The Catalyst

Happy New Year,

It’s finally 2009, the year of change! I trust everyone has stuck to their resolutions thus far. A new year brings new aspirations and goals. It’s the best time to get affairs in order so that the current year won’t have as many setbacks as the previous year. As the Catalyst is getting close to its 3rd year I’ve decided that there will need to be some changes. Our subject matter is going to be more challenging. I have to be honest. I’ve been holding back a little. I’ve been doing some reading, research if you will. You wouldn’t believe some of my discoveries. Together we are going to question certain beliefs we hold dear. I’m determined to not only change my life but yours as well. Now this process may be a little painful. The truth can sometimes hurt but it’s necessary. The only way we can change our life for the better is to change our minds (for the better). As always, that may be easier said than done.
1 Corinthians 13:11 reads, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me (NIV).” The knowledge behind these statements reign true whether you have an affinity for Christianity or not. I love this particular passage because there are plenty of people, myself included, that need to put away their “childish ways” if they expect to have any type of success in life. You may ask, what exactly classifies as “childish ways”? The answer to this question varies according to the individual. What I think is childish behavior may not be childish to you. For instance, I don’t think a person can consider themselves an adult if they still watch cartoons. Watching Dora the Explorer with your son/daughter is fine. But if there are no kids around and you’re watching Spongebob Squarepants with a bowl of popcorn, you should ask yourself if there is a better way of using that time. The same thing goes for you 30+ year olds still watching 106 & Park. There is a reason nobody in the audience is your age. Another childish trait is not accepting responsibility for your own actions. Accountability is an important trait of maturity. When I hear someone playing the blame game, I know I’m not dealing with an adult. An adult realizes that EVERY action and decision has a consequence. And that consequence is only caused by one person and it’s not your parents, the President, or your teachers.
This is a new year, people. Let’s get excited! Let’s get motivated! And for goodness sake, let’s finally get rid of our “childish ways”! All of the adolescent tendencies need to cease. We can longer afford to postpone the inevitable. In order to have success we simply need to grow up. Don’t you get tired of being in your own way? If you don’t want to be your own worst enemy anymore I dare you, I double-dog dare you (ßspeaking of adolescent) to continue reading the Catalyst. Over the next year I’m going to be the *tocsin you need to implement change. The places where I’ll take you, mentally, will either give you a new lease on life or have you hating my guts. Either way, my life is still going to be awesome. And if you stay true to yourself, yours will be too.

“The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.” - Carlos Castaneda

Dream Big. Live Bigger.


The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
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*Word you’ve never heard…
tocsin /TOCK-sin/ noun - an alarm bell or the ringing of it: a warning signal