There is a great Commencement Speech given by US Navy Admiral William McRaven entitled, If you Want to Change the World, Start off my Making your Bed
I didn't need Admiral McRaven to tell me this, but I'll be honest, I don't remember exactly when I put this into practice. I know I've been making my bed religiously (unless of course I've plans to wash it or I'm in it) daily at least for the past 20 years. And I don't remember why but I think it might hearken back to his comment that even if my day was shit(my word not his, because...inappropriate)....and believe me, I've had may share of shit days, I will have started my day with one small task accomplished.
One.Small.Accomplishment. Sometimes that is all it takes to spur you on to you're next small accomplishment. Then your next. And before you know it, your day if full of that which you didn't think you could accomplish at all, let alone in one day.
But no, worlds don't change from making your bed. It takes more than that but it STARTS with that. The world changes from the power of one person. I'm one person. You're one person. What can I do to change my little corner of the world? I can make my bed, NOT because it's messy, but because it sets me on a path to do the right thing. You start that by a single success. Just one. Which gives you the push to maybe get another success on the books. Then another. It's getting to that point where "nothing matters but your will to succeed". And that has to start somewhere.
I've tried this with my kids over the years. Trying to help them see that there needs to be a will to succeed and it has to start with THEM. I can't force that on them, as much as I want to. It has to come FROM them. And too often what is really required is that first success. So when you start out, keep your goals attainable. Make a list of three accomplishments you want for the day. It can start with something as simple as make your bed and if that is all that is done then great. It's a first step to hopefully attaining your goals for the next day, which might be the same goals. The power of hope starts small until you see it in action. Once you see hope attained you set your goals a little higher...a little loftier. And you set about making those goals happen. With hope.
He's right. We have to set about getting those little things right, so that you can approach the big things with the same fortitude. I'm not perfect. And I still fail, WAY more than I care to admit. But I really do try to embody many of the characteristics Admiral McRaven speaks of. Respect for everyone. This is a tough one especially in light of today's cancel culture. We can no longer have philosophical difference of opinion. Now people must be cancelled for not adhering to group think. I still have the ability to disagree with you and allow you your opinion regardless of who is right. But I am now in the minority of that thought process and I find that disheartening. Life is not fair. NO...it isn't. But as he says one's will to succeed is a great equalizer. I also believe that it needs to be coupled with perseverance because sometimes there will be setbacks. What's the saying, something worth having is worth fighting for. You not only have to fight to succeed, but you have to keep on fighting, especially when the going gets tough.
Face bullies. Stand your ground. Bullies come in all shapes and sizes. Look in the mirror and remind yourself of that when you see what you think is an injustice, if you have ever contributed to an injustice. And it doesn't have to be THAT injustice. Have you ever treated people without respect because of what you THINK they believe?. Because of where they are from? Because of what they do for a living? Because if you have, you are a bully and part of the problem. The solution comes when you accept people can be different from you, think different from you, live different from you and still be worthy of respect. We judge people on the content of their character. Nothing more. Nothing less. Character, I think speaks volumes about who we are as an individual. Ascribing people to one of your "unworthy" boxes, not because of anything they've done, but because they think differently than you makes you a bully. Now, what are you going to do about it? Open your mind not to what you think but what you KNOW.
Never give up. SO.MANY.TIMES. I have wanted to give up. Sometimes, just making my bed in the morning has given me what I need to move forward. There will be days, and there have been, when I've thought, well, that was a bust, and trod upstairs to my room only to find my made bed and thought, well, it wasn't a complete bust.
