Do The Stuff

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Today I was at States Activities Day for 4-H. It was so great to see people...some that had graduated, some that were just coming up or in their last years. Some people I'd known forever and were super close with, others I'd hardly seen but still got along great with.

The awesome thing about 4-H across our state is that we're diverse, in interest and backgrounds. No one tries to be like anyone else, and we're ready to accept anyone. Our only criteria is that you get excited about stuff.

I'm so grateful for NH 4-H...not just the program, but the people. They're all so lovely, and truly inspiring. I always come away with the realization of how important it is to do stuff.

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I know that probably sounds silly. Obviously we do stuff, right? Honestly, though, some people don't. And I teeter on that cliff (and fall head over heels) far too often. There are days when getting up is awful...when I don't throw myself entirely into my skating practice. When doing school seems unthinkable and everything else is just too hard. I've been known to waste a day on Pinterest, or not cross anything out off of my to-do list. Sometimes I mope around and just sit there, feeling bad that I'm just sitting there but not bad enough to stop. Please tell me I'm not alone. My lazy streak is my biggest fault and easily the thing I most struggle with. I love ideas and planning, but usually suffer in execution.

Here's the thing, though: doing stuff is, really, one of the most important things. Again, I know this sounds silly. But it's so basic that we often loose sight of it. So many people think they can't do big things--so they skip the small stuff, too. We can't do that. We need to do the stuff, both big and small, because it all matters.

The quote that made me fall in love with Hemingway

We need to walk and run, to get out and breath. We need to create something--anything--whether it's art or dance or writing. We need to connect with people, even if we're too far away to actually see them. We need to decide on what we believe and then believe it, without worrying about who we 'offend'. We need to be kind and caring and go out of our way to be helpful. Those are always the people that we notice, but are never the ones we actively try to emulate. We need to imagine the best for ourselves and yet remain humble. We need to make goals and be willing to take on the not-so-nice parts, because they're necessary. We need to get up early and go to bed late, if that's what's called for, and learn the art of not complaining because work is good.

I've been in a slump, and a little pessimistic, lately. Seeing all these lovely people today reminded me that, yes, there's good. Quite a bit of it, actually. I'm definitely going to try to fall more on the good side than the bad side, and attempt to be more worthy of the brilliant people I've come to know and love. So who's with me? Let's go do the stuff.