What does it mean?

By definition it means; Development from a lower or simpler to a higher or more complex form; evolution. This can be applied to many things. However, in this post it is applied to oneself, using my experiences as a guide. Who knows, maybe you'll find a tip or two.

Leaving undergrad in the midst of the pandemic gave me a lot of time to think about how myself, and my habits mirrored the world around me. Habits I've had since I was a wee lad, but also the ones formed throughout high school and undergrad. The good and the bad.

I loved to read when I was young. I always looked forward to the time we were given in school to stop whatever it was we were doing, and read. Same goes for bedtime. Reading signified a time of relaxation with a sense of exploration that school never gave me. But along the way I stopped. I just stopped.

To this day I am not quite sure why. Maybe schoolwork started to take more time? Maybe I had to start making friends instead of reading, or I did not know how to do both? Maybe it was the smartphone I got in 10th grade that became a magnet for my attention? Maybe it was a combination of these things, but one thing was for sure, my attention started to dwindle. Or at least it felt like it.

It was not until I came home after undergrad that I became aware of what I had lost. In many ways I was proud of myself and what I had accomplished. But in other ways I had forgotten the inner-child. That sense of wonder and curiosity. That joy for learning through reading and tinkering. If it was not for this time at home, I would not have found the joy for things I now have, and understand how to protect and nurture it.

I credit the rediscovery through focusing on the following.

• Reading
  • Read whatever hard copy you want. The goal is to read instead of scroll. You'll be much happier with yourself.
• Running/exercise
  • We are supposed to move. School and work keep us fairly sedentary. Get those steps in. Lift heavy things, set them down, and do it again. The golden rule applies in all areas of life, if you don't use it you'll loose it.
• Meditation/prayer
  • I believe we are the combination of a mind, a body, and a third more complex thing. Sometimes referred to as the soul or spirit. W/o getting too esoteric, find things that satisfy your soul and make them a part of your life.
• Proper nutrition/hydration/sleep
  • You need energy to be the best version of yourself. Take control over what you consume, and feel the change.
• Relationships/bonds
  • Maybe this was lost during the pandemic, but we are social beings. Catching up with people over a meal, going to events, museums, trips, or whatever peaks your interest; it will make you feel better than not going. You grow your appreciation for the people you have relationships with, and build new ones.

Mind, body, and spirit are at the foundation of each of these steps, and I thank the Jesuits for that. Acknowledgement of the room for growth did not take long. The hard part was acting on it. Reading; the one that got away was the first to come back. Everything else fell in place after.

Take things one day at a time, believe in yourself, and ask for help when you need it. The amount of people that are out there willing to help others is far greater than you think. You got this DAWG!