On top of the world

Blogging is great therapy. My daily routine has changed completely since deciding to write every day and with that, my motivation to do so much outside of blogging. It is like obtaining a master key but not to enter a room, to escape one. A dark room that left little desire to spread a message, one that I wouldn’t want to spread without a healthy frame of mind.

That master key thankfully works to unlock so much more. I get out of bed earlier. I have breakfast. I will do twenty push-ups if I know I won’t be able to go to the gym today. I spend the day looking around for motivation for my next post instead of looking for a clock telling me when I will be able to go back to bed. I have more reason to get out of bed and more meaning to my days between sleeping.

Healthy eating is another, I don’t need to seek as much happiness from junk food. I have never been a very unhealthy eater but I am still seeing benefits. There is less boredom in my day, less desire to find excitement in areas that don’t benefit my body and mind. If my mind is constantly stimulated I have less time to rest my head on that pillow of procrastination. It is simple but effective. I used to be Indiana running away from work ethic, I prefer to be the ball of motivation chasing my doubts and pessimism away. Once it is rolling, it is much harder to slow down.

I enjoy being the ball.

I am saving money as I am not spending it trying to pass time. Saving for greater things to blog about. You will see where it takes me in the next few months, providing I don’t lose my passport before then. Ah! There is another positive. I don’t hate waiting for fun things I have planned later in the year as I am having fun today. They say good things come to those who wait. Why wait, and why not have fun everyday? It is possible. There is a huge wasted opportunity when living for something you have planned later in the year. All attention is on that calendar date and crossing the boxes until it arrives. What happens to the days that have been crossed off? Were they just seen as stepping stones? Each one consists of 24 hours, that is a huge chunk of time to let slip by. After a few of these it isn’t days but life that is slipping by. Don’t make that mistake.

The more I aim to do the worse I feel when I do not keep busy. As long as this busy consists of things that I enjoy, I feel good. It has been said that one of the biggest regrets from people on their death bed is working too hard. I believe that if work is your ambition and consisting of things you enjoy, it won’t be work. Our aim is to find work that we want to do, not that we need to do to keep going.

If I can live a life mostly consisting of what I enjoy, I will feel good. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best day is today. There is no quicker way to get to where you want than to start right now, and hopefully I will not have to ride so many cable cars to feel like I am on top of the world.

Dreams

After waking up today I looked for this photo. I have no idea what was in the mind of the street artist during this piece but it is one I remember more than most. Whether or not there is method to the apparent madness, I may never know.

I woke up, wide awake at 3am this morning and realised how many dreams I was having. My mind was incredibly active despite the fact that I have now forgotten most of what I was dreaming. It felt like a conveyor belt of different scenarios, a roller-coaster taking me through new scenes that my mind is conjuring up on the spot. Did you ever play video games in the 90’s/ early 00’s? The way city landscapes only appeared/ generated as you got closer to them? I guess we never know what we are getting into until we arrive.

I also felt like I discovered a whole new level of this thought machine we know so little about, like looking under a plank of wood and seeing a whole army of ants doing their own thing without our acknowledgement. When I woke it felt like I remembered something that I shouldn’t, like kids caught playing when they should be in bed. My brain was just farting out all kinds of weird, wacky, colorful situations that I have no option but to watch as I restore my energy. Although it has almost completely vanished from memory, I know it happened. Sometimes this reality terrifies me, other days it astounds me.

It is hard to believe that I am using my brain to analyse my brain and come to the conclusion that I do not know everything about it. Despite the fact that it is still me. It is pretty incredible that this is our reality.

Do you get so deep in thought about your own life experiences? I guess we all do to an extent. Maybe the art above is just a direct copy of what the artist was thinking just before his or her morning coffee. What is seemingly nonsensical during the day may make complete sense every night, we just forget about it most of the time.

Nothing.

I didn’t think I would ever take a photo of the entrance to a car park, then again it is Brazil, there is a photo opportunity around every corner!

 

This interesting piece is made up of 400+ very boring aspects, I feel almost conned as I take a photo of it. We find the same fascination in almost anything when there are multiples of said thing surrounding it. The pattern reminds me of a hurricane or a flock of Starlings, both incredible when observing from afar. Take one single component from such phenomena and we don’t turn our heads, a bird flying into a strong breeze isn’t a photo opportunity. The beauty of bland or seemingly meaningless pieces of art is that we fill in the gaps, creating our on perception and stories, although I must admit I prefer art that does the work for me. We can do this with music and I am sure many other aspects of life. Our brains are amazing for this, finding beauty where there is little and being able to appreciate beauty when it is apparent.

 

Firsts.

Beco do Batman, São Paulo.

I’ve always been one to stick to my comforts. This may be a result of bullying at school, anxiety or simply a lack of motivation to change. I had always stuck to the same path and daily routine.

I think this is what has made me want to travel more than anything, the years of tip-toeing in the shallow end suddenly built up and a sudden sense of urgency weighed me down. Thankfully this sense of urgency hasn’t died. The older we get the more we lose, this keeps this snowball rolling. I still find myself wanting to go back to that old mentality at times, why should I go on holiday somewhere different? The last place was fine. Why listen to new music? The songs I have listened to a thousand times have served me well. Is it worth risking number 68 on the menu when I know number 75 is delicious?

Before I tasted my favorite food, I was content. Before I discovered my favorite band, I was nodding my head to something else. Before I found my favorite destination, I was telling my friends how good the last place was. Would I go back in time to one of little discovery and experience? Hell No.

Climb the steps before turning back, you can always come back later, if the thought ever crosses your mind.

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Thank you to my followers for inspiring me to keep posting. I hope to keep my blog growing and to explore as many of your blogs as I can, a follow is greatly appreciated.

Muito obrigado!