Listen to what you're told, not how you feel?

   Well It's been way to long since I lasted posted here and I am sorry for that. Sometimes you get so caught up in life and one thing leads to the next and your day is gone. I've been having a bit of a rough patch this semester so far. Been getting sick a lot, the dorms are breading grounds for all sorts of nastiness. Classes have been stressful to say the least and of course what is life without a little heartbreak. Things have just been adding up and adding up until this weekend when I had a set of crazy dreams and a reoccurring thoughts. I'm trying to make sense of all of this and the more I think about it the clearer It gets.
   I've been thinking to myself lately "why are you in college?". May seem like a simple answer to most, to get a degree, right? Well what if you didn't need a degree in life, what would you want to do or be? Sure if you answered doctor or lawyer you're going to need a degree. If what you answered doesn't have a job title, what then?
   Ever since I was a kid I knew I wanted to help people. To a kid that means becoming a firefighter or police officer. Throughout life those ideas of how to help people change as you realize how much cruelty and pain there is in the world. I think the purpose of my being is to help and love others... it makes sense it always has. How can I do this though? well its not that simple obviously or I'd be doing. Do I need a college degree to do these two task? I'm starting to think that staying in college for the next 4-5 years isn't going to help my cause. I see the pros and cons in staying in college and leaving college. But what do I do now?
   The way I see it now,  I could go to college for the next 4-5 years and add up all my student loans and debt, and when I get out of college I'll have to start working to pay those off. Or I could figure out a way to travel and help others and make an impact now. travel young, explore whats out there and find out what it is I really want to do in this world. If I decide I need to get a college degree to accomplish a goal I develop down the road, college will always be there for me.
   All we want in life is to travel, fall in love, and be happy. The journey down this path is up to you.

Thanks for reading,
Matt

The Real Beginning

   Well I'm finally back in Colorado after a month of being home. It was good to see my family again but I'm glad to be back. If you stop and think about why people move away from home or travel a lot, what is the reasoning? New jobs, bucket lists, spouses new jobs or is it to be around like minded people? In life your friends all think alike, you want common interests with people. Well if you can't find that what else is left in that city to make you happy? The number of people I could connect with back home is too low for my liking, so I chose to move away. I can connect with so many people here and they seem to actually value what you have to say and what you want to do with your life. Maybe its just the certain classes I am in or have taken, but thats the vibe i get from most.
   Classes started on the 7th for us and my a pretty golden. two out of my four classes have to do with my future career choice directly and its nice to finally get to start on your life. Up to this point people ask you want you want to do when you grow up, well now you actually get the chance to make the progress towards that goal. Im taking an adaptive aquatics class that will give me an opportunity to teach disabled children how to swim and I'm ecstatic about that! My other class is my beginning class in Adventure Education (my major) this is where ill get all my information about the back country, skills, and develop teaching methods. I couldn't be happy with my classes right now.
   That being said, me being joyful and optimistic about my future, not everything is all sunshine and rainbows. If you want to live a lifestyle thats out of the norm, if you wanna be a man or woman of your own and travel the world, you're going to hurt people. Im not talking about beating people up physically I mean emotionally. Its often said "You hurt the people you love the most". Why though? Does it have to be like this? I honestly don't know the answer to this question. Maybe we try to protect the people we love from anything that may happen to us or maybe we think we cant provide someone something if you're always out doing some big adventure or committed to something heavily. Sometimes you want the person to understand what you're doing and want them to join you but they just don't understand the lifestyle you want to live so they outcast you.
   Whatever it is it happens and be prepared but at the same time be prepared to meet some of the greatest people you will come in contact with. Everything happens for a reason and its up to you to decide why. Decide whether its the end of something or actually the beginning of your next adventure. Like always thanks for reading!

-Matt
 

A New Year. A New You?

