in St. Louis, I decided to ditch my car and take a jog to the gym. I want to take advantage of what I have now. You know that quote “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone?” My experiences show this is true. I want to make gratefulness a habit in my life. This betters my perspective and will help me live every day more fully.

I did that today.

1/24 Good Reads

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Seen vs Unseen

“We are most often held back by obstacles we aren’t even aware of–bad habits, flaws, ego, neuroses, self-destructiveness, aversions and fears we hardly know we have.” Also see Soft .

Tucker Max Testosterone Ebook

If you are on the ball, you can grab this ebook for free. I just signed up for it. I’ve read his other posts on naturally boosting your testosterone and find a lot of value in it. He’s an extremely smart guy despite being perceived as the party-animal. I’d recommend starting with a few of his articles about testosterone – including the hilarious story of how he got into the mess of having low levels. Story, Intro, Eating, Exercising, Sleeping

Plants Don’t Grow Near Wi-Fi

So we needed 9th graders to figure this one out for us. The more I hear about this, the more i’m scared of technology’s effects on our long-term health. If plants aren’t growing properly with this radiation, how do you think this is affecting our bodies. I definitely make an effort to keep my phone off my body whenever I can, but who knows what else is going through the air. Medicine better catch up.

The Primate Awards

I just found this to be funny. I could look at these dudes all day. Who wants to go to the zoo?