Always Look Up

This was one of the best pieces of advice I was ever given. My friend Bailey told me when we were studying abroad to “Always Look Up”. She couldn’t have been more right. Literally the ceilings in Rome were the most detailed and beautiful thing I had ever seen. The colors, the paintings, the carvings. How many people go to a new place and spend more time watching their feet walk or staring at a map? Little did I know that this piece of advice can stretch much further than a “vacation”.

Running outside. We have all been there (okay, we haven’t ALL been there – but then really, you should try it sometime.) It is hot and you are dripping sweat, or it is cold and your throat is burning. Your side hurts. You can’t seem to have enough oxygen ever. Your left knee is feeling inflamed, or maybe it is the other one? Your legs hurt in general. So do your arms now that you think about it. How long have you been running? For three days? Oh no wait…. Only about 20 minutes. ---- Maybe that was dramatic, but not really. People tend to look down. Stare at their feet or the side walk (Okay, I am going to take only one step per sidewalk square until I’m home). STOP. Look up. Appreciate nature. Look at that neat architecturally awesome house. Or that puppy down the street. Looking up to appreciate the world is much better than staring at the ground (and well worth tripping on a random tree branch).

Career. As a fresh out of school 20-something it is pretty easy to be working in a job that isn’t exactly your dream job. Look up. Look at the position 5,10,15 years down the road. Is that a position you want? Could you see yourself there? (by the way, this is the difference between a job and a career I think). Is what you are doing now going to make a difference when you “look up”. Maybe this is the motivation you need to just work alittle harder. (Or the motivation you need to have a job change?)