   Well we've made it another year. It's 2013, we survived "The End of the World", We've survived a lot really to get to this very moment in life. Take time to reflect on everything in your life, past relationships, near death experiences, blissful moments, all the moments you thought there was nothing left.. major breakdowns. Look you're still here and living. If you're alive you're should be grateful because its a miracle.
   So this whole vision about New Years, who thought it worked like this? It's a new calendar year so its a brand new me! I'm going to do everything right this year!! everything that for the past 18 (or however old you are) years I haven't been able to achieve! Well... I'm sorry I don't think it works like that folks. These New Years Resolutions are just lies that we tell ourselves and our friends to make it seem like "hey I finally have my life figured out!". Look I'm not saying it can't happen, I want it to happen for all of you! If it really mattered to you though you wouldn't wait till the first of the year to start, you would start it immediately, as soon as the thought crossed your mind. You owe that to yourself! If you make these resolutions make them simple and realistic. Not "Im never going to eat fast-food again!" cmon who actually follows through with that? monks I guess. Hell I bet some poor bloke has seen a monk in mcdonalds grubbin' down on 550 calories of death that is a Big Mac. Small changes, soon they will lead to other small changes, etc. Eventually you'll be living the life you want.
   I didn't do anything for New Years. I stayed in with my family and watched movies. To me that was more important than going out with some people who I haven't seen in a while and probably won't for a long time. I don't plan on moving back to Oklahoma for the summer. Oklahoma has nothing to offer me. I don't believe it would be beneficial to be here working some dead end job. I need to be out Working some job that will be useful. what is it? I don't know yet, I will find out soon though. sometimes things just fall into place. Often the best things you have in life play out like that.
   So whats my year like in review? If you care, assuming you do since you're reading this. 2012 Was the most life changing for me and I would say the best year so far. I was a vegetarian most of the year, I stopped for a while but I think I'm going back to it, makes me feel so much better. My racing season I put up some of my best results, winning my last race in Arkansas. I was sick for half my season too, sometimes I wonder if I haven't of gotten sick where would I be with cycling today? I applied to college, graduated high school. Had my first real job at a summer camp. I learned a lot about myself there. Realized my passion I have for kids and where I got the idea for my camp. Completed my first semester in college which has been amazing! I love it there! I've learned so much about myself and the most important thing I've learned is I don't know anything. There is so much to life and myself and others I don't know about and have the longing to learn. It will just take time.
   So yes its a new year and I want to wish you the best of luck. Just because it's a new year doesn't mean that you're a new person. You're still the same person you were at 11:59pm December 31st 2012. You want change that will last? Do it on your own time, don't do it because society tells you that you need to.

Thanks for reading,
 Matt

The Pursuit of Happiness

   Well It's Christmas Eve so you know what that means, Im home for the holidays. I love being home and seeing the family. We got a new 8 week old puppy the day I got back and it's great to play with dogs again. I've been going to the coffee shop a lot recently with friends. Everyone wants to catch up so that's the go to spot I guess for adult talks? Right? Its great to see my old friends too, it can get repetitive at times though. The same questions are asked by everyone. How's college? How's Colorado? Do you smoke a lot of weed now that you're in Colorado? The last question always cracks me up, I don't mind answering them all though it gives me a great time to reflect. 

   The first couple days back were pretty hard for me to adjust. It is a bit of a culture shock between Oklahoma and Colorado. The way of live is just so different. Maybe its just because I'm in college and maybe its not just because its Colorado, although I do think it has a huge part in it. People in Oklahoma are set in their ways, just the way they were brought up and thats fine. I got in a religious debate the second night back in a big group of friends from HS. It was interesting to say the least... Ive been studying other religions, actual they're more of philosophies like Buddhism. Which I love. So I like to get the Christian view on things from some of my more strict religious friends. I'm a christian but I am open minded to everything and it just got to the point where all the whole debate was scripture vs everything else and it wasn't very open minded on the other side of the line so we all left not really getting anywhere. For days I was caught up on this big religion kick and it lead me to trying to find happiness. Especially since Christmas is coming up, the views of what the holidays are about have seemed to gotten skewed to me. 

   What is happiness? Can it be bought? Is it contagious? Can you be completely happy alone? Although I have strong views about happiness and I always have, my knowledge about it is always expanding. Happiness to me is my drug, Im so addicted to it and i think most people are unless you believe in existentialism... 

   Everyone wants happiness thats a given. The process of how they wish to obtain it is what separates people. You ask a large portion of people today what will give them happiness and they'll say money. These people have extrinsic motivations like, social status, Image and money. We are raised to believe this to be true. Don't believe me? Why do we glorify successful business men and movie stars, its all about who has the biggest house and the nicest car. We have reality tv shows about rich peoples lives, which means nothing without their money.

   What I'm saying is we need more people with Intrinsic motivations. these people are motivated by personal growth, relationships (friends, family, lovers), and a basic desire to help. If you try to focus your energy on these three basic things i believe your life will be so much better.

   Happiness can't be bought. Sure you can buy things that may make you happy for a short time but it won't last forever. Happiness comes from within. If you're happy others around you will be happy its contagious and it can spread like wildfire. You can't be completely happy by yourself, I don't think at least. The biggest highs I get are from helping others. Having a relationship with someone. I'm not talking boyfriend/girlfriend. Im talking about the basic human relationship you can have with a stranger on the street. Its a connection that we all need with others. I challenge you to do something selfless over the holidays. Talk to a random stranger and genuinely care about what they're saying, volunteer at a soup kitchen, buy someones meal, even doing the simplest thing like giving a stranger a smile can make someones day. Life is great! You have nothing to complain about if your reading this blog others have it so much worse than we do and we need to remember that.... so go out and make connections with others! See what it does for you, who knows maybe you'll be addicted.

Thanks for reading! Happy Holidays!

