5 Questions for a Better You

So I was checking out the latest headlines, most of which have to do with Super Bowl XLV in some way. (Shout out to the Packers and #87 former K-Stater Jordy Nelson: First touchdown of the game and game leader for receiving yards playing behind 3 other awesome receivers. WAY TO GO!) Anyway, I stumbled across an article that normally I wouldn't have clicked on. And who knows why, but I was intrigued.

5 questions that tell you if it’s meant to be

So after reading the article, I was pretty convinced that these questions, while they may or may not help your romantic life, are good questions to ask yourself. It seems they could be used to evaluate your accomplishments, set new goals, and overall give you some much needed motivation. And who couldn't use a little of that? I know I could, so here goes:

Question #1: “If your company gave one-year paid sabbaticals, what would you do for that year?”

I've always dreamed of traveling to foreign countries, if for nothing else, just to broaden my horizons a bit. I'm definitely a bit sheltered in my impression of the world we live in, simply because I have not experienced it. There is also a feeling of simplicity that comes with traveling to a foreign land. Sometimes I think that too often Americans can get sucked into this "have it all" mentality and forget about the simple pleasures of life. I'm guilty of this, but I can see that taking a long adventure could instill a better appreciation of the little things. A while back, I watched the movie Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts. If you haven't had the chance to see it and like an inspirational "love your life" movie, I would definitely recommend renting it. I think it would do us all some good to get away from our busy schedules and just live in the moment. Sometimes we just need a little time for self discovery; some rest and relaxation that allows us to "find ourselves."

Question #2: “Will you share an embarrassing moment with a significant other?”

I would love to think that I would be willing to do this for a close friend or relative, but the truth is I'm not sure if I could. I think that right now I lack the self confidence to put myself out there for someone else. That's not to say that I can't eventually do it. Someday I hope to be secure enough with myself to be vulnerable with someone special to me. I think I just added a new goal to my 2011 list! :)

Question #3: “If your house were on fire, what’s the one thing you’d make sure to save?”

If I was lucky enough to be able to save anything, (I live in an apartment and chances are I would be at work if the building catches on fire) I would choose my birth certificate and my laptop. Now I know that's technically two things, but my files are right next to my laptop so I doubt it would take much to grab them simultaneously. Obviously I would want to save my birth certificate so that I can protect my identity. In the world we live in today, it's easier to take advantage of those people who have fallen upon hard times. I think it's important to protect yourself and always be able to prove who you are and where you came from. As for my laptop, that might seem like a petty choice. I would choose my laptop because that is where the majority of my memories are stored. Some people might choose to save special family pictures or heirlooms, but I have those things saved on my computer. They are all in one place, and if I lose the physical copy of a picture in a fire, I know that I will still have the digital copy to print a new one. Most people have digitized much of their lives now; doesn't it make sense to store important things all in one place? In fact, I may look into creating a digital copy of all my important documents like my birth certificate. Compacting it all in one place can be beneficial, even if only to save everything when  you can only grab one thing from the fire.

Question #4: “What’s the biggest misperception people have about you?”

I think people can sometimes perceive my practical demeanor as a lack of feelings and emotions. The truth is, I'm a very emotional person who has a big heart. The problem is that big heart has gotten me into a lot of trouble in the recent past, and because of that I have become a more practical person. This is not to say that I don't have dreams. I have the same dreams that I always did, but I approach life more practically now rather than whimsically. I've learned that it does no good to get emotional over every little thing. In reality, it does no good to get emotional over anything big or small. I think it is good for people to be able to "take everything with a grain of salt." There are going to be good things that happen in your life, but there will also be bad things. At the end of the day, it's not what you went through that matters, but how you handled it.

Question #5: “What’s the one life experience you want a do-over on?”

Wow, there are so many! Actually, I would choose nothing. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I believe that we succeed at some things and we fail at others, but there is a purpose in it all. If I fail once at something I really want, I can keep trying (there is nothing wrong with persistence and dedication) but I will only succeed when the time is right. If I apply for a job with a touring act that lasts a year, I might or I might not get it. If I don't, that means I'm supposed to do something else that year. There is some other feat I am to accomplish. I believe that even if you get a do-over and you fix what went wrong the first time, somehow the outcome will be the same.

That's all the questions. Wow, I've gained some insight into myself just answering them. I've learned a lot about myself that I already knew, but had maybe forgotten. It feels good to reinforce who I am and what I believe in. I challenge you to answer these five questions and see how your answers influence your own life!