I am an open book

Truth be told, it’s not an easy thing to put your heart on your sleeve a couple of times a month and share thoughts and feelings with the world; or at least to those who have the time to click the link to the blogs I post.  I don’t always share intimate feelings or deep dark secrets, but the act of sharing your perspective or beliefs with the world can be terrifying to some. Putting your ideas out there can be challenging.  I do take the time to write and rewrite some of my opinions and thoughts, but not for the reason of worrying about offending people that read my entries.  My rewrites are done to make sure that the reader understands the true meaning behind the words.  Also, because my grammar sucks and I do my best to clean up as many mistakes as my state college education allows.  One day, I hope to make it big so I can pay someone to make me look smarter!  Authors and journalists have editors, I have spellcheck.

I do and I don’t care what people have to say about the things I write and say.  I do care, because I want to make an impact in your life or plant a seed to encourage you to think or respond in a certain way.  #Tryharder.  I don’t care if I offend, anger or make your eyes roll because you think differently.  It’s your choice to read these chapters I post and I am not forcing you to do anything.  I do not allow others to force me into changing the style or passion in the way I write.  I am who I am.  Warts, moles and freckles and I show that same respect to others.  I respect opinions.  Even the ones I don’t agree with.

There are people in this world that want to be offended.  They feel that they cannot be sensitive to the world if they have thick skin, so they look to be bothered.  These same people rarely offer up their opinion, but rather wait to argue with someone who has already shared theirs.  It’s safer to be a critic than it is to be a seed planter of thoughts.  People with carefully calculated responses often just pick things apart and offer up very little when it comes to the betterment of others.  You want to be “right” and “win” the discussion and you care very little about the most important part-the takeaway. Maybe I’m different?  Yes, I want a solution, but I look to take something away from every discussion I am involved with.  I’m perfectly fine with being offended and “wrong” as long as we get to where we need to go.  I don’t need to win.   

The #Tryharder “philosophy” has always been about getting people to think of a better way or consider altering the course for the betterment of others by digging a little deeper. Trying harder.  By sharing my thoughts and stories, I hope to plant seeds of consideration and give others an opportunity to do the same.  I’m honest about my life and the scars that I carry are the foundation of almost all of my chapters.  If I, a simple kid from a small town in Texas with a state college education and limited editing skills, can honestly push out thoughts and feelings into the world and get 10s of thousands of people to read them-then you can do the same.  You don’t have to influence tribes of people, but you should want to make a difference somewhere.  If my blogs don’t do it, then perhaps the pictures of terrible parking jobs will help to alter the behavior of others? 

You only get one go-round on this planet and you owe It to yourself and others to leave as much of “you” (your contributions and perspective) behind for people to learn from.  Maybe I am different?  I don’t expect others to be like me.  I am not trying to lead an army of like-minded people and I don’t see myself as anything more than who I am.  Yet, having experienced what I have experienced in life, I would like to think I have something to offer the rest of the world.  You too have a unique perspective.  Not every blog or life lesson that I offer is a homerun and I don’t expect it to be.  I’m just trying to get you to #Tryharder a few times a month.  Nothing major, but maybe just enough to get you to plant seeds of your own for others to benefit from.