   Matt

  

The Road Less Traveled

   Welcome back or welcome if this is your first time to the blog, you haven't missed much. I got some awesome feed back from my first post and it was great to hear what you guys thought so thanks for reading, it means a lot! Lets get into the nitty gritty of what my life influences are and why I want to document my journey.
   As I said before I grew up in Oklahoma, which is a pretty conservative place. A republican state where there has always been a certain way of living and its worked for people so why change it attitude. I've always had a hard time connecting with people here. As I grew older I found myself with fewer and fewer friends. my own doing for the most part. I could care less about jersey shore, who had the big party on the weekend or who broke up with who in school. My mind was on the next adventure. Always dreaming of things I could be doing in the mountains. JR year of high school I got into cycling, I think as an escape from the BS of high school. After school I'd train for hours, The weekends would be filled with 4 hours of riding each day, if I wasn't traveling around the south racing. I loved it and got pegged as the cyclist in school. one of 3 my age in the state of Oklahoma. Senior year came around and that means time to apply to colleges. Colorado was always the promise land to me and there was a school there with the number 1 ranked cycling team in the nation so it was a no brainer to everyone where i was heading. Fort lewis college was the only school I applied to and I got in. the day I received my acceptance letter I believe is the day my dreams became possible.
   I went and visited the school a couple times with my parents, we all seems to love it. My parents I think could tell I would be happy here, although to them there were a ton of hippies... Most of my friends were jealous I was leaving for Colorado and to me I didn't get it. if they're unhappy with oklahoma and they wanted to be somewhere else, then why aren't they somewhere else. people become attached to money and think its impossible I guess? Anyways.. I had a choice to make before I left, what I wanted to study. My first choice was Adventure Education, a degree that focuses on skills required to teach things like top rope rock climbing, wilderness expeditions, mountaineering, kayaking and other activities along those lines. As you could imagine my parents weren't having it. I decided to study Exercise Science instead to please everyone in the family.
   With my degree I want to open up an adventure camp for kids with physical and metal disabilities (focusing on the physical disabilities). To me this seems like my calling in life. I love helping others, I love the outdoors and I love kids attitudes towards life. Throughout my first semester in college I realize that exercise science is the wrong degree for me and I need to switch to Adventure Education, to me the kids safety will be the most important thing. Breaking the news to my parents was pretty rough. They were disappointed with my switch in degrees. So much so that I will be paying for my own college next year. To many that seems harsh. To me its perfectly understandable, I'm my own man now making my own way in life. My parents obligation to support me is over as for as finances go and I'm ok with that. I know that they still Love me and I love them too, no hard feelings.
   Paying for myself to go through college and wanting to travel the world to help others will be extremely hard and will cause for a lot of patience, creativity, and hard work. Thats partly why I made this blog, to show others what you are possible of. Don't be afraid to be thrown out in the world. Its a scary place but if you surround yourself by the right people and treat everyone with kindness and respect it can be a very carrying and supportive world. I LOVE the life I am currently living and wouldn't change it for anything.
  My decisions I've made in college have been with two things in mind,
1. My goal to open up my own camp for children with disabilities.
2. My own personal happiness.
My decisions have forced me to take a road less traveled by people and a harder life is ahead. I honestly wouldn't have it any other way though. Im already learning a lot about myself and seeing compassion from others. This is just the beginning of my journey, my life, and I'm excited to share it with you.
   Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Much more to come soon. hopefully knocking out 2-3 posts a week. Thanks again

-Matt
 

      INTRODUCTIONS

  Well if you don't know me and stumbled upon this page, congratulations you've just been introduced to my strange little world. If you do know me this is my little blog to document the changes that are going through my life that I think will be life altering. Lets start off with a little background knowledge shall we?
  My name is Matt Wickett raised in a decent sized town in Oklahoma living what I would call is the "American Cliche Life". Mom and Dad were high school sweethearts, mom being head cheerleader and homecoming queen, my dad being an All-American athlete and Mr. MHS. Having two kids (my sister and I) who ourselves won many awards throughout school like most spirited, most friendly, prom king, head cheerleader etc. There is nothing wrong with this life, I love my parents for providing me with everything I thought I ever needed. BUT this isn't the life for me. I want adventure, I want risk, I want to not know where I'm going to be in the next couple months.. actually I don't want it I need it. No one seems to understand this, everyone is brought up to believe this fake sense of security with a business job. nothing is permanent everything changes. Why would you want to work your ass off 45+ hours a week for a couple weeks vacation? so you can have a 62" TV or a car you think you need some bullshit that you think will make a statement about yourself in a town full of thousands of people that don't even notice you're there?
  Whats life about when you really stop to think about it? Get married and have kids? the world doesn't need more kids when we have enough neglected children as it is. Is it to get rich, so you can screw hundreds of people over and buy yourself a bigger house? This is the view that most people have today. Make money, get a family, buy them things and you'll all be happy.
This is whats wrong with the world. The purpose of living, well the purpose of my living, is too make a difference in peoples lives. my currency is happiness, my bank is the world. make a difference, change someones life.
   how am I going to do this?
   Ditch the materialistic life, travel, reach out, go on trips that will challenge my character, sacrifice.
Hopefully this blog i can use as a tool to reach out to others, share my experiences, show you what I'm up to and make you think about life. because no one has it figured out. More updates are soon to come. a little more information about me and what my plan is in life. Until next time.