40 Questions

[PaPa]

1. What can you do today that you were not capable of a year ago?
Have ‘Me’ time.
2. What's been on your mind most lately?
How am I going to get where I want to go in my life?
3. In order of importance, how would you rank: happiness, money, love, health, fame?
health, happiness, love, money, fame.
4. Right now, at this moment, what do you want most?
What I want most right now it to have my health back and the ability to walk pain-free.
5. What word best describes the way you’ve spent the last month of your life?
Busy.
6. What is the #1 motivator in your life right now?
The knowledge that if my goals take too long my parents will not see it happen.
7. In one sentence, who are you?
Wow! One sentence…I am the authentic, eclectic, original Me! How is that? LOL!
8. What do you want to be known for?
My compassion, intelligence, and the ability to overcome adversities in my life while staying happy.
9. If you had to move 3000 miles away, what one thing would you miss most?
The wilderness area where we lived when I grew up.
10. In one year from today, how do you think your life will be different?
Hopefully, I will have shed quite a few pounds, be walking again, and be employed by the State of Pennsylvania.
11. Who makes you feel good about yourself?
I personally believe that is MY job not others.
12. What are the top three qualities you look for in a friend?
Integrity, Respect, and Open Communication.
13. What has fear of failure stopped you from doing?
Fear of failure has stopped me from returning to work now.
14. What is something you have always wanted since you were a kid?
To find some way to pay back my parents for adopting me given the fact that my life could have turned out so much differently than the life they afforded me.
15. What stands between you and what you want?
My physical limitations right now stands between me and what I want.
16. What do you do when nothing else seems to make you happy?
When I get down and nothing seems to lift me up I have responded in different ways. Sometimes I sit in pity and cry, sometimes I pray, sometimes I busy myself to not think about it, sometimes I try to involve myself with others so that I can do something more positive with that energy.
17. When did you first realize that life is short?
I first realized life was short when my ex of 13 years passed away in 2007 from a heart attack. She was just 46 years old and our children at the time were 19, 22, and 24.
18. What do you need to spend more time doing?
Exercise is what I really need to spend more time doing if I am honest about it.
19. What issues do you continually refuse to confront?
Wow! Not sure. A year ago I could have said my health because I was smoking and was not eating well. However, now I have quite smoking and am trying to be more conscious of what I ingest so I am not sure how to answer this question. I have slowly been confronting the issues that I have and trying to get better.
20. What’s something a lot of people do that you disagree with?
It really upsets me that people feel the need to lie, steal, and deliberately hurt others.
21. What’s a common misconception people have about you?
A common misconception that people have about me is that I do not let go of the past. I really disagree with that because our past is who shapes us into the persons we are today. There is a big difference from living in the past and recognizing how that causes our actions and reactions of today. I AM however very totally self-aware.
22. What’s something no one can take away from you?
My thoughts, beliefs, feelings and education are all things nobody can take away from me.
23. What is something that you would hate to go without for a day?
This may sound very immature of me, but at this juncture of my life and having had my parents for so many years I would hate to go a day without them in my life. My father is now 93 and mother will be 88 in October. I have been very blessed but to be honest they are very important to me.
24. When you look into the past, what do you miss the most?
Ugh. Close your ears I am sure you will be shocked if you hear this. I miss school. LOL!
25. What memory from this past year makes you smile the most?
My graduation and passing the national licensure to be a rehabilitation counselor has been my best accomplishment in the past year.
26. What’s the number one change you need to make in your life in the next twelve months?
Weight loss is the biggest change I need to make in my life over the next year.
27. If not now, then when?
There will not be a when if it is not done now.
28. What have you done that you are truly proud of?
Quit smoking and earned my master’s degree and national licensure definitely makes me proud of my accomplishments.
29. What’s something new you recently learned about yourself?
I can truly overcome all obstacles and be the best Me I can be.
30. What do you want to remember forever?
Love and to be loved and to remember how that felt.
31. What could society do without?
I honestly think technology has been society’s biggest downfall because it has led people to lose a sense of community. People truly don’t give a damn about others anymore….that is said rather loose tongue in cheek because I know some people do but the overall lack of community sucks.
32. What is one thing right now that you are totally sure of?
I am absolutely sure that despite what happens in my world the new day will always come.
33. If you had the opportunity to get a message across to a large group of people, what would your message be?
Be the change you wish to see in the world and live the dream you wish for your life even if you only make one step toward it each day.
34. What’s something you said you’d never do, but have since done?
I always said I would not cheat on a partner and I did. That is not something I am proud of and it was definitely a learning experience since she died before I had a chance to make amends.
35. What’s something you changed your mind about when you grew older?
I definitely changed my mind when I grew older about material possessions and their worth. At a younger age those things meant everything to me. Today they mean nothing because they are just things.
36. What didn’t last forever, but was still worth your while?
Past relationships regardless of how they ended. They were all worth it because at one time it was what I valued and wanted. In the end they became learning experiences who shaped who I am today.
37. If you could go back in time and tell a younger version of yourself one thing, what would you tell?
For some reason this question makes me think of the song Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd. But what I would say is live life without worry. Just do your best and move forward.
38. If you knew you were dying in 60 seconds, what would your last words be?
I would tell those who meant the most to me that I loved them and ask them to please allow themselves to be happy with their remaining time.
39. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
I would hope I have done more, but I feel like it will be I have said more.
40. What questions do you often ask yourself?
Do I let those who are closest to me know on a daily basis how much they mean to me? Will the obstacles to my vision of my success ever stop?