Archives for October 31, 2015

Be Reasonable At Your Own Peril

This morning I got on the bus and couldn’t find a seat, so I ended up standing. Not exactly a pleasant experience, and not only because sitting is more comfortable. Sitting is the only way I can get my laptop open so I can write my daily blog.

Being on the bus is a great way to keep me on track. It’s limited to 25-35 minutes and I get to put on my music and write.

But this time there was a good reason why I couldn’t write, a valid reason, one that if I say to anyone of you, you would probably agree that ‘Yes, you’re right, you can’t write in this condition.’ But “Action Hussein” was not having it – I wasn’t OK with not writing.

I became aware of my conflicting thoughts, and how easily I was slipping into not doing anything out of the ordinary. I had a deep urge, natural and familiar, to just stand there and do nothing, other than listening to music. I was disgusted at myself, that after two months of focused self-improvement efforts, I still was not transformed!

Although this intense debate was happening inside of me, I quickly noticed, what was not happening – I wasn’t doing anything at all, and was just lost in my own thoughts about something as silly as standing in a bus.

What would happen if I was faced with a real choice, something that was hard, or more real? I soon got lost in my own thoughts again.

I decided it was time to act. I told myself, ‘I’m going to write my daily blog post no matter what, and for no real reason, other than simply because I can.’

I had my iPhone, so I started writing, er, pecking with an oversized thumb.

Meanwhile in my head I had all the reasons why this was so hard, I was writing with one thumb, I was barely holding on with my other hand, it was uncomfortable, and people were staring… the reasons kept coming… if only I could get off and onto the other bus where there might be seats… I kept on writing though, I wrote the first few lines of this post. [YAY }

A seat soon opened up and I sat down, but I had to have my backpack in my lap. I couldn’t get the laptop out, so I kept on writing on my phone, now with two thumbs.

A seat opened up beside me, and as I placed my backpack on the floor, getting ready to pull out my laptop, a large man sat down next to me, effectively crushing me and thwarting the use of my entire left side.  I managed to wedge my laptop out from beneath his bulk and started writing. It was uncomfortable, and my arm went numb, but I kept on writing, and the result is this post.

I kept my word to myself. I wrote my daily blog. I knew I was unreasonable. I had all the reasons why I couldn’t do it, and I still did. I was crushed, I was uncomfortable, it was hard and weird, and I did it anyway.

Because my promise to myself was worth more than all the reasons in the world.

Where in life are you reasonable, and stuck in your thoughts?

TAKE ACTION, NOW!

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