I’ve been reading a lot of random stuff lately… trying to catch up on politics I missed over the summer during my 6 week intense class…so between reading to catch up on all of the public events I have missed and I have also been contemplating lots of different things.

I have been doing web design and development for close to a decade (8 years and some change) and it is awesome. I like it. It allows me to explore both creative and problem solving sides of me, but I want more. I have a thirst to do more, be more, see more, live more, everything… just MORE. More, more and more. Can I have another helping of interesting, and another dose of inspiration? Please? NOW! If you are truly passionate about something, then you should go get it. Don’t lie down. Don’t let someone tell you that you cannot achieve something. Chances are they are in their own rut and they are speaking about themselves. My mother, one of the most amazing women I know, has been watching me over the past couple of weeks. When I told her I wanted to run a half marathon, her initial reaction was “start with something smaller, shorter, less” and my response to that was why? I kept pushing. She is now thinking and has voiced that she believes I can do this half marathon thing. She believed in me before I believed in myself as far as grad school goes. She is truly an amazing woman. Extraordinary if you will. During a time when most would be crumbling, she persevered and achieved her doctorate at the ripe age of 62. She is an inspiration who didn’t listen when people told her no or cant or wont.

She gave me the ability to tune out those words as well. You say I can’t code something because I don’t know how? Would you tell Steve Jobs he couldn’t innovate or tell Bill Gates he couldn’t code or Mark Zuckerburg that facebook WONT work…. all of these people started with someone telling them they couldnt.

Ignore the negative, embrace the positive. I was recently talking to a good friend of mine (past coworker, turned amazing friend, turned neighbor) and she was having some life dilemmas. We have been talking a lot lately about the future and what there is to it. She is a unique being who is a total trooper. I asked her a question about whether she thought people could make a life out of being inspirational speaking and life coaching? She said yes and that I had inspired her. This got me thinking. We continued the discussion, ending with me in all caps stating NO MAN LEFT BEHIND!

I know this has been a jumble of thoughts, but I want to take this time to encourage all of you to do one thing today or over the next couple of weeks that you thought you could never do. Sign up for a race, write an article for a local blog or paper, make a music video, start a movement…. do what makes you feel awesome. DO SOMETHING THAT SCARES (or surprises) YOU!.

Stay tuned. More to come.