Average life expectancy in the United States is close to 80 years, 78.74 to be precise. Most of us don’t quite achieve octogenarian status. Life expectancy has seen a boost in the past century but regardless of how you look at it, we’re working with a relatively short period of time here. What is important is that with this brief moment, we enjoy our lives, take advantage of our opportunities, and lead a life we find happiness in.
The movement towards sustainable agriculture and away from processed foods is well under way and only gaining momentum as new facts and studies continue to circulate in the public forum. A significant portion of the population is no longer content with sitting by and blindly accepting the heavily processed substances that bear a vague resemblance to food or the ensuing consequences.
Experiences throughout life are often (not always) better shared. Most people, even my fellow introverts, crave some level of human interaction. It’s a core part of our being. However, this desire can also prove blinding and counterproductive at times, especially when it’s channeled as desperation to find a significant other. This is most evident of those in their 20s, a decade that from its onset seems to be a sprint towards marriage.
In order to excel in any realm of life, whether it be a hobby, at work or with family, there is a need to prioritize. When I use the word ‘excel’ I mean really thrive and achieve great things. Mediocrity can be managed with little to no prioritization. A key component to this is not biting off more than you can chew. Instead of doing ten things and stumbling through them, identify three or four and really get after it.
Change is at every turn in life. While each situation presents unique obstacles, the one constant is change. There’s no real way around it. If you’re trying to get from point A to point B, it’s inherent to the process. Life then becomes either a matter of prolonging the inevitable change and drawing it out over an extended period of time, or ripping the Band-Aid off and embracing it…
A couple years back we were having one of our weekly conversation-turned-emotional-rants and you dropped a line that stuck with me, "Produce more than you consume." I believe it stemmed from a tweet you posted about how passive and unproductive watching television is. And it is. A cornerstone of our culture has become constant consumption. Most people take more than they put in.
A few weeks ago, I listened to a segment on NPR titled "The Town Where Everyone Talks about Death.” I’ve seen a few fellow NPR nerds discussing the piece on social media and am delighted to see it has generated quite a bit of buzz. The story focuses on La Crosse, Wisconsin, population of just over 50,000, and their unified focus on the importance of advance directives and meaningful conversations about death.
