50 Questions that will Free Your Mind (Part 1)

I just love things like this. Mostly I love looking back on these answers months from now and seeing the differences in how I would answer these questions. Below are the answer to the first 25 questions. (I borrowed this idea from Tidbits.)

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? This is a good one. I think I would be 22. I definitely don't feel quite mature enough to be 25, and I really really don't feel like I'm a teenager anymore (wow, so glad those insane years are over... it was good but not something I would do again!) 22 seems like a nice age to be.
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying? Never trying. You will never KNOW until you try. When you try and fail, at least you know what it was like to try.
   
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do? Wow, I just saw this quote on Tumblr too! Life IS short. I think savoring the moments you have, all of them, not just the important ones, and doing all you can in your life is all we can do. There is so much that is asked of us, we need to sit back and enjoy ourselves more often.
   
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done? I sure hope not. I think it's easier to say this when the year is fresh and new, but really, I hope to do less talking about things and more doing things in my life.
   
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world? Hands down, tolerance. People need to accept people for who they are, stop being hateful for no reason, and focus on who a person is. People are people, and that's it. Nothing less.
   
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich? What an awesome question. I think if I were an artist, or the owner of a cute boutique that sold cute things, or if I helped animals... or a scuba instructor, I always thought that would be a cool thing to do.
   
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing? I have the incredible opportunity to do what I believe in right now. And I am so grateful for it.
   
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently? These are all really good questions. I wouldn't save much money. I would spend it all on traveling a lot and seeing a lot and meeting a lot of people... and then when I was about the age I am now, I would probably want a family. That depends on how much I actually got to travel though. :)
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken? Maybe 12%. Haha. I feel like the people in my life have influenced me a great deal and they are why I am who I am. My passions and the things I love are my own, but where I am in life right now, and how much I LOVE my life is because of my loved ones.
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things? Doing the right things. I can tell you though, when I am doing the right things, I know it. I just have to find what they are.
    
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do? Tell them, politely, that I'm not sure where all the criticism is coming from but that she is a friend of mine and could we please talk about something else. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that doesn't mean I need to sit and listen to it.
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be? Don't take life too seriously.
    
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one? Of course. (I assume 'save' means 'save someone's life." If it means save someone from being associated with the law breaking themselves, then no. Definitely not.)
    
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity? Always. Though, I value most forms of creativity more than most people. Children drawing on the walls? I wish I could do that to my walls and feel ok about it!
    
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people? Listen. My hearing is extremely acute. I haven't found a benefit to this, but it's definitely different than most.
    
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy? Happy is defined differently for everyone. I do wish I could show people the things I find happy though, so that they can find joy in them as well. I'm sure it's the same with everyone though.
    
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back? Go to Italy and Greece. Money and time is holding me back. Lots of other trips and things come up in a year and before you know it, it hasn't happened. It will though.
    
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of? Probably. I tend to be bitter until the very end when it comes to things I care deeply about. And most things I care about at all, I care deeply about. It's a flaw, but one I have learned to embrace (for the most part.) Hee.
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why? France. Or Italy. Or Greece. Or Spain. Or.... can you tell I want to live in Europe? :) So much history, so much to do and see, and such an amazing experience it would be.
    
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster? Haha, sometimes I do, but it definitely doesn't work that way and I know it.
    
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton? Joyful simpleton. Definitely. What's the point of knowing a lot if you can't be happy about it?
    
22. Why are you, you? The people around me have influenced who I am. I'd like to say I am me and I this is as good as it's going to get, but I frequently look back on my life and think that I really had no idea what I was talking about back then. So, in 2 years, I bet I will say the same thing about myself right now. But hey, I do what I can with what I have. ;)
    
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend? Yes. I hope everyone who I am close to knows that. At the same time, I hope you forgive me for sometimes taking more than giving, but I'd like to think it evens out in the end. :)
    
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you? Since I am the good friend who moves away all the time, I'm going to go with 'losing touch with a friend who lives near you.' Knowing what it is like to have friends who live far away, it's actually pretty great. I have people I love everywhere, and I know it. And no matter where I go, or where they go, it will stay that way. What a good feeling.
    
25. What are you most grateful for? I've answered this before, and even recently, but it's Jason. Plain and simple, my husband is my best friend, the person who I can't imagine life without, the one person I would rather spend time with than anyone, the person who takes care of me, supports me, and loves me unconditionally.