Official "Glass Walls" Video by Paul McCartney

I will never eat meat again. Anytime, for the next several weeks, as I take this journey towards becoming a vegan, I will watch and learn more about the unspeakable cruelty that goes on behind the doors and walls of slaughterhouses. This is part of my goal, to try and make some sort of positive difference in this world, and one way, as I've listed on "My Goals" page, is by taking time everyday per month, to learn about one focused topic that will broaden my perspectives on the suffering of others, and do my part to make a small difference in this world.

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian."
- Paul McCartney

http://www.happycow.net/why_vegetarian.html
http://features.peta.org/VegetarianStarterKit/
http://www.meat.org/

Documentation of Goals to See How They Change Throughout My Life

This here is a post that serves as documentation for me to analyze how my goals are changing throughout life.  After each one of these posts, I re-update or change the "My Goals" page.
* - Indicates an explanation for the change in goal

Current Goal(s):

1. To be the nurse who makes the difference in a crisis. To be the leader, a life-saver, and the difference maker in a crisis.

<-- *To me, this goal has evolved and has changed. I feel it is no longer about playing a hero. The only reason I wanted to be a "hero" was so I could have recognition, status, and attention to fill my ego from the lack of attention I get due to my reserved temperament. After watching Roko Belic's Happy documentary, learning about extrinsic vs. intrinsic values, and reading just part of The Art of Happiness with the Dalai Lama, I believe that extrinsic values including image, status, fame do not lead to contentment and are actually in competition with the intrinsic values that do tend to lead towards contentment in life. And after writing What Makes Work Meaningful, I realize that as exciting as it is in the beginning to do invasive procedures that may "save" someone's life, which would allow me to boost my ego, after doing it lots of times, what's the next one? In addition, most of healthcare seems to lacking in the human aspect, and in my opinion, is often cold and distant, and thus makes the work feel not that meaningful. It's not about being a hero to boost one's sense of importance, it's about making a positive difference in the lives of others by really connecting with them and sharing/giving your love, your compassion, your kindness to them.  

Goals to Pursue Later in Life:

2. To write about the sciences that are merging with what Dolores Cannon's work has found as well as other sources regarding Spirituality. Also, to become a Dolores Cannon Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique Practitioner and help people this way as well.

<-- * As of right now, I have not yet begun the process to becoming a DC QHHT practitioner yet but I imagine this is one way to heal people and it not, at least come to understand their predicaments, and give them emotional support/kindness/compassion. But I will not know for sure until I begin doing this.

3. To cut down on body weight and develop a strong body weight to strength ratio. To train my body towards a mountain climber's level of fitness.


4. To live a life of excitement by pursing Adventure-related activities, hobbies, and travel. (From Lion King Days)

“People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances without own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.” - Joseph Campbell

http://coachingtohappiness.com/follow-your-bliss-a-collection-of-joseph-campbell-quotes.html

<-- * As exciting as it is when I imagine going on these travel adventures and adventure hobbies, I feel that doing it with a community of people is absolutely necessary in order for it to enrich your life and happiness. Solitary pursuits that do not involve or help others in any way tend not to be very satisfying, truth be told. When I look at guys like Jimmy Chin, the National Geographic photographer and climber, he started out climbing in Yosemite and really forming a community there. It wasn't literally just climbing and by himself. Activities where you have a community of like-minded people engaging in that activity give meaning to your life, even though that activity may not be one of a humanitarian pursuit in nature.

5. To develop strong, deep, emotional connections with others based off honesty and the sharing of intimate thoughts, feelings, experiences (life and everyday exp.), beliefs, and values. And from these relationships, together experience all the adventures of life with friends and family. (From Lion King Days)

6. To live a minimalist's lifestyle with focus purely on personal growth (self-improvement, playing, having new experiences); contribution/helping others/making a positive difference; and meaningful relationships, the three things that result in true happiness.

Idea: To cultivate genuine happiness by deliberately selecting and focusing on positive mental states and challenging and replacing negative mental states.

-          Idea from The Art of Happiness (Chp. 3) – the Dalai Lama

Underlined section updated as of Wednesday; April 16th, 2014 after reading part of chapter 3 of The Art of Happiness with the Dalai Lama. 

7. To become a master communicator and a person who owns the room (student of David Wygant) and overcome my challenges of being an introvert and thrive nonetheless. <--also because how we treat others right around us impact how they will treat others (doing the small things to make a difference in this world)
  
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/anger-in-the-age-entitlement/201403/how-make-the-world-better-place
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/anger-in-the-age-entitlement/201403/how-create-happiness-lasts

8. To develop my personality in ways that benefit me, ways that I desire, and in ways that has a positive impact on those I come in contact with. To challenge my negative beliefs and to therefore change my attitude, thoughts, feelings, mindset, and actions for the better. (Inspired by the Domestic Disturbance Incident)

One Area I Want to Change: To be able to confidently and intellectually articulate about topics of importance to me in front of a large group and audience. To deliver speeches (public speaking) with resonance, cogency, satisfactory economy of language, and be able to express myself in the moment, off the cuff, with the right words that come to mind and do justice to how I feel about what I am thinking about.

