hey GC haven't posted in a while and hope you've all been well. i've been going through some enormous changes over the last year and a half and i have been making a more conscious effort to live a wholesome life. i am taking 2012 as a year of growth. i'm 75 days cold turkey on cigarettes, seldom drink now, and have been eating very healthy and exercising regularly since new years. i've done a lot of reflection to identify my undesirable character traits and am working hard towards being a better person. i am starting to take a new mindset on what it means to have faith. i am not talking religion. i am starting to see that if you treat others well, treat yourself well, and maintain a positive attitude that good things will continue to happen to you. slowly i have learned that i am happy to just be alive, healthy, and surrounded by beautiful people. i want to travel and see everything the world has to offer, and i don't think i will ever settle for a second. everything else - money, bills, whatever - seems trivial. i recently decided i am going to give up my dreams of being some rich financial executive and look more into social entrepreneurship. i don't think i need a big bank account to be happy. i'd rather help people and know i've made an impact on someone's life. the problem is, i don't have a god damn clue what i specifically want to do. i'm looking for any possible suggestions on things to look into. i am currently a sponge. soaking up every piece of information/knowledge/perspective i can. i am looking for books, articles, whatever to read. i am looking for new things to try. do you know anything or have you seen or read anything about social entrepreneurship? humanitarianism? faith or mental balance? how to be content? there is no right or wrong answer here. i am genuinely aimlessly looking for a general direction. i am 21 years old and a lot of people my age only want money and material goods. i want to discover new passions, to feel love for both new people and new things, so that my life is worth watching when it finally flashes before my eyes. point me in the right direction, blades. just tell me what you're thinking.
I am unsure of what you should do, but I approve fully. I really should do the same with my own life. Good luck to you, sir.
thank you, bud. same to you. i've been listening to ted talks, reading random articles, checking some podcasts, listening to NPR, etc. like, what's going on out there? what kind of projects are people working on? where can i go to learn more about them? new technologies? how are we going to sustain ourselves? who can be helped, and where? what places should i see before i die? what is something i absolutely need to try? how do i keep my head on straight? how do i reach an inner, mental/emotional balance? i am looking for something i can dedicate my time and life to. i do not intend to hop on any bandwagon. i just want to learn more.
As far as places you need to see before you die, Check out Bali, Indonesia. Once you get out of the tourist traps the country is beautiful and the people are among the nicest you will meet in the entire world. Make a friend with one of the taxi drivers and he will take you on full day tours around the island, Invite you to his village to meet his family, and show you the real bali. You could learn alot about being a better person from many of these people. Shit you need to try there- Hike the volcano, The dish called Sapi Lada Hitam, and their temples and religious dances and what not are good to go see. They don't take anything seriously, so even the religious dances are good for a laugh.
thank you i actually have a buddy whose family owns a house out in Indonesia, and he's offered to take me a few times. we were looking into a trip for next summer (i'll be traveling to San Francisco for the entire summer to see a girl who is very important to me) i'm surprised more people here don't have books to offer. and that's fine, there are plenty of places to find more info. but i know there are things/efforts/places that some of you have a huge passion for. talk about them!