It’s About Time

Blog post written by Edson O’Neale, speaker at Greek University. For more information on Edson’s programs for your students, visit www.greekuniversity.org/edson

Edson O'Neale, speaker

It has been over two years since the pandemic ravaged our country, it’s been over two years since the Black Lives Matter Movements came out in full support of bringing awareness of the wrongful shootings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, and it’s been over two years that the world has not really felt normal. Within these past two years have things changed?  Ummmm, honestly it might depend on who you talk to.  Some individuals might say things have changed, some will say things have changed a little bit, and some might say that nothing has changed at all.  Think about it, we have seen more mass shooting occur more than ever, we have a famous WNBA player (Brittney Griner) being wrongfully detained in Russia, then afterwards decided to invade Ukraine, there has been a huge rise in gas prices and it seems like everything is more expensive, and it just seems like people are losing hope in our society every day.  Trust me. I get it, there are days that I wonder and I ask myself how do I live in this crazy world that we live in? Is this real?  This cannot be the world I live in? Am I in a different universe?  I am pretty sure you all who are reading this have asked yourselves these same questions and even more.  I do not have all the answers, but what I can say is that if there is ever a time to reflect, reminisce, meditate, speculate, and even think this is the time which is exactly what I have been doing.  These moments in my life had me asking myself a ton of questions about the world, the people that I have associated myself with, and my purpose.    After feeling stuck at times, I decided to submerge myself into this and to take a really deep dive within the last few months.  I did not think I would find myself back at the surface again, but I eventually did.

 

I started wondering about my accomplishments and what I am really meant for, but what really got me thinking is the people in my life.  I thought I had so many people in my life but I have realized that all of the people that I thought would be there for me are not there anymore. I started to ask myself is it me?  Am I doing something wrong?  Am I giving too much?  Am I not giving enough? Am I not a good person?   I met up with some friends for dinner one night and I asked them is there something wrong with me?  Why don’t people care about me as much as I care about them?  Am I doing something wrong?  Do I just suck at life? I can write a book about our conversation but to sum it up, they told me that it was not me, and that people just do not care as much as I do.  They told me that I give so much to people and that is who I am, but with that being said there will be people who will not care as much as I do and I have to live with that.  They said that it sucks that people are like that, but I should not lose who I am as a person and stay true to myself.  They reaffirmed how much of a great person I am and how grateful they were to have me in their lives.  You have no idea how inspiring and great that conversation was.  I was so glad I had it with them.  Then I attended a retreat with my speaking agency a few months later and they reaffirmed some of these feelings for me.  It was something someone said on the team that was very inspiring.  That individual said, “The two best day of your life: the day you were born, and the day you realize your purpose.”  I was mind blown and the light bulb came on.

 

I realized that most people are put in your life for a reason, but that does not mean that they will be there long term.  I know that now, I actually knew that was the case years ago but I kept dwelling on it.  Now I can honestly say that I truly believe that people are only meant to be part of your life for a certain time in your life.  Yes it will be great to continue and hold on to these relationships but as hard as it is to say some relationships are just not worth holding on to. Those relationships that do matter hold on to them, fight for them. I am saying this because in the crazy world we live you can get lost in sauce and I am here to tell you to stay away from that.  There are good people out there, there are good things out there for you and you have to go out and get it.  What is your purpose, what do you want to accomplish, want to do you want to do in life?  Sit down and figure it out. When you figure it out everything will be so clear.  You are in control of your life.  If you are in a place where you are not happy, you have the ability and the control to change it.   Believe in yourself, get out of your own way and own it!

 

When I had that moment, I felt so inspired which is prompting me to write this blog.  Honestly I have so much say and if I just go on this will be like 10 pages, but I do not want this blog to be that long.  Maybe I will write a book who knows.  I can do it and so can you.   I am moving on from so many people but I will say that there might be some people who I have hurt, done something wrong to them, or never followed through with something. To those individuals I am sorry and I would like to make amends.  Now I am not apologizing for everything and to everybody.  There are just certain things in which lines were crossed with me and I put my foot down.  So if they want to be mad at me for putting my foot down and not owning their insecurities then that that’s their problem. You see what I did there – I took control. I took the power back.  Never let anyone dictate your happiness and who you are in this world.  Definitely do not let the craziness dictate who you are either.  I know it can be blurry but just keep pushing and things will be clear again.  Tell the people in your life you love them, apologize, make amends do whatever you want to because life is too short and you know what, “It’s About Time.”  Hence my title for the blog, it’s about time that I realize that who I am and what is my purpose, now it’s time to take over the world.  Who is with me?

Blog Attachment