ALL ABOUT PERSONAL GROWTH
- To document my progress as a student of self-improvement from various life teachers (Brian Kim, David Wygant)


9. To learn about the difficulties others are experiencing in their lives AND to step outside my own needs for the needs of others by portioning, saving up, and donating part of my salary and time to animal and human needs organizations monthly.

(Make sure the organizations actually make a difference vs. organizations where most of the donations go into the pockets and salaries of those not in need! i.e. Susan G. Komen Foundation)

Motivation for doing this: B/C animals and humans out there are suffering. To learn to be grateful for what I have and at the same time, taking advantage of the opportunities I have in this life to maximize my potential.

"Why Location Independence, Passive Income, and Entrepreneurship Won’t Solve Any of Your Problems" From Milk the Pigeon

Why Location Independence, Passive Income, and Entrepreneurship Won’t Solve Any of Your Problems

What Makes Work Feel Meaningful

It’s a Saturday afternoon, a free one, from what I can remember in a while. I just walked by my television. It was the camera brand, Canon, whose commercial was playing on KQED, showing some beautiful places, cultures, and landscapes all around the world. Unlike most commercials, this one stopped me in my track, and my head was glued to the unfolding scenes playing on the television while my body stopped moving in the opposite direction I was initially heading towards. I completely turned around and just stared at those scenes. Inside, I experienced feeling a sense of satisfaction for my soul, curiosity, wonder, amazement, adventure, and love. That moment, was a pinnacle moment for what I’ve been contemplating recently.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes a certain experience meaningful. What makes one’s work truly meaningful. You see, my experience working in the ICU has really got my neurons firing incessantly. This is one experience where, what I imagined, was just too different from what it is actually like. There is a lot of down time in the ICU. I never thought it would be like this. There is too much sitting around, putting numbers into a computer. Most of the time, the patients are all pretty stable. I guess before I started here in the ICU, I thought most of the patients would be on the precipice of deteriorating. I thought I would be dealing with patients that were more on the precipice of life and death. I thought the decisions, actions, and critical thinking I made would be impacting the outcome of someone living or dying. My god, boy was I wrong or delusional! I mean after all, isn’t ICU, called intensive care unit? What I have encountered has NOT been intensive. Excuse my language but what the fuck am I doing here? I feel like what I do in there can more or less be done by a thoroughly trained, intelligent robot. Hanging meds, getting blood, checking lab results, monitoring vital signs, putting the numbers into a computer. What the fuck! I do not find this meaningful! How could I have been so wrong about this!? My work is not impacting someone’s life in any truly meaningful sense. And then when I look around and look at the nurses, I wonder if I’m the only one thinking this. To deduce, I ask myself, “How many people here really enjoy what they are doing here? Do most of these people say to themselves, the night before coming on to their shift, ‘You know, I am looking forward to getting up tomorrow and going to work because tomorrow is another day where I will be doing something that gives me satisfaction in life through helping someone!’” Honestly? Not a whole lot them I strongly believe.

Then what is wrong?! Why is this not feeling meaningful? I mean, an experience is meaningful if you are helping someone right? Something is meaningful if it makes a difference right? Well yes, that is true, but the question now is, “is what you are doing as a nurse, something that makes a difference?” I am here to say that nursing, as of right now, can lack that feeling of satisfaction and meaning because it doesn't make that difference! That difference is what I want to stress and emphasize. On first glance, you respond ludicrously and maybe even profusely insulted, “What the F are you talking about Michael? How the hell can something like being a nurse not make a difference? Are you stupid? Are you just failing in your classes and trying to justify your failure from making such an accusation like this?! Do you have zero compassion or something?!” But the realization I have come to from my experience is that this experience has lacked meaning because what I am doing can be replaced by someone else, easily. Another nurse can do this! A well trained, intelligent robot can do this! Maybe even a monkey for goodness sake. Anyone can hang meds, put numbers into a computer. What makes something meaningful is not putting in an IV so you can give a patient that just went into cardiac arrest some drugs to try and stimulate the heart and bring the person back to life! It is not inserting a urinary catheter in someone for the first time! It is not giving massive amounts of fluids and blood to a patient who is in shock to help sustain their blood pressure to keep them from dying! Stop. You may say, “What are you talking about Michael?! There’s that sense of adrenaline rush when someone is right there between living and dying, and being able to bring them back to “life” is something that is meaningful! How is that not meaningful Michael?” To which I would respond with, “Yes, putting in an IV for the first time is exciting. Inserting a needle into someone’s chest so they can breathe better, for the first time, is exciting, and gives you that sense of adrenaline. But this sense of novelty wears off. After you do it for a certain amount of time, what’s the next IV or needle decompression?” The problem is that nursing and pretty much most of healthcare, with perhaps a few exceptions, does not allow the time for healthcare providers to truly understand and connect with the patient! If you look on “My Goals” page on my blog, you will see that one of them is as follows:

“To learn about the difficulties others are experiencing in their lives AND to step outside my own needs for the needs of others by portioning, saving up, and donating part of my salary and time to animal and human needs organizations monthly.”

