Decision 2016

It’s always interesting to see the social media-sphere explode during the U.S. Presidential election, and this election in particular has unleashed a plethora of intense emotions. In fact, I’ve had to temporarily unfollow a significant amount of family and friends because we just don’t agree on a fair amount of agenda items – and you know what? That’s okay.

But this post really isn’t about Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, or those other two candidates running. No, I’m not about to fire you up with discussion on taxes, immigration, that Access Hollywood video or 30 billion emails.

I want to turn the tables a bit and ask a simple question: What are YOU going to do in the next four years to make a difference?

Yes, I’m serious.

While you may not have the entire country waving signs and showing up to rallies to hear you speak, it’s worth considering that we all have family, friends, neighbors and coworkers who are inspired from and can be directly impacted by our actions and aspirations.

So why not take a page out of a Presidential candidate’s book and build a campaign for yourself for the next term? Start with a slogan, a mantra that inspires you and can drive you to become your best self.

Find a running mate – someone who champions your morals and ethics, but still challenges you to step outside your comfort zone and will offer an outside opinion when you need to hear it. Stick by their side and be their advocate too.

Think about the issues we’re currently facing in the world. If you had unlimited time and resources, how would you address those issues? Awesome – now scale it down into bite-sized goals. What can you do tomorrow….in a week…in a year…in two years…?

Think about your friends and family – what can you do to make their life a better place? Sometimes it’s easier than you think. Send them a birthday card, make plans and go out of your way to keep them, text them (right now) and let them know how super-incredibly-incredible they are. When someone cuts you off on the highway, keep your temper at bay and remember that we’re all human. A little compassion goes a long way.

Now…what about your personal goals? What do you want to accomplish by 2020? As I’ve mentioned a thousand times, I’m a strong advocate of having a running bucket list because it keeps you accountable for living your best life. I have a hard copy of my bucket list in my nightstand, and when I’m feeling a little lost, I refer to the list and focus on which goal I am targeting next. Some are massive undertakings (i.e. plan a race that raises money for autism research), while others are things that I could probably knock out over a weekend if I really wanted to (i.e. tour a chocolate factory).

You see, the United States of America is great because it’s made up of millions of great men and women, all with heart, and spirit and valuable dreams worth chasing. And we live in a country where the sky is the limit, and glass ceilings are being shattered left and right.

So while it’s really important to get out to the polls and vote for the candidate who most closely aligns with your morals and ethics, it’s even more important to remember that change starts with YOU.

You’ve got my vote.

#compassion #optimism #selfimprovement #happiness