Inspiration and Motivation comes from YOU.

I have to admit, lately I have been a little lacking in things. I haven't been on top of all my homework, completely ready for tests, or always prepared in my musical groups. I've felt like life is moving way to fast, but it's really been that I've been moving way to slow. I think I have been lacking the inspiration and motivation to do things. I got a little too comfortable and I started to relax, which is something that you should never do. When I finally woke up from my day dreaming, I realized people had come and snatched my little cushion of comfort out from under me, leaving me dazed and confused. Others have come and occupied the positions that I've grown accustomed to, leaving me feeling as if I'm sitting on the back burner, unnoticed by all except those who are back there with me. I know I can't be upset at them for moving in and taking it from me, I can only be upset at myself for becoming lazy.

I thrive on competition with others, even if it is wrong as you should only be competing with yourself, the competition with others pushes me, and I've realized that. I take advantage of that drive to be better than others because it allows me to be motivated to do the best that I can. I think once I reach a basic level of superiority, and I use that word only as means to show that I think I'm better than others in a certain area, I slack off in it because there is no one to compete with. I turn a blind eye and focus on other areas, which is stupid. That's the reason I am in this hole today, I stopped working once I got to a certain point and others hard work finally paid off and surpassed me. I started writing this blog to make a point that it's ok to use competitive attitude with others to reach a goal and forget about doing it for yourself. Then I remembered something that I've heard my band teacher say many times:

"Good is the enemy of Great."

That is exactly the problem I face. I get good enough at something to be better than others around me and then I stop trying. That is why you NEED to do things for yourself and not others. Though a little rivalry is always healthy and might be a good source motivation and inspiration, you should use it to initiate the motion, not fuel it. If you letter your competitive attitude towards others fuel you, you will eventually peak and flatline the rest of the way. But if you let your competitive attitude towards yourself fuel you, there is no limit to what can be achieved.

So am I going to let these other people fire up my engine? Of course! But this time, I'm racing towards a whole couch full of cushions, not just one puny little cushion, and the only way I can make it is if I am putting the fuel in myself. And no matter where I am in this circuit of life, I'll be right there pushing others along, because influences and support are your wheels in this race.

But that's a topic for a whole other blog some other time.

Holidays and their true Purpose.

I don't get it. I want you to just take a step back and look at our holidays and what they've turned into. All I see is big opportunities for companies to make money, not celebrate anything. A big happy Market-fest, if you will. For example, take a look at July 4th, Independence Day. All that automatically comes to mind is fireworks. Fireworks, fireworks, fireworks. Buying and Selling Fireworks. Not the fact that the day, July 4th, was when the declaration of independence was signed and America declared its freedom from the British Crown, but Fireworks. A visual show is how we commemorate our founding fathers. Tell me one instance when you've remembered the founding fathers on Independence Day. Just One Time. I sure know that I have never thought about it.

Christmas is also just as badly skewed from it's original purpose, though at least the reason for it is well known. Christmas, as we all know, is to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But again, tell me one time that you are thinking about the birth of Jesus when you are opening presents or eating your Christmas Eve/Day meals with your family. Not many memories come to mind, right? Now think about all the times you have thought about what presents you'll be getting, and how you could care less about anything else except that you got what you asked for and how you can't wait to get your hand on those item(s). Too many times to count, huh? Exactly my point. All we think about is the presents or what pop culture today has turned these holidays into, not what they are truly supposed to celebrate.

The last holiday I'm going to bring up is Thanksgiving, which happens to be today. Today is the day we are supposed to GIVE THANKS for all that we have. Pretty weird concept, huh? The other day I heard some one say this, and I thought it was very true. They said that Thanksgiving has turned into a big meal/feast where you store all these carbs, so that you'll have energy the next day to go shopping because Black Friday is THE special occasion. I was blown away when I heard that, but it was more because it was TRUE. Just sit there and let it soak in. Have you noticed how hard Christmas has been pushed this year, if we can even consider it Christmas? I should probably say Black Friday instead, but have you found the radio stations already playing Christmas music about three weeks before Thanksgiving? Have you ever thought of why they don't have music for thanksgiving? If you have, did you realize they don't have quite the market potential? By playing Holiday music on the radio, they are getting you into the "Christmas Season", which gets you thinking about presents, leading to you trying to find the best prices. And when do you get the best prices? Black Friday. It seems like Thanksgiving is trying to be forgotten all together, and Black Friday is the actual holiday.

It just seems to me that all these holidays have turned into are ways for companies to get you to spend your money on useless things. I'm all for the family getting together and having big feasts. It's great! I love the whole atmosphere of everyone coming together to CELEBRATE something. To actually celebrate the holiday itself, and the purpose for which it is held. What I'm not so hot for is the little side stuff. Sure I enjoy the traditions of each different holiday, but not as the reason we have the holidays. That's like saying we celebrate Independence day because that's when fireworks are shot off, Thanksgiving is celebrated to give you energy on Black Friday, and the reason there is Christmas is to receive presents. You know all I see in those statements? Me, Me, Me. What do I get out of this holiday in the moment? It's all about me and how much money I can spend.

Which is why I want to challenge anyone who reads this. Here's my Challenge: For each holiday, celebrate the reason that the holiday is there, not the reason of which pop culture has made it. Especially today, on Thanksgiving Day. I want you to give Thanks to God, or who ever it may be, for all that you have and are blessed with. Then talk about it with your parents, your family, or your friends why it is you are celebrating that holiday and keep it in mind whenever you do the special tradition of that holiday. I know I'll be doing my best to do so.