Nursing and healthcare in general, is lacking in meaning, behind the initial curtain, because it is lacking true compassion. Note that I said true compassion. True compassion is not feigning compassion, when deep down, you don't care that much. I have witnessed in front of my own eyes, some nurses make fun of patients behind their backs. I have seen nurses that seemed like they have been pretty desensitized to the conditions their patients have. I do NOT mean it in the sense where they wish the patients harm or to die, at all. This is NOT what I am saying. The problem of this lack of true compassion is due to the fact that the healthcare providers and nurses, do not truly understand the position, feelings, thoughts, and life circumstances of the patient. In order to be truly compassionate, we have to connect with that patient at a deeper level. Get to know them as a person. Only then will we truly care deep down about that person, and will our actions towards helping them get better (giving the meds to alleviate pain, inserting an IV, giving them blood, listening to their lung sounds) mean something more to US! From understanding someone's perspective, making a deeper connection with them, and then being truly compassionate towards them in their difficult time, that is what is meaningful!

Intent makes a world of difference! I kid you not! Knowing that a person is only there to take care of you because that’s their shift to work, and they want/need the money, is not flattering. Whereas, if you knew a person was coming to take care of you because they wanted to help you get better, and not for other obligatory reasons, makes that world of difference when it comes to true meaningfulness.

I tell you, from my two and a half month experience working in the ICU, there is only one experience I will vividly remember, because it was truly meaningful. It was not just a meaningful experience because it initially seems to be that way, but it truly was a meaningful experience because I made a positive, emotional difference for a family member. A patient was dying. The patient was switched to comfort care. The patient died shortly. A family member was there. The wife could not tell if her husband (the patient) had died due to the lack of medical knowledge, but I knew that he was pretty much gone, although not legally and medically declared dead by the physician yet. I went by her side, put my hand on her shoulder, and we just stood there looking at the guy. We began to talk. She cried. But although I could not change the husband’s passing, my compassion, came through. She said the compassion she got here was so emotionally touching and powerful, and I could tell that emotionally, it made that world of difference. Later, before I left my shift to go home, one of the workers told me that she heard what I had did in there, and that what I did is what will be remembered, and I concurred. People will remember how they were treated above all else. They will not remember the blood you gave them. They will not remember the thrill you had of putting in your first IV as a student nurse/nurse. They will remember the way they were cared, the kindness that we showed. I made a real difference that day. That was truly meaningful.

I have had other instances where my actions have helped people, which in reality, are in small ways, but meant a lot to them emotionally. Another example, which I have written about on my blog before, where I helped a man get home. That was something that felt good. There was another instance where I bought a loaf of bread and gave it to a homeless man and his dog. I want to give my love, human kindness, compassion to others, and make positive differences in ways that will be remembered.

Being in the Emergency room or even a flight nurse, from my reasoning now, will not be all that different from my experience here in the ICU. You do a lot more invasive skills in the ER and as a flight nurse, which can seem exciting and cool initially, but again, after you do it for so many times, what’s the next one? Even the adrenaline rush of being in a helicopter will wear off as time goes by, and that’s true for the adventure hobbies I would like to pursue as well. Adrenaline rushes wear off as you adapt to them and you have to find the next “high”, so to speak, by finding something that’s more challenging. But is there something more exciting in the nursing profession after flight nursing? Mmm, probably not, at least in my opinion. And even so, in emergencies, where you get that adrenaline rush which you think will give that experience true meaningfulness, those cases, where the patients are on the precipice of life and death are few. There’s a saying in EMS (Emergency Medical Services): “High acuity, low volume”. And it means exactly that. The cases where the patient will die very quickly if you don’t act judiciously do not occur frequently. Now let's just say flight nurses only handle these high acuity calls, so every call you go on is life-threatening to the patient. These types of cases where you literally act in time to allow that person to have a chance at surviving, can definitely feel very meaningful for a certain period of time, but after years of doing it, what's the next one? Same problem will eventually rise again when you do it too often and often enough. I am not here to bash medical professionals. I am writing these things because I am struggling to find meaningfulness in the work I do right now in the ICU. I have begun to feel that nursing as it currently is, can be cold and distant. If nursing is very meaningful to you, then that's spectacular, and I mean that .

I guess I should finish up my writing here with something I wrote down as it came to my mind earlier today:

“At night time, while lying in bed, think to yourself, ‘Am I excited/looking forward to tomorrow? Is the work that I am going to be doing something that gives me a good feeling? Is it something I would still get up and do, even if I were not getting paid to do it? Do I truly find it to be meaningful? Not what I think it will be after continuous attempts to convince myself that I want to do this - for one reason or another (money, financial stability…) - but what my gut feeling/intuition is telling me.” If your answer is “no” for too many days, well, I think we all know the answer then.

