Notes from Steve

Ignorance is never bliss.  I remember cartoons as a kid where ostriches hid their heads in the sand when they didn't want to deal with a situation.  This is a myth - because according to Google, it'd kill them*.  I think we all owe ourselves a dose of reality, and we should/need to honestly look at the objective facts that "make up us".  (Steve thoughts - "Well, this is definitely a life buzz kill.  I like to think I dance well and excel at everything I put my mind to"… the universe tells me, however - "ain't so, buttercup.”)  

My friend sent me a photo of (according to him) my doppelganger (look-alike) on Saturday night from a bar he was at in New Orleans.  I was fairly** mortified. My concern is trusting my own filter on what I think I look like (sound like, dance like, lead like, etc.) and what other people see.  How do we reconcile the pictures of what we see in our own minds versus how we are seen in the public eye?

There is so much on this.  From rumors and nicknames we had as kids that follow us into adulthood, to past perceptions of a community from whatever happened years ago, to made-up stuff because it excites us in some way - we crave drama.  Society loves drama. Life is usually boring - at least mine is. One of my goals for 2026 is to maximize flow, but for that, I have to look in the mirror.  I should know my weight, my fitness journey (steps / active minutes), my illnesses, and factors that could potentially get in the way of my success.  I should be aware of sleep patterns, anxiety, screen time, and stress.  I should be aware of how I am coming across and be respectful of other people's opinions and concerns.  And then, honestly and aggressively, change what needs to be changed.

Being a successful human is hard.  

*suffocation.  The ostrich would suffocate.  They failed to show that part in the cartoon.
**completely.