1) It’s really good to be able to laugh at yourself.
It’s also good to know when to be sincere. But it’s OK if life is fun!
2) Some things are worth fighting (for).
Authenticity has become far too rare, and people who will kindly and non-passive-aggresively confront others for the sake of doing the right thing are nearly extinct. Some things really are worth fighting, and some things are worth fighting for.
3) Contentedness is hard, but worth every ounce of effort.
“The grass is greener” mentality will probably always exist somewhere within us, but this mindset is certainly amongst the things that are worth fighting. No place is perfect, but as we often tend to find what we look for, our perspective has a profound effect on this problem.
4) There are at least two sides to every story.
This one is a cliché for a reason: it’s true. The tough part is remembering it. “If you only understand a thing one way, you don’t understand it all.” – Marvin Minsky
5) Contracts are only as good as the person you sign with.
Words on a page are worthless compared to the character within the signer.
6) Discovering your strengths is life-changing.
Throughout my education, I have been fortunate enough to take quite a few so-called “personality assessments.” I remember very little about any of them (except my prickly-ness at their pigeonhole-ness) until the Clifton StrengthsFinder™. Both concise and full of depth, Gallup created an amazing resource for helping people find what they’re good at, and to become better humans because of it. Check it out.
7) Seasons are glorious.
Not worrying about snow on the roads is not a fair trade for having no seasons of weather variance. At. All. Ever. There’s just something pure and invigorating about the cooling of autumn or the gradual warmth of spring. Or clouds. And thunderstorms. (Love those guys.)
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Being Right Or Being Open by Josh Allan Dykstra on June 28th, 2010
Google Being Evil & Why Net Neutrality Matters by Josh Allan Dykstra on August 9th, 2010
Paradoxical Art by Josh Allan Dykstra on November 4th, 2008
Copyright © 2005-2012 Josh Allan Dykstra
5 Comments
Jim Seybert
Nice list – you had me until #7. I lived in Wyoming for nearly 20 years. Moved BACK to California on a day when the outside temperature was 22 degrees BELOW zero. You can have all the weather variances you want – I will enjoy watching them on TV and “listening” to all my hapless weather-influenced friends cry all Winter. Gimme climate boredom – any day and all year.
11 Oct 2010 12:10 pm (@jimseybert)
Josh Allan Dykstra
Hahaha, I hear you, Jim. Now, you do know there are places with seasons that are also not Wyoming, right?
11 Oct 2010 12:10 pm (@joshallan)
Jamie Farrell
Like all but #7! Having grown up on the beach and now living where there are seasons…I would say, “THE BEACH IS GLORIOUS” and forget the seasons. Fl is summer year round!
11 Oct 2010 01:10 pm (@educationnut)
Josh Allan Dykstra
Maybe this depends on where you come from…? I grew up in a place with seasons, so perhaps that’s why I miss them. Some kind of nostalgia thing?
Also, for me it’s a “rhythm of life” thing — I like that the seasons naturally break up the passage of time. Almost like a meta-circadian-rhythm experience.
11 Oct 2010 01:10 pm (@joshallan)
Scott Asai
Maximizing your Strengths is even better! By the way, your images are great!
13 Oct 2010 09:10 pm (@growingforward)
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