As much as I think about this, I will not know for certain if nursing opportunities are the end-all, be-all when it comes to making a memorable difference in this world. Nursing is one of the most flexible careers out there already and pretty much most other careers, I don't see being any more meaningful in reality. I certainly don't wish I wasted my last four years working so hard throughout nursing school. Whatever happens down the road in my life, I desire to do work that is truly meaningful and gives me the flexibility to pursue other interests in life as well.

___________________________________________________

UPDATE (4/5/14 11:22 PM): After thinking about this more and talking about it with my friend, I am realizing that it is not that nursing does not help people get better. Nurses are the ones who carry out what needs to be done to help facilitate patients' bodies to heal. In that sense, nurses do help people by at least giving them a chance to live some form of life again - the quality of life may be debatable though. My point is that nurses are playing a role to help someone get better, and it that sense, the work is meaningful, BUT, the work may not FEEL meaningful due to the lack of human kindness we can earnestly give them and the lack of immediate progression made from our actions. There simply are not enough nurses to allow a nurse to work with one specific patient consistently from start to finish to see that patient get better and understand the difficulties they are going through in life, to feel that sense of difference that our actions as nurses have made. The more I think about it, there are many careers that in reality, do make a difference, and do contribute positively, but we may not FEEL that meaningfulness because there is not enough of a positive change that we can see and feel immediately for us to know that what we did has led to a direct contribution to the improvement of others' lives. It's either a slow, gradual process, so the feeling of meaningfulness is not as potent and satisfying, OR, the actions that we do to help others get better can technically be done by someone else, which also diminishes that feeling of meaningfulness. Whereas, it is the acts of love and human kindness that if we can give to others, that have an obvious, direct, and immediate effect on others that give the strongest feelings of meaning. Giving our love and human kindness to others have an immediate and powerful effect on us humans. That's why these acts of love are most memorable, and are most meaningful, but that does not mean the work nurses and healthcare providers do are not inherently meaningful. The work is still in essence meaningful, but that it just does not FEEL as meaningful compared to the feeling we get with every act of love.  

I guess the key here is to realize and remember that just because I am not seeing an immediate effect my actions have made on that person, does not mean that I have not aided in some way, AND that just because it does not feel that meaningful, does not mean it doesn't help people. Since I really want to do work that allows me to see and feel the positive impact my actions have made, I should do some work that allows me to witness the direct effects of my actions, but that does not mean I should not do work that doesn't result in that immediate feeling of meaningfulness. I should do both. I should work as a nurse, knowing that although what I do may not give me such a huge rush of positive contribution, but I am still doing what it takes to help the patient's body heal itself. Then outside of being a nurse, do something that allows me to see that immediate effect that occurs from every act of love and how our simple act can make that emotional difference. And as I've stated before, in order to experience more opportunities to help people emotionally in their time of need, I will need to better understand the positions, perspectives, and difficulties they are going through in life, and from that understanding, my small and simple acts of kindness can put my actions into perspective in an emotionally meaningful way for the person being helped and myself. I believe being a Dolores Cannon Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique (QHHT) Practitioner will give me opportunities to facilitate people healing themselves with rapid effect, which will feel very meaningful, and if their condition cannot be healed, at least I will have shown the client my patience, interest, understanding, support, love, and kindness in wanting to help them through their strife, which will be remembered by them and myself and will still be emotionally meaningful nonetheless.    

"Thinking About Freedom and My Life" Updated

Did I go down a path that I truly will be happy with? Is this what I really want? What is it that I really want again? Why did I decide to go to nursing school? Thinking back, I wanted to go to nursing school b/c I was seduced by the idea of working 3 days a week, doing something to help others, making a difference, have good pay, and be able to travel through travel nursing, this idea of making a good living, helping others, and freedom that attracted me to go through nursing school. It seems like there are a few key concepts here that I value: helping others/contribution, freedom to pursue other things that interest me with my time off and good money made. Positive contribution towards helping others, making the world a better place, and freedom. Freedom from a job that ties me time-wise. Freedom from a job that restricts when, and how often I can pursue other interests, whatever they may be, ranging from adventure, to DC’s QHHT, to personal growth (public speaking, overcoming fears, DW). I remind myself of some of my strongest values I want to pursue, that determine ultimate happiness: personal growth in a field that makes me suffer through life; contribution/helping others in a significant, influential way; having strong, intimate, deep relationships with others; and lastly, having the freedom and control over how I want my life to go and directions to take.

The question that now comes to my mind is, is nursing going to get me this, and can I survive and thrive in the nursing environment? This is question needs to take into consideration of the details.

Contribution Aspect:

1.   How much of a positive contribution will nursing opportunities allow?

2.   What type of positive change am I looking to make for people/society?   

Freedom Aspect:

1.      How much freedom do I want?

2.      How much do I want to be location independent?

3.      How many hours a week or days a week will I be content with doing work that contributes to society and helps others (job-wise), before it starts restricting my freedom?

