Tomorrow is one of those days each year that push me to ponder a multitude of happenings in my life. Much like hitting my 30th birthday last year, this year holds some new milestones, reasons to celebrate and challenges all of their own.

You see, not only is it my 31st birthday tomorrow, but it also marks 8 weeks since my move to Minneapolis from the place I called home for the last 11 years. As I begin the celebrations tomorrow I also give pause for the many friends back in Fargo that are beginning what is quickly becoming a yearly fight to hold back flood waters. I’m wishing you all a great deal of strength, patience and courage as you face this yearly foe. Remember the waters will rise, the community will come together and as it does every year, the Red will calm and grace the region with its multitudes of blessings.  Here’s also hoping that the political powers that be can move swiftly towards a solution that will eliminate this problem permanently.

A thