Clearly, our heathcare system is broken.
Source: businessinsider.com via Paul on Pinterest
Wyrd Oft Nereth Unfaegne Eorl, Thone His Ellen Deah
[Fate often saves an undoomed warrior when his courage endures.]
— Beowulf, c. 1000 CE — from Britannica, 11th ed., vol. III
Don’t be timid. You don’t generally get things in life by being timid. In order to get what you want and be who you want to be, you must take risks. They don’t need to be crazy risks: I don’t take bets I have no chance of winning. But I don’t limit myself to sure things.
You need to be willing to stretch – take on fresh challenges, grow, and try new things, or you stagnate. If you play it safe, you stop growing. When you stop growing, you start dying.
Spend some time thinking about what it is that you want. Then, take the necessary steps to get it. Even if what you want seems incredibly ambitious, you must figure out what your next step is, and take it.
Set goals, and enlist others to help. Let people know what it is you’re trying to achieve. You’ll be surprised how many people are willing to help you achieve a worthy goal. But if they don’t know, they can’t help. Plus, telling people about your goal increases your accountability. The more people who know, the more likely you are to follow through.
Achieving your goals generally involves the willingness to take a risk, hard work, determination, and endurance. But it is so worth it. Keep your goal in mind. Keep taking those steps. As an entrepreneur, this is a daily mantra for me.
I will say this – not all goals can be achieved. As you’re taking your steps towards your goal, if you have a set back, you need to take a moment to assess. Is this an achievable goal? If so, is this the right next step? Perhaps you need to develop additional skills to accomplish the next step, or enlist help. Is this still a goal that you care about? Sometimes your ambitions/desires change. That’s OK. But when they do, change your goals.
All my life I wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific.
–Lily Tomlin
Be bold. Be specific about what you want be – it’s the only way to have a chance at becoming it. Figure out what it takes, and go for it. May fortune smile upon your endeavors!
If you drink alcohol at all, ever, get a breathalyzer. It’s not just for alcoholics, problem drinkers, or people with past DUIs. It’s for responsible people who don’t want to kill or be killed. Get several – one for each car, and one for home. Then, use it. Use it every time you’ve had alcohol to drink and you get behind the wheel.
It’s actually kind of fun when it isn’t being administered by law enforcement. Make a game of it – guess what your blood alcohol content (BAC) is before you test. Use it at home when you feel tipsy to see what the different BACs feel like. This way, you get a much better idea of what it feels like to be too drunk to legally drive. I’ll give you a hint: it’s way less drunk than you think. You might feel totally fine, and still be above the legal limit.
Why risk a DUI, or worse? If you’re over the limit, get out of the car. Make other arrangements to get home or wait until you’re legally able to drive.
As they say, “please drink responsibly.”
I enjoy wine, and the occasional margarita. Alcohol can be lovely when enjoyed in moderation, and can definitely enhance the enjoyment of a good meal. But it’s important to keep in mind that alcohol doesn’t mix well with most things. A good rule of thumb is not to mix alcohol with anything but food. Some examples:
Alcohol isn’t evil, but it should be enjoyed responsibly. Preferably in a safe place, with people you trust, who won’t let you do anything stupid.
If something is keeping you from enjoying things you usually enjoy or doing things you want to or usually do, then it is time for a change.
Perhaps it’s a medical issue: allergies that keep you from hiking outdoors, panic attacks that keep you from driving, or migraine headaches that cause you to cancel your plans. It’s time to see the doctor.
Perhaps it’s a bad habit: you aren’t fit enough to play with your kids, aren’t getting enough sleep so you’re too tired to go out with your friends, or are over-indulging in something that is affecting your ability to work or go to school. It’s time to create some new, healthier habits.
Perhaps you’re unhappy: a job that makes you sick to your stomach every morning, a relationship that makes you feel unappreciated and taken for granted, or a living situation that frequently irritates you. It’s time to do something that makes things better (such as talk to those involved, or a therapist). It might even be time to move on.
Change is hard, but life is short. Don’t let your fear of change hold you back from enjoying your life.