4.      How much adventure do I want? How much travelling do I want to do?

5.      Will nursing jobs burn me out energy-wise (introversion) and constrict how much energy I will have to do the other things I will want to pursue?

Relationships aspect will be handled with time to do DW training and energy as long as not too burned out from on the job-talking. Same with personal growth, need time, and some money.

The problem with most of these questions, is that I cannot know the answers with certainty right now. I will have to monitor and reassess as time goes on, I have a real nursing job, and see how it impacts my life and where I want to go in life. The best bet right now is to think of some alternatives that can get you where you want. DC’s QHHT comes to mind. I probably will not be able to make as much money as an RN. But I guess the key will be my ability to be a minimalist, and save towards what it is I want. My alternative road that can potentially get me where I want to be could be DC’s QHHT. It helps others, sometimes, some more than others. It’s going to be the future of therapy. It would be a good fit for my personality, as it is one on one, requires being a good listener and asking good questions, talking about intimate stuff, with the potential to comfort and help others in a distressful time in their lives.

The main problem I see with nursing right now as a Sr. 2, is that it isn’t 3 days straight, or so it seems, so I’m stuck for pretty much 4 days with only 3 days off consecutively.

Best bet: continue with nursing, see how it is, constantly reassess, but it might be a good idea to get started on becoming a DC QHHT practitioner as well. Re-evaluate how it is working for you in the real world and form a plan. ß ADPIE, the nursing process.

Good ideas from the “can you buy your way out of the rat race” article and others:   

http://www.wisebread.com/can-you-buy-your-way-out-of-the-rat-race

http://www.wisebread.com/how-to-not-be-a-wage-slave

-          You can try to buy your way out for a certain period of time, but it’s definitely hard, and even then, it’s temporary, according to this author.

-          Develop as many skills as possible so you can choose what you want to do and have more control over what job you want to do when, and where you want to go. (Invest in your skills & broaden the types of work you look for) ß so for me, besides nursing, DC’s QHHT practitioner, DW communication skills and confidence, teaching English as a second language, blogging, public speaking, overcoming other fears or negative assumptions   

-          Beyond that, learn how to do, make, grow, and find things for yourself (Improvisation)!

-          Be a minimalist: spend frugally and only on things important to you

-          Pg. 16, 17, 29, 32, 37 (quote by Bagnold) of Rolf Potts’ “Vagabonding an uncommon guide to the art of long-term world travel”

Plan: begin working as a nurse in a hospital near a place with relatively good outdoor activities. Start living like a minimalist and saving lots of money, some for adventure sports and others for adventure travel (really rack up the fund). May want to not spend until you know for sure that you’ve made it into the real world of nursing after reading the statistic and experiences of about 1 in 5 new grad nurses quitting their jobs the first year d/t overwhelming stress, toxic work environment, can’t time manage, the uncertainty they have in themselves in stressful situations, and in general, hating their jobs. Do try to keep in mind though that you may need about a year to accurately assess whether you truly hate it or not. http://allnurses.com/first-year-after/new-grad-rn-330890.html

On days off, go outside and pursue adventure activities. Also consider beginning the alternatives listed above. After 1&1/2 to 2 years of nursing experience, consider beginning travel nursing or per diem. Remember for travel nursing, you may “You don't have to travel far from home to be a travel health care professional. You can enjoy rewarding travel assignments close to home.” - See more at: http://www.travelnursing.com/nursing-jobs/local-travel#sthash.09nQEjPC.dpuf 

Do your research. After experiencing travel nursing (national and international) and per diem, reassess and see if you feel you have enough freedom to travel. Quick thought: in regards to a listed disadvantage of travel nursing, that being it can get lonely, remember, it’s no different than traveling long term world travel. You will meet lots of new people along the way in your adventures. You just need to remember that it is essentially, the same mindset. Recall that lots of world travelers prefer to travel by themselves as it forces them to meet others and thus, experience lots of things they would not have had if they were not alone. (Rolf Potts, Raam Dev, http://www.justonewayticket.com/2013/01/13/8-steps-to-freedom-how-i-quit-my-job-and-traveled-around-the-world/, http://news.discovery.com/adventure/how-toquit-your-job-and-travel-the-world.htm as just a few examples).

After reassessing, and you feel that travel nursing and per diem allows you enough freedom, good. If not, you may need to consider trying to get an extended leave of absence, sabbatical, or quitting. What would you do if you quit, afterwards you come back from a however long world trip? You can look for another nursing job maybe? Maybe in Yosemite’s Medical Clinic? If not, maybe the DC QHHT practitioner? If not, maybe teaching English in a foreign country like Rolf Potts to save money again before heading out to travel again? Or any other “anti-sabbatical” jobs (Rolf Potts’ Vagabonding book)? What about your adventure sports? That will require more money than just if you were interested in travelling. Then maybe just need to work longer, while being a minimalist. Remember from Rolf Potts’ Vagabonding book, of the importance of earning your freedom. If you didn’t have to work and earn for your freedom, travelling’s value will be diminished. Its satisfaction, diminished. It may take longer, but it is what it is by then. At least you will have thoroughly milked all your hard work in nursing school to see what this avenue (nursing) can bring for you and you are not as likely to regret all the energy and time invested throughout nursing school. When you do go travelling, and you get rid of the apartment you were staying at month to month, maybe you can leave your adventure sports equipment/toys at your parent’s house so you won’t have to pay for a storage space? Because I don’t think you will want to throw away or sell all those toys?

