Living.

I have been doing a lot of soul searching this summer, and as I take more and more trips, read more and more authors, and work on more and more graduate work, I realize that I am not satiating my hunger for new knowledge or experiences, but rather I am increasing the ever growing hunger for experiencing this life to the maximum level possible.  This can sometimes be scary for a 23 year old with a whole life story waiting to be written--where will I take this?  What is my destiny?  What will be my legacy?

I am a huge dreamer, and I do not think anyone should sacrifice his or her dreams or goals for security or conformity.  I have recently been following Chris Guillebeau's blog The Art of Non-Conformity.  This blog, along with some books and documentaries I have been reading and watching over the summer, as well as the many new experiences I have had during my summer travels backpacking through Peru, visiting a friend in Southern California, and my soon to come hiking excursion in Boulder Colorado, has helped to re-ignite a desire to live my life to the fullest.

I have a deep seeded passion for teaching, but I consider myself a well rounded individual and I have many interests.  It is scary to think about teaching for the rest of my life--although pursuing a career as a teacher is one of my life-long goals.  Sometimes I think it would have been beneficial to have had some vagabond years before landing a good teaching position--but I need to remember that I am fortunate and if I am a good teacher, I have the opportunity to create new experiences and excitement within, and breaking out of, the borders of my classroom.

The reason I am creating this post is to release some steam, and also to practice what I preach.  I am a firm believer in goal setting and I think it is important for people to write down their dreams and goals.  This can be therapeutic--it can also be the first step in accomplishing something.  I am going to begin a running list of some of my goals and dreams--things I want to do, things I want to learn, and places I want to see.

-Speak fluent Spanish
-Write more often
-Write a book: possibly a novel, children's story, or a self-help book
-Become a better guitar player
-Play guitar/sing at an open-mic night
-Perform stand-up comedy
-Try out for a movie or television role (not really a dream of mine anymore--but it was during my class-clown days of high school)
-Start drumming again
-Learn how to mix music/become a dj
-Coach a hockey team
-Travel to 6 continents (I may skip out on Antarctica; 3 are checked off so far: North and South American and Europe)
-Adapt a healthier, sustainable diet (check out The Future of Foods, Food Inc., and Annual Additions: Nutrition)
-Stay physically active and adapt a more regular physical activity schedule that promote lifetime heath and wellness
-Continue to develop as a teacher and individual and help as many people as possible to accomplish their goals and reach their potential.

Some of these bullets may be general, and there maybe be no specific plans put into place to enact these goals--but stating a goal is a first step towards achievement.  This is public now, so I feel more accountable.