Why am I here?  My brain has always led me to search for my purpose in life which can get very interesting at times.  When you grow up you are told you can do anything and to find something you love doing right?  We are also directed that going to college for four or more years to get a degree will help you find a job of your dreams.  In society we are told that getting this degree and making money will lead us in the right direction.  I have struggled with all of this since the day I walked off the graduation ceremony stage with my Master’s degree at North Dakota State University.  I have had two good, full-time jobs since college in the health and wellness fields and both I really didn’t need a Master’s degree for and believe me the salary doesn’t reflect in my crazy amount student loan debt.  Why am I still searching if this was what I was passionate about?

“Hurry up before you go and get old
Hurry up before your blood runs cold
None of us were ever meant to stay
We’re all gonna find out one day”

I was passionate about making a difference and leaving a Legacy.  I worked with some amazing college students at my first big girl job who showed me what passion was about.  I also could start giving back to the community by volunteering at various places with my college student workers and bringing in blood drives to our facility.  My parents engrained in me when I was small that no matter what we had someone else had less and that giving back is just what we should do.  This didn’t just mean giving money as most of the time we didn’t have any but it meant lending a hand.   I wanted the college students who worked for me to not just get an amazing job but to give something back to their community once they graduated.  I continued to give back in different ways once I started working at big girl job number two which gave me more insight in to the effect a person can really make. Did I find my passion and purpose?

“You see life’s too short to run it like a race
So it’s never gonna matter if you win first place
Cause we’re all the same”

I truly believe I was put on this earth to help others which is sometimes hard as I tend to spread myself thin but I feel it is worth every moment.   How do we give back?   I wish I had a million dollars laying around so I could give money to my favorite charities but this isn’t my reality.  I do however, have a body that moves and two hands that can help whether it is handing out food to young children or organizing a 5k for charity.  There are days when I don’t have time to volunteer so a Random Act of Kindness is provided to someone I know or to a stranger.  If you have ever done a Random Act of Kindness then you know the radiant smile I have seen and the tears that have flowed from others.

“Hurry up before the bottle kicks in
Before the poison and the pain sets in
If you take it down a notch and you let me explain
That on this earth we are all the same
And all I can say is”

We can make a difference by the smallest of efforts and if everyone pitched in the impact it could leave in our communities is endless.  Why do we give back?  I have seen firsthand what an organization such as the United Way of Cass-Clay (Click Here) can do for young children, the elderly, the homeless and so much more.  I am in awe and lucky to work with this organization on different levels as even just typing about it gives me goose-bumps and tears.  I think with some of the recent events in my own life that you just never know if you could be the one who needs these types of services.  I do not give back to be recognized as giving back fills my soul with joy and that is all I need.  It has also, I feel, saved me in certain ways as giving back can have a great impact on your mental health.  I recently saw a presenter by the name of Dr. Corey Martin (Bounce Back Project-Click Here) who talked about gratitude (Please Watch) and the simple ways we could give could leave a lasting impact (Please Watch) as we know those around us could be struggling.

“Stop waiting on your fifteen minutes of fame
Cause you’re not special
I’m not trying to rain on your parade
But you’re not special
I’m not trying to bring you down
I’m not trying to sound so ineffectual
Cause you’re not special”

I am not sure I will ever have all the answers or find my exact purpose in this crazy life I live but if I can help someone it definitely makes my day and their day better.  I challenge you to pay it forward today.  I challenge you to put yourself in someone else’s shoes who may be one non-payment away from losing their house.  I challenge you to find a new organization that needs your help.  I challenge to keep finding your purpose as we truly only have today. I will be updating the pages on the blog with my favorite organizations I volunteer for and donate to and more so stay tuned…
“We can all do something, it is that simple!”

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Shinedown released a new album called “Attention, Attention” and I think you all can guess what I have been listening to since the beginning of May.  I recently attended my 9^th Shinedown concert and some of their new songs hit close to home. Take a listen below and you won’t be disappointed.

Special (Click Here)
The Lyrics are above throughout the blog!

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Brilliant (Click Here)

Count it down from 10 to 1
Faster than a hurricane
Callin’ out to everyone, are you mad or insane
Quicker when you’re curious
And better once you realize
Finding someone you can trust, gets results, check your pulse

Let me clear my throat, let me catch my breath
Let my heart bleed out til there’s nothing left
It’s my day to be brilliant
It’s my day to be brilliant

 

 

 

Until next time…….