I guess one of the main things is to just constantly reassess your situation and move closer to your goal. You are at the beginning of seeing all these potential options that may get you the freedom and adventure you want, and right now you are feeling anxious about this because you want to see one, right road to take that will get you there, but right now, there’s no way for you to know which will get you there the most swiftly.

You may want to consider starting now, practice being a minimalist. Begin that lifestyle now, because the time for it is here really. Definitely once you get your own nursing job, but since you are about 3 months away from graduation, it wouldn’t hurt to start practicing that lifestyle now.     

The question that comes to me now is, how do I balance my plan to travel and go on adventures with my desire to help others and make a positive difference/contribution in the world? How am I going to best make a contribution to society if not nursing? I guess the first question is, how much of an impact/contribution does nursing make? And in comparison to other jobs? Does nursing help other people? Well we give meds and perform other interventions that either keep the patient safe or help/assist them get better. I just had a thought while writing the previous sentence, it’s not the nursing job that I really do to make a difference, but the act of comforting, helping others in their most vulnerable moment that makes a difference. How often can nurses say they really made a difference today? I can say so when that patient died and I comforted his wife. But on an average day to day basis? Maybe it’s the stuff that helps them get better but the chances of making these types of difference everyday is probably not as likely. The key is your intention and how much love for the other person you put in that makes the ultimate difference/ is what counts. You can be a top ER nurse for a top level ER but doing it all for your own ego and not for the ultimate desire to help someone through their most vulnerable time. For DC’s QHHT, the clients that come to you are usually at a vulnerable moment, and you help them understand themselves, maybe heal them, and you make that connection with them. While in nursing you are helping them get better, but the emotional aspect of it can seem distant, removed, and a bit cold. It’s at the end of the day, what the person who was helped that will say, “I remember that, I remember him, I remember the way that he treated me in one of my most vulnerable moments, that touched me the most. Whether or not the QHHT could heal or not, I will always remember the love that he showed me.” That’s what I really want. That’s the type of difference I want to make. Not just a distant act of giving meds that may or may not help people get better. Not just a “hero” in the sense of putting in an IV for blood to prevent them from bleeding out, because the adrenaline rush and novelty of that may fade and there is no next level to go higher on. Maybe on a helicopter for flight nursing but then what? The real hero is the person who helps others in their time of need by giving them the love and support they’ll never forget about. People will remember the way they were treated above all else.

Like as I write this in the park, there is a guy walking with two crutches in front of me from where I am sitting. Instead of being the guy who put in the IV, if he had a femur fracture, and was bleeding out, I could have been the guy who told him, “Hey, I admire your desire and persistence to get outside and move around even though you have crutches right now. I know you could have easily stayed at home and sit around all day but you chose to come out and I admire that persistence.” It’s an authentic compliment without expecting anything in return back (What David Wygant says to do I think; to give without expecting anything in return) ß doing seemingly little things that brighten up their day exponentially.

I think the DC QHHT and the compliments idea fits my natural talents well also. I’m a great one-on-one conversationalist, especially when it comes to conversation with substance. I’m a great listener, I’m empathic, I’m interested in really making a difference that people won’t forget, and I’m a natural observer. Talk about Gandhi’s quote of, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

A life of travel, variety, depth, and adventure is something to fervently experience, but I feel it’s more of a selfish pursuit. The keys to happiness are: personal growth (which includes travel, adventure, variety, depth, and among other things); contribution; and strong, deep relationships (which will be experienced with those you share adventures, commonalities, and values with). But as you can see, the contribution aspect seems to be missing. So somewhere along the way, no matter how it goes, whether nursing allows me the freedom I desire or not, I will need to find a way to contribute. Whether it’s nursing, DC’s QHHT, donating money to organizations that really help others who need it and does not go mostly to the pockets of the organization’s individuals, or any other way, I will need to find a way that right now, I just can’t say for sure.

*look in bookmarks for Opera for websites of how to travel and inspiration

Sunday; February 16^th, 2014

UPDATED: 

I need to be more specific about what it is I want to do to have an adventure. What does an adventure consist of to me? I know I want that feeling of feeling alive, challenged, and excited, and I have read ideas that excite me to the point where I would say, “Wow that sounds awesome!”, but being specific is necessary to start knowing what I would do if I had the time, which isn't exactly the case right now. Then you can save up money precisely, ruthlessly for that and cut out all else that is the mundane.

