The Catalyst

Hello everyone,



There is a saying that states that the road to Hell is paved withgood intentions. I don't think that it is necessarily the good intentions that lead you down the path of destruction. I think its the natural inclination of human beings to live their lives based offof the past that lead people astray. Now, it is one thing to look at the negative effects of our salad days* in order to not repeat it. Itis a different thing to hold onto an idea that is clearly faulty merely because you don't won't to admit you were wrong.
We've all been in the situation in some form. You said you wanted tohang out but when the weekend hit, you were tired. You told yourfriends you would hang out so you go, even though you would rather goto bed. You end up going out and bringing everybody down because you don't want to be there. Now, no one is having fun. Alot of good that did. You should have just stayed at home. But you didn't, did you? Ok, you don't like that example. Let's use something that hits closerto home. You said your vows at the alter. 6 months down the road you both know that you made a mistake. But no one wants to admit it. Your parents told you to wait. Your friends told you that you weren'tready. But you were in love. Notice I said you WERE in love. But once the high came down you realized that you two can't see eye to eyeon ANYTHING! Funny how perspectives change when you have to be around a person day in and day out. Now, there is a decision that has to be made (and choosing not to make a decision is a decision in itself). Do you call it quits and admit that you BOTH made a mistake? Or do you save face by staying in a fruitless marriage just because you want to be right. Nobody wants to hear, "I told you so." If I've said itonce, I've said it a thousand times: Being right is the Booby Prize in life. It's better to find out what's right than who's right.
Alot of times, we hang on to decisions we've made in the past because we like to be a man/woman of our word. I know our word should be our bond. But if you're like me, sometimes you change your mind. And when you change your mind, there is always going to be that one person there to remind you of what you said previously. I'll let you in on a secret. What you said in the past was how you felt THEN. It may not apply now. If it doesn't apply now. Why hold on to it? Has anyone ever tried to put you in check because you changed your mind? I guess I'm the only one. Anyway, people want you to stick to what you said. They want you to be the same old you. If you start changing then they're going to have to start changing. But it is my right to change my mind anytime. As an actor, I come across other artists. Every week, I hear someone say I'm quitting my job to pursue my dreams. I applaud that. But I also know that is an incredibly hard task. I've seen people literally struggle because they won't admit that they bit off more than they could chew. There is this guy (that I only seem to see when I'm in front of a mirror) who suffers from this condition. I know having a 9-5 isn't glamorous but it pays the bills. Being a starving artist isn't cool nor is it commendable. If your craft can't feed you maybe you should put in a few resumes. We all know it's not forever but for right now get that paycheck.
The past can haunt in many ways. Of course, repeating past failures is pointless. But, as I mentioned, staying faithful to a counterproductive idea for the mere fact that only YOU think its flawless is contemptibly ignorant. Which is easier, holding on or letting go? The answer to this question is the key to life. Use it to open the door to your aspirations.

"We can spend our lives letting the world tell us who we are. Sane orinsane. Saints or sex addicts. Heros or victims. Letting history tellus how good or bad we are.Letting our past decide our future. Or we can decide for ourselves. ...maybe it's our job to invent something better."
--Chuck Palahniuk


Dream Big. Live Bigger.




The All-American
http://www.rallostyles.com/
http://www.blestbabyproductions.com/*

Term you've never heard...

salad days /SAL-ud-DAYZ/ - time of youthful inexperience or indiscretion