And Were Back! (And Awfully Arty)

Hello!

After a little bit of a break, Life Thriver is back, and better than ever (a small statement when I've only had a handful of posts before).

It's important to have fun with life. If you don't have any hobbies, then your life will most likely be quite boring and tedious. By introducing some fun artistic hobbies, you can mitigate the daily grind and get back to thriving! While obviously it's important to also plan for work time, taking a break once in a while can only lead to good things. After all, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

Here are some of the hobbies that I've picked up recently.

During my interim, I've restarted a hobby of mine, photography!

This photo, and many more, are available for public consumption on my profile on 500px (great site by the way). You can access that by visiting 500px.com/cadensmith

Along with photography, I've gotten into music making! Yes, that's right, original music production. While I'll be the first to admit that I've got a lot to learn, it's fun to tackle a new challenge. If you're interested in hearing some of my creations, I will be uploading them to soundcloud.com/cadensmith2 for all the world to hear. In addition, I plan on creating some Youtube videos demonstrating the work that goes into making music on my freshly minted youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjyL5HVmlD1ZbCLM2tPz0WA. 

Along with all of these exhausting creative endeavors, I am writing a book!

Yes, a book. Have you heard of National Novel Writing Month? Well, its in November. And its June. But it's not the month that's important. I thought it would be a fun challenge, and I was right. The important thing is that I fully expect not to make any money off the book, much less actually publish it. But it's the experience, the engagement of writing that's fun. If anything ever progresses with the project, then I'll keep you posted.

The lesson here from all of my personal endeavors is that it's important to engage your creative side with what ever facet you choose. It doesn't have to be amazing or perfect or even really amount to anything, as long as it's engaging and makes you happy, it's worth it.

In the comments below, share what your creative passion is! As always, every comment is appreciated. If you enjoyed this week's post, share it with your friends! It's extremely helpful to the blog, and I am gracious for your support. Have a good week, and remember to Thrive!

Tell a Good Story

Things happen.

Things that you may not want to happen.

Unexpected things. Crazy things.

Life has twists and turns, and can uproot your daily life for longer than preferable. It's important to stay calm when things don't according to plan. Instead of letting one bad event ruin your day, it's helpful to have a positive mindset. A personal motto of mine is to "tell a good story".

Look at adversities as opportunities. Don't fret molehills, craft stories. I've found that many events that could be horrible create funny and engaging stories after-the-fact. Don't be upset, be a story teller.

I've had my fair share of adverse events, many that have become some of my favorite stories to tell others. When I was a rower in high school, bad weather was a common phenomenon. Being surrounded by open water and exposed to the elements makes weather very relevant. One of my favorite stories involves an element of danger.  It was at our regional championship regatta. Just as the race was starting, a thunderclap rang out and beckoned in a torrential thunderstorm. 

It was a life-threatening situation; I was on a lake, in a fiberglass shell, during a thunderstorm. 

The only thought running through my mind as we raced for our lives: I can't wait to tell someone about this.

I could have panicked, but that would have done little to change anything. Instead, I fully enjoyed the craziness of the moment, and smiled as all hell broke loose.  Life's too short to be miserable. 

The secret to coping with life's issues is in your mindset. Look at problems with a positive attitude.

Tell a good story, Thrivers.

Someone will enjoy it.

In the comments below, share an event that was not ideal but makes an awfully good story to tell. As always, every comment and advice is appreciated. If you enjoyed this week's post, share it with your friends! It's extremely helpful to the blog, and I am gracious for your support. Have a good week, and remember to Thrive!