Adventure travel ideas all pretty much excite me and are the types of adventures I’m looking for, whereas travelling in it of itself, I hate to say it – and it’s possible I may find that not to be true if I actually embark down that road - but in it of itself does not sound as exciting. The key to doing either adventure travel or long-term world travel, is still the same though. Most these people who do either, usually work some seasonal job, saves ruthlessly, then quits to embark on their idea of adventure. The dude in the national geographic video of “What it Takes to be an Adventurer” did that. He said he would “I would load up all this gear and leave the city and spend a couple months on the road…”

And just as how Rolf Potts first started out, doing random jobs, to save up to travel, the “So You Want My Job: Mountain Guide” article also states: “During this time, most will not attend school nor will they work full-time. There is a deep and vibrant culture of climbers and skiers living in alternative fashion while accumulating experiences most could never imagine. These “lifestylers” work seasonal jobs, chase weather and conditions around the country and world, and almost incidentally accumulate the experience necessary for a career as a guide. I did exactly that, deferring “grown-up” life for quite some time. I lived in my car, crashed on couches, worked at ski areas and pizza places and summer camps, all the while learning to ski and climb and manage risk in big, wild mountains.”   

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/03/22/so-you-want-my-job-mountain-guide/

The best you can do to get this freedom is to follow your plan you wrote above. You don’t know with certainty if you want to give up nursing, you don’t know what the real world will be like, and you do want to make a difference in the lives of others, no matter if nursing can seem emotionally distant to you or not. You either work with the freedom of that of a nurse, or you aren’t a nurse, and do seasonal jobs instead, and chase your adventurers. To which, the latter, if the nursing does not work out for whatever reason, at least you will have exhausted that pathway. And unless you can find or create an entrepreneurship, or through real estate, that allows you to bring in adequate passive amounts of income to support your desired lifestyle, you have the two options listed a few sentences ago. As burned out as you feel right now Michael, you don’t know how much, how long, or to what degree, you yearn for adventure travel. Maybe things will change significantly with time. Maybe deep down, you will like and maybe love nursing. It’s very likely someday you will want to at least explore the avenue of DC’s QHHT practitioner yourself. The same is also true with DW’s communication skills and development that I want to delve into, especially as I travel, go on adventures, pursue adventure activities, and other pursuits in general.

It’s always best to keep as many options open to you as possible. And it’s important to assess and re-assess periodically what your dreams are and how you’re getting there. Keep all this in mind!   

_______________________________________________________________________________

read patrick hickey's book, email peter anderson, all other people listed who are nurses, how they do it. How do they get the adventure with being an RN? 

 

Ideas: Staff nursing position but schedule your days so you have more days off in a row; travel nursing (local, national, abroad) with time off in between; per diem nursing; Baylor plan in nursing; flex-time; part-time employment; 

Also want to get into flight nursing one day.

Resources: look under bookmark folders of: People whose lives are an adventure, Why I want to be a nurse; also look in Patrick Hickey’s book 7 Summits;  

Wednesday; February 19th, 2014; 2:42 PM

________________________________________________________________________________

One of the alternatives that I listed in bold that I should begin doing is David Wygant's program of becoming a master communicator. This goal, is not just for myself, as I've just realized. How we live and interact with others impacts them directly, and thus will impact how they treat others, so this repeating system of one impacting another is a small but powerful way to make a positive difference in the lives of others! My purpose to help others needs to include improving myself to the point where I am treating everyone with the love and compassion that they will remember!

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/anger-in-the-age-entitlement/201403/how-create-happiness-lasts

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/anger-in-the-age-entitlement/201403/how-make-the-world-better-place


Thursday; March 13th, 2014; 10:51 AM

Another Man Who Works as an RT and Climbs & Hang Glides

Don't forget to check out Chris Gibisch, who is an respiratory therapist, climbing and hang gliding in his spare time.

http://sentineloutdoorinstitute.com/about-us/

The Things That Interest Me

My General Interests/Passions: thinking, writing, and having deep conversations with others about topics with great meaning, significance, implications, possibilities (life, science, spirituality); adventure activities/hobbies and adventure travel; giving love to others, helping people, and making a positive, memorable difference in the lives of others; personal growth and self-improvement

-          Pretty much the things that will allow me to develop and experience my three main values: personal growth (self-improvement, playing, having new experiences); having strong deep relationships; and contribution/making a positive, memorable difference in the lives of others 

The Things I Would Definitely Like to Try & Experience:

ADVENTURE HOBBIES / ACTIVITIES / SPORTS  

-          Rock climbing

-          Surfing

-          Hang gliding

-          River rafting

-          River kayaking

-          Mountain biking

-          Hiking, camping, and star gazing

-          Mountain climbing

-          Skiing

-          Sky diving

-          Scuba diving

-          Flying lessons

-          Bungee Jump

-          Paragliding

-          base jumping

-          Horseback riding

-          Wind surfing

-          Kite surfing

-          Physical challenges & obstacle courses with an element of danger

ADVENTURE TRAVEL

-          Travel adventures & expeditions

The problem is that there is no immediate place around you right now that you can do these things. These things also cost a good amount of money. This is why you need to live a minimalist’s life and live on very little so you have lots of money to do these hobbies and travels. You may also need to invest in some money that will help you learn to build many strong, deep, and authentic connections with others. You are going to need to develop this skill with people that you meet, and you need to learn how to start a conversation with anyone at anytime.  

Adventure travelling; adventure hobbies, sports, and activities; travelling in general like Raam Dev

*feeling excitement and a living a life with the sense of being alive

OTHER HOBBIES/ ACTIVITIES:

- To live a minimalist lifestyle so I can best focus on what I truly desire and to remove all distractions: focusing on experiences in life, any form of self-improvement/personal growth, and contribution to the lives of others (humans, animals, environment, society) and to leave a legacy to be remembered  

- wing chun / tsun martial arts

- weight lifting, conditioning cardio workouts, training for mountain climbing, achieving a body physique I desire that matches the fitness needed for adventure and my other hobbies

- public speaking practice / toastmasters  

- David Wygant; meeting new people skills; and becoming a master communicator; Carlos Xuma: all to reach the goal of owning the room and making powerful connections/network <--also because how we treat others right around us impact how they will treat others (doing the small things to make a difference in this world)  
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/anger-in-the-age-entitlement/201403/how-create-happiness-lasts
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/anger-in-the-age-entitlement/201403/how-make-the-world-better-place

- developing strong, deep, close and authentic emotional connection, relationships, and develop deep emotional intimacy with others

      - Introspective quiet time with a paper and pen or laptop to write about my thoughts and feelings about things in my life and post to my private blog; having an understanding of life- wisdom    

- To document my life in all its ups and downs and thereby, serving as an inspiration to myself and others in seeing firsthand, the progression of my development as a student of my many role models and life-teachers: Brian Kim, David Wygant, Bear Grylls, Kobe Bryant, Carlos Xuma, many minimalist individuals, Dolores Cannon   

- Going for a walk in a nice, quiet, secure, like-minded, homely neighborhood and just embracing the moment and beauty surrounding, and just think - without feeling rushed, stressed, or feeling as if I am needing to be somewhere

- reading, watching documentaries, and learning about science: dinosaurs, paleontology, biology, animals, human evolution, nature, anthropology, astronomy, Dolores Cannon’s books and stuff, quantum physics/ mechanics

- video games: shooting video games such as battlefield 3 or call of duty modern warfare games, splinter cell series, grand theft auto,

- playing basketball or football with friends and against those slightly below my level of skill and/ or ability 

- watching old movies I loved: Jurassic park series; The Lion King 1, 2, and 1.5; back to the future 1 and 2, TLOTR trilogy, Disney’s Aladdin, Disney’s The Lion King, other Disney movies, PBS’s Arthur and Zoboomafoo and Berenstain Bears, Dr. Phil Episodes, Titanic, Inception, Thor, Troy, (Reminiscing and revisiting favorite memories; experiencing nostalgia and writing about it)

- visiting childhood tv shows and books (Reminiscing and revisiting favorite memories; experiencing nostalgia and writing about it)

- listening to songs I love: The Lion king songs and soundtracks of 1, 2, and 1.5; YouTube favorites and songs in other playlists,     

- watching NOVA documentaries, through the wormhole documentaries, science documentaries, human evolution, NATURE, science documentaries, ancient aliens series, the fabric of the cosmos with Brian Greene, other PBS & KQED documentaries, and the like 
  

- Listening to Coast to Coast AM radio channel for interesting, esoteric knowledge about the universe we live in

- learning Dolores Cannon’s QHHT Method and other forms of Healing like Chi Gong to really BE ABLE to heal and make a DIFFERENCE in the lives of other people who are desperately looking for help

- Learning, understanding, writing, and discussing about the independent fields of sciences that are confirming spirituality and what Dolores Cannon has found in her work (ex: idea of “you make yourself sick” look below )

- To write, understand, and educate others about the despicable travesty that goes on in the pharmaceutical business and our current society/government that allows the selling of chemicals/impurities in our food, fluids, and environment resulting in many of this generation’s medical plagues and disorders (i.e. Cancers, Lupus, diabetes, Alzheimer’s…HIV?) all for their profit and at the expense of the people via our health and our lives

- To learn and successfully use secret, powerful knowledge to empower myself and help others

- Playing childhood games with good friends: hide & seek, Capture the flag

- Playing pool games: Swimming, Marco Polo, Water Polo

- Get ideas for things to do with friends from Arthur PBS TV Show

- Nursing: Emergency Room Nursing & ICU Nursing Experience, as well as learning and truly understanding critical care from an academic-knowledge perspective thus allowing me to be the best nurse I can be: resources such as Lippincott’s Critical Care Nursing Made Incredibly Easy; Travel Nursing Experiences (National and International); Flight Nursing

- Emergency Medical Technician 911 Experience

- eventsandadventures.com