Getting It All Together

Five years ago, today, I was not a cool kid. When I was a sophomore in high school, I was fighting depression and having a hard time even making it into the doors of the social worker’s office let alone the rooms to my classes that I was supposed to be focused on and interacting with my classmates. Five years ago, today, I couldn’t seem to just get it together. Today, while I struggle sometimes with the same issues — this is the first year in a while where my depression has been unearthed and I’ve had problems in the mornings and making it to my classes on time — I have a much better mindset to just get it together so I can begin thinking about the next day. I also look forward to thinking of all the great things ahead of me, whether that is seeing my girlfriend next or my mother during mom’s weekend for my fraternity (Miami for my spring break vacation was definitely something I’d looked forward to). All of these things are exciting and allow me to refocus my energy and relax when times may get tough. Life would have been so much easier in high school if I were able to ponder through each day with the head I have on my shoulders today. Life would be so much easier if I could just do that now.

Five years ago, today, I would tell myself to just get it together.

Five years in the future, today, I will still be chasing my full potential. When I am 26 years old, I anticipate a career that is still shy of my dream job. This is what I have planned, and I don’t find much wrong with this plan. It is going to be difficult to convince my wife and children one day that moving to Portland to work at an advertising agency that’s been on my radar since I got into this whole advertising interest in college is also in the best interest of my family. Five years in the future, today, I am confident that I will still not be at my best. Similar to today, I believe that five years from now it will still be easier to complain about instead of attempting to endure the long days and nights of adulthood. I imagine myself making more excuses than I should be making. I imagine myself doing it anyways when I get tired even if I know its selfish and at times just plain wrong. Perhaps I will be struggling with a client at work, or hustling to get organized for my sons or daughters birthday party. Maybe I’ll try to get away from my family one evening so I can go out with the guys for a change — we all know how women tend to take that conversation. I am human though. I will make many mistakes. Life would be so much more rewarding if I just do the right thing. I pray that my future self can see that doing more in life and doing the right thing on top of this will push me to my greatest potential.

Five years in the future, today, I would tell myself to do more.

Five years in the future, today, I would tell myself to just get it together again.