#Accountability is everything. EVER.Y.THING.

#TalkNerdyToMeLover’s @JenSquard

The other day I was chatting it up with @thtrnerd221, and we discussed how she isn’t super happy with her life.  She isn’t sure where she wants to go with things, what she wants to do, and who she wants to be.  Check out our conversation here (go ahead, do it, it’ll open in a new window so you can keep on keepin on).  We established that part of the reason she is feeling meh is because she hasn’t been writing much lately.  She hasn’t been getting around to it, and feeling meh makes you not want to do anything, and not doing anything makes you feel meh.  Terrible cycle meh is. 

I shared some of my thoughts with her, like how I try to write every morning and every night, first and last thing.  It might not always be something significant (like this little diddy), but it is something.  She just can’t find the time or motivation.  Sooo totally understand that.

The reason I can make myself be consistent is accountability.  I’m all about accountability.  I’m not always enough to motivate myself.  I like to have someone else to be motivated for.  Honestly, the reason I make myself write every morning and every night is because 1)I know my life is nuts and I may or may not get to it during the day, and 2)@JenFriel expects it of me.  I love lifecasting, and I so so so much appreciate the opportunity to do it with her, so I don’t want to jeopardize that by slacking off.  I know that if I do,there is a solid chance that I will be “fired” from contributing (that may not be true at all, but it helps me).

I made a bunch of goals for 2011, and I am on my way to meeting a few of them already - like almost there.  I know for a fact that’s because I made them so publicly here.  I don’t want to have to come out and say that I failed.  Ugh, that gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it.  I need to be accountable to someone in order to make a change.  I will only go to the gym if my friend Ashley is expecting me to go with her.  I will push myself so much harder if someone is rooting for me.

Brooke doesn’t have that, there isn’t a force for her to be accountable to.  There isn’t someone to call her out when she plays an excuse card.  Until now, and that force is me.  Brooke and I are going to keep each other on track, and we are going to grow and improve our lives together.  Look, she already started:

 When we talked about this earlier, she totally said she wasn’t going to post today.  She had other things to do, and just couldn’t get to it.  I reminded her that that was the problem...and it worked!  She is on the track to building a happier mind and heart already.

Brooke, I’m super psyched to try this little social experiment out with you.  I know we are going to kick some buns together. 

Definitely check out Brooke’s blog: http://anythinggeek.wordpress.com  and encourage her to work that thang!  And share your thoughts with me, I would love to hear them.  Let’s get accountable together, and we can all make each other better.

Twitter: @JenSquard
Facebook.com/jenswedhinphotography
FourSquare: Jen Swedhin
mangotreelover@hotmail.com

A #Nerd's Decade in Review

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @christopherayan

• Climbing a mountain - Actually I climbed 5, and it taught me I can do anything

• Getting my license - It introduced me to a whole new level of freedom

• Getting laid for the first time - seriously, does this need any explaining?

• Doing my first stand-up gig - And I'm still doing it.

• Going to culinary school - I decided to NOT go to Mizzou and got to culinary school, made great friends, and learned some shit

• Dropping out of culinary school - I realized the friends I made were from restaurants I worked at, and the shit I learned was from restaurants as well

• Getting my first tattoo - It started a life long addiction, that also led to my 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th tattoo

• Making real friends for the first time - The kind of friends that stick with you through thick and thin, and will come pick you up from jail at 3:30 in the morning

• Traveling - I've had a good decade of travel...buy me a beer sometime, I'll tell you stories

• Moving out on my own - Moving away from my family, actually brought me closer to them than I have ever been.

Despite all the good things that happened to me during this decade, getting to where I am now wasn't easy and there were many hurdles to get over: Addiction, depression, loss, fear, low self-esteem, and anger to name a few. I'm still working on it, but I wouldn't have changed those moments because they made me who I am. That is why I am officially naming this decade that we just passed  "The Decade Of No Regrets."

Now that you know some of the moments that helped define me during this decade, here are some things I want to do to further define myself during the next decade. They aren’t resolutions, so much as goals.

• Finish my Bachelor’s Degree – It’s been a long time coming to where I am now with my education, and I am going to go all the way. It’s not for any other reason other than a sense of accomplishment, because a degree isn’t going to get me into the job I want.

• Lose weight - I put a lot of weight on in the last 5 years, for various reasons and it’s time to start getting it off. No quick fixes for me, I’m gonna take the hard road.

• Publish a book – I don’t care if its self-released, I just want to keep putting my words out there for the world to see

• Be more reliable – Not gonna lie folks, I haven’t always been the most reliable guy. I’ve been there in those moments when I am needed most, but I want to be there in those moments where I am not needed, simply wanted.

• Never EVER be afraid to show my true colors – I am who I am, I don’t give two craps whether you like me or not.

• Learn to stop worrying – I need to live in the moment more. I can’t always be looking ahead. (On a side note, I realize it’s ironic that this shows up on a list of goals for the next ten years)

• Fall in love – Maybe a little cheesy to some of you, but I want to find that person that keeps me on my toes and that I am always happy with.

• Keep making people laugh – I’ve always thought that humor makes the world better, and I like to help bring it to people. On a side note I want to start a charity comedy show.

So that’s the plan for the next 10 years. Keep moving forward folks, and I'll see you on the other side in 2020.

Click here to check out Chris' Tumblr!