My New Book Living More Than OK

My New Book Living More Than OK
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Monday, June 29, 2009

Why Consider More Than OK?


I enjoy listening to all kinds of music. There is power in the music itself and also power in thinking through the lyrics. In my previous teaching of a college success course I tried to use songs to have students think of building success in life. One semester I had a student bring me a CD of the band Switchfoot and said, “Sir, you have to listen to this band. Their song “More Than Fine” I felt had some important thoughts to ponder about life and how to live to the fullest. Click on the highlighted title to hear the video of the band and then reflect over the lyrics below.


More Than Fine by Switchfoot
When I wake in the morning, I want to blow into pieces. I want more than just ok, more than just ok.When I’m up with the sunrise I want more than just blue skies.I want more than just ok, more than just ok.I’m not giving up, giving up, not giving up now. I’m not giving up, giving up, not backing down.More than fine, more than bent on getting by. More than fine, more than just ok.When I’m wet with the sunshine. I want more than just a good time. I want more than just ok, more than just ok.I’m not giving up, giving up, not giving up now. I’m not giving up, giving up, not selling out.More than fine, more than bent on getting by. More than fine, more than just ok.More than fine, more than bent on getting by. More than fine, more than just ok.More than oceans away from the dawn. More than oceans away from the dawn.More than oceans away from who we are More than oceans, more than oceans, yeah.More than fine, more than bent on getting by. More than fine, more than just ok.More than fine, more than bent on getting by. More than fine, more than just ok.


The lyrics point out to me an exciting way to look at life. It challenges me to consider what am I putting into my life to enjoy a better life for myself and my family. Living with expanded possibilities for the potential we have is like looking out at the vastness of the ocean. If you have been to any large body of water you can picture what the song is saying “more than oceans away from who we are…”. I remember gazing off into the Pacific Ocean going on forever; so can be our impact in the world if we are open to living more than ok.


Not settling for the mundane of getting by, but blasting off beyond the blue skies. How many of us blast out of bed in the morning looking at the opportunities we have to serve and grow. Instead we cover our heads and hit the snooze button hoping the day disappears. How many of us give up on our dreams or are not open to new dreams for our lives? We settle for what we begin to think is fine when there is so much more potential out in the vastness of the ocean of life for better present situations and futures. My desire with this blog is to send out ideas and thoughts to make myself and those who stop by to read, move beyond the boredom of ok and getting by-- to blasting out in the possibilities of life. Don’t give up or back down in your life!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Moving Beyond Boredom to a Life of Joy

Welcome to the first blog of Living More Than OK. About three years ago I began reading up on the issue of boredom and life. This resulted from an encounter I had with a student in my office for Career Counseling, who happened to be struggling with his classes. In the discussion of what was the main problem other than uncertainty on a career focus, he mentioned that he was easily bored with his classes, especially the liberal arts basic courses. Boredom would overtake him and he would start skipping class. Over the next couple years, I informally kept track of students who brought up boredom as a negative effect on their education and life. Within one year at least 14 students brought up the issue of boredom as a major factor in their difficulty with college. As I read literature on boredom, it affirmed what I was seeing in some of the students, that boredom can negatively affect students’ progress.


Although this hit me at that point in time to encourage researching the issue of boredom, I had been working with college students for about 8 years and the word boredom would come up time to time. Personally, I had a hard time relating to where my students came from as I had never been that bored in education. I always had and still do a love for learning. As I looked at my other areas of life boredom really did not seem to bother me. This will be an issue for another blog! Yet books and articles I’ve read show boredom is a problem for many people.


One quote that struck me about boredom is from Lars Svendsen, a Philosophy professor in Norway. In his book A Philosophy of Boredom he states – “Boredom is inhuman as it robs human life of meaning, or possibly it is an expression of the fact that such a meaning is absent.” In my work with college students I always emphasize there is so much potential in life for their personal fulfillment and doing great things. Are we robbing ourselves from all that life can offer by living boring lives of just ok? How can we reach for more potential in our lives and live more that OK?


Just the word ok is intriguing to me. In naming the blog I thought how I often respond “OK” when I am asked how I am doing. But isn’t living just ok beneath our potential? Isn’t OK living kind of boring? Living in boredom is living in a cloudy maze similar to a depressive fog. Just OK living is going through the motions with no purpose or meaning. I don’t see it as a way of being, as we were created to be. We were created for a better life. The statement of Jesus comes to mind, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10). This is more the way I think we should be living life. Abundant living is living life to the fullest. Boredom steals from our living and destroys and in some cases sadly, even kills. Abundant living and practical ways to live to our fullest God given potential is what I wish to explore is this blog. How can we move beyond boredom to living a joyful and abundant life? Hope you enjoy the journey.