Do a good turn daily and always be prepared
I just experienced one of those opportunities that makes this life worth living: I volunteered at the Special Olympics World Games.
Growing up as the youngest of three boys, my parents had their hands full, but they still managed to raise us as smart, caring, courageous young men. My brothers and I all achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts, an accomplishment I am very proud of. To this day I still hold close to my heart the Boy Scout slogan: do a good turn daily, and the Boy Scout motto: be prepared.
I was raised to wake up every morning with a smile on my face and goodness in my heart. While this was an impractical task to achieve everyday growing up, I am now grateful to have learned a few tricks to keep myself focused and in good spirits regardless of the challenges I face each day.
1. Let urgency conquer fear.
I picked up this card when I was at the SXSW 2015 Social Good Hub. I tend to overthink and overanalyze everything, so I have this posted on my fridge to remind me to stop worrying and listen to my instincts.
2. Have a morning routine.
Be habitual and consistent.
- Listen to music — Every morning is like an underground rave, while I let my mind wander and visualize future accomplishments and scenarios.
- I make my bed — My dad has been ragging on me all my life to make my bed, but I never took him seriously until I watched Admiral William H. McRaven give his commencement address at the University of Texas at Austin’s 2014 Commencement. Admiral McRaven outlines 10 survival skills he learned during Navy Seal boot camp, I’ve queued it up below:
“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”
- Healthy breakfast — This is a no brainer. I like to make myself my own green juice with locally sourced vegetables from the Arts District farmer’s market, a bowl of cereal, and a hardboiled egg.
- Exercise — I don’t go to a gym, but I walk and cycle a lot. Not owning a car for the last 3 years has helped me rethink my entire lifestyle and it keeps me staying active. Having a dog helps too!
- Read the news — I go to my local coffee shop where it’s like my own Cheers “Where everyone knows your name.” It’s my morning sanctuary where I can enjoy an espresso while reading my articles on Flipboard. No emails.
- Meditation — I don’t meditate enough, but when I do it always puts me in a better state of mind. Search YouTube for “guided morning meditation” and you should be all set.
3. Have a soundboard.
Someone to talk to and who can play devil’s advocate. This can be a friend, family member, mentor, neighbor, or even your dog, if she’ll listen.
4. Actively engage in the world.
Volunteer, meet your neighbors, talk to a stranger, go to a meetup group, challenge yourself at least once a day.
“Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don’t. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.” — Harvey MacKay
5. Be kind and give back.
Each day we are fighting our own separate battles, so keep an open mind and an open heart.
We all naturally want to do the right thing, but we commonly find ourselves “too busy” to do anything and when we do have the time we don’t know how to engage. There is no need to be lazy or shy. Life’s too short. Break through your selfish boundaries and take the time to do something for someone else today.
6. Practice gratitude.
Be grateful for everyday you have in life and for the people who care about you.
I am grateful for having the opportunity to be a volunteer at the Special Olympics World Games 2015, where I was an Honored Guest Host to Apolo Ohno, 8 time Winter Olympic medalist.
Through this experience, I learned more about unity, courage, determination, inclusion and acceptance. Apolo is the most gracious, loving, hard working person I have ever met and I will never forget the way he made everyone feel around him.
It’s true that the most valuable currency in the world is the effect you have on others.
Todd Terrazas is a social entrepreneur, adventurist, life hacker, and the Founder and CEO of Brainitch, a next-generation public safety technology company located in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles. Follow him: @ToddTerrazas
