Thinking, Learning, Ideas

Thinking, Learning, Ideas

Life offers so many wonderful opportunities. The opportunity to sit and just think is a special gift for all of us. Hopefully, most of us will take the time to find a quiet place, perhaps in nature, and simply look outward and reflect upon ourselves and the things that matter most to us. Finding time to just sit and think offers many benefits.

When you are talking, you are not listening. Before speaking, having time to reflect and analyze a situation or an idea promotes clarity in your thoughts. Thinking before you speak is an important skill to develop as you mature in life.

Learning is a lifelong adventure. Regardless of your level of education, you are never finished learning. Whether acquiring a new skill for your employment, pursuing a hobby, or seeking enjoyment, education will be a lifelong partner on your journey. As you continue to learn, remember to think. You might assume this happens automatically. However, once you have been exposed to and absorbed new information, take time to think through the ramifications of these new ideas.

Once you have devoted time to learning and thinking, your ideas will flourish. Invest in yourself. Read a good book. Watch a documentary on a subject you care about. Find an expert and ask them challenging questions. Take a course on that subject, or if you have time, major in it. And realize that learning does not necessarily lead directly to a job. It leads to critical thinking. So no matter what life throws at you, you will be able to think through any situation and find a solution.

Computed

Challenge Yourself

Challenge Yourself

We get bored. Even with all the options for entertainment and learning, we still get bored. With all the technology and endless options for distractions, if we are bored today, humanity will always find a way to be bored. It would be interesting to take a modern person back in time and see how bored they would be without the modern conveniences we take for granted today.

What is the root cause of boredom? Perhaps it is part of human nature to find any task become mundane over time. Or maybe anything with repetition would lead to boredom at some point. Repeating tasks over and over again is an important part of many jobs. Boredom may be the result of so many activities being repetitive.

Well, how do we stop being bored? Do we go from watching TV shows to movies, reading books instead of online material, or changing the genre of music we listen to? Today, there are so many options to not be bored that this may be the real problem.

At one point in human history, there were very few options for entertainment. People worked from "can in the morning" to "cannot at night". There was little time to be bored because you had to survive. This is not true in the modern era. Food is very easy to obtain, and so is entertainment. Working a 40-hour-a-week job leaves many hours in a day to indulge in entertainment ultimately leading to boredom.

One way to avoid boredom is to go out and experience life. Sitting in front of a computer or smartphone does not give you the same experience as going out and doing something. Experiencing real events without technology reduces the chances of boredom. Going for a walk or engaging in any type of exercise is very beneficial for us, and it helps combat boredom. Even if we are listening to music while working out, we are still less bored by whatever we are listening to.

So get out there and start to live life. The world is a wonderful place out there, full of joy and pleasures to satiate humanity. But those who are too afraid to go out and experience reality will not benefit from nature. Be bold! Go and do something you have not done before. Take chances in your life, and experience happiness. Say goodbye to boredom.

Computed

A Hue Of Friendship

A Hue Of Friendship

Thinking back, there are so many memories about high school and the friends we had back then. And as the decades passed, we talked to fewer of them. People you think you would be friends with for life, at some point drift off, never to be heard or seen again. But, a few friends will stay with you forever, thick and thin. No matter what happens, they will be there for you to support you. They want to help you and be there for the good and bad times. They ask you to go with them and do stuff. Treasure of these individuals because they are rare to encounter in your life.

Later in life, you meet more individuals. Often at work, maybe in college. And you think the same thing. Some of these people are going to be your friends forever. But most will not. Their interests will become different than yours at some point. You move on, wishing them happiness, and they probably will do the same for you. Even if they do not, you still have the positive memories of the past to reflect upon.

It is fascinating to see how people change over time. Sometimes, people change very quickly. Other times, it is like a glacial move. Slowly, they become a different person, and so do you. Different priorities, different perspectives of life, and different areas of interest lead to friendships ending. These and other circumstances have claimed many friendships over the years. It is no one's fault.

At times, it may be a bit of jealousy of somebody getting a prize position, fame, an amazing job, wealth, educational degrees, and maybe accolades from their peer group. But just like you cannot return to your first house, you cannot relive what you had in high school. Life keeps pushing forward, as will you and all the friends and people you once cared about. Time is the ultimate reason why relationships falter.

So, treasure the people in your life right now. Treasure the people who are your lifelong friends. Make memories. Go out and eat. Have adventures they can share with their grandkids once you are no longer in their life. Friendships come and go, but strong memories never do. Hopefully, you can look back and smile and realize nothing is wrong. It is just that people get older, and their perspectives on life change. If this has not happened to you, it will. Trust me, everything is going to be all right.

Computed

Last Time You Remembered

 Last Time You Remembered 

Think of the last time you went somewhere. Or the last time you talked to one of your friends. The last time you saw a distant relative. That place that you loved is now something else. All those memories are a part of you. Do you wonder how accurate these memories are? How many of these memories have altered in time?

With all the technology available today, recording and documenting events is easy. If you did not take a photo of it, did it really happen? Proving that you were there is more important than just being there. By documenting all your experiences with technology, are you missing out on the actual event?

With all the technology we use to record our daily lives, does this lead to the atrophy of our memories? Twenty years from now, will you be able to remember any event without looking at photos or watching videos of the past? Once we rely exclusively on technology for our memories, does that mean those memories never existed?

Going out and experiencing life does lead to a fuller existence. Try to be in the moment, not documenting the moment for your next big event. Perhaps limit yourself to one picture or video to focus on the experience of just being there the rest of the time. This may lead to more fulfilling experiences and aid with strengthening your memory once technology fails you.

It is your life. Experience it the way you want. Hopefully, when you look back, you can remember the last time you did something or talked to someone. And you can share those memories with those who will listen to you in your maturity. 

Computed