Career and Life Goals

The topic of goals is difficult for me to really discuss.  As of thirty-two years of age, I am still looking for an entry level opportunity to start my professional vocation.  My so-called career has seen many more low points than high ones.  The trials and tribulations are so numerous I do not know if I can recall any achievements.  So it is fair to say that part of life has not gone so well so far.  Working is one of the rare components of life that features a very intricate duality where you need experience to prove you are employable but that does not give information about how the first door is ever opened.  My history will show that I have not been the model employee at any stop but should that really derail any potential in considering my next position?  The obvious answer to the question is yes but when will that ever be adjusted in the land of second chances?  I am not sure if I need the perfect fit or if I just might not be cut out for a traditional nine to five occupation.  Maybe with the added aspect of maturity, completion of my first degree and a great start towards my second one will create a better leg for me to stand on.  With a bit of luck, ample separation from my past failures can initiate a proverbial bankruptcy for career antiquity and allow a new beginning with a clean slate. 

My life goals are somewhat different.  After explaining parts of my past, I simply want to go in the polar opposite direction in almost every way.  I feel if I only make the right and best choices I have available to me from this moment forth then that alone can provide enough motivation to commit to the path of rectitude.  That would be the short term goal to make the correct decision whenever the chance presents itself to do so.  The long term goal which can be manufactured from that would be to be a great human being in whatever context that can be said.  It would be lofty to be mentioned in the same breath as some of those in the pantheon of the immaculate examples of humanity for which many others should aspire to.  Though there are few, I do not want to create a list of names because I may not name them all but everyone reading this has an idea of what that would mean to them. They may even know who they would like to include on it.  I am not there yet but I just want to begin the process of what it would take to get there.  Some of the indispensable characteristics are having a durable will, natural sense of morality, compassion for others and incredible intellect.  My first step is to simply work to gain those and see where that can lead me to.  But to expatiate those components sans serviceable recourse might not please the indulging plenary audience.  Receiving respect and recognition from others who values those as talents would be the symbolic reward that I would be honored to have.  Then the accolades garnered from that audience can generate the superstar personage and income which that sort of acclaim brings.  And if that bourne can be completed by means of pure intention with more smiles than tears along the way, it would be the ultimate aim for me.  

Sleep is The Cousin of Rest

                I have suffered from insomnia for a majority of my life since beginning college.  Actually it might have really started in the latter portions of high school.  I had trouble falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night.  In high school, it began by going to bed later than before.  When I had a set bedtime of 10pm, I would go to my room and lay down.  After some time I would always eventually drift off to sleep and wake up in the morning.  Then I really got into video games, sports and late night television which I wanted to stay up for.  So my bedtime went from 10pm to the early parts of the am.  That may not have been clinically diagnosed as insomnia as much as it was my own negligence to get ample rest though.  College really changed me as my body created the instance of waking up in the middle of the night.  So it did not matter what time I went to bed, I would eventually wake up with it still being dark outside and have to wait to fall asleep again.  My first plan of action for this was to not have classes too early.  Since my spring semester freshman year, I was attempting to avoid classes before 10am.  That's policy of mine to this day by the way.  If I were to wake up at 4am after going to sleep at midnight then I could still try staying in bed till 8am before getting ready for the day.  Even if I went to bed at 2am, it would allow for eight hours for complete rest.  When I encountered more problems, I began correcting them by taking medication like melatonin and diphenhydramine.  Melatonin is a supplement that helps with dozing off with the absence of light.  It occurs naturally in the body but you can purchase the supplement when you are having difficulty.  Diphenhydramine is a chemical antihistamine that seems a bit stronger than melatonin.  As an antihistamine it provides some assistance with colds and motion sickness as well.  With diphenhydramine, I was assured to be snoozing within the hour of taking it when I first started.  Like many drugs, I needed to raise the dosage as I adapted to its effect.  I found it was best to stop taking the drug and then begin again at very low doses sporadically would provide the best long-term effect for me personally.  Small differences in my diet has also helped with this issue.  Eating the right amount of food is a valuable key.  Proper servings ensure that I do not have too much energy during the course of the day and I can manage to wind down when it is time to at night.  Exercise and regulating your blood sugar can enable similar results as well. 

                The results of not getting a full night’s rest seriously affected the levels of concentration and irritability for me.  I could not focus in class or at work and may try to recoup some of that time while there.  Falling asleep in class had really hurt my grades as well as showing respect for my professors and classmates.  It was a bigger problem to me than anyone else would mention.  But I did not have to be told it was a negative.  And if I did not get proper rest it affected how I interacted with people during the rest of the day.  Both of these are personal social problems that came into play from this type of disorder.  I still practice the suggestions discussed in the first paragraph now.  Sleep is a very important aspect to my life and many others.  Adequate rest is essential to productivity and efficiency of how we perform.  It was once said by Thomas Dekker that “sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together”.  With that being said, go get yourself some rest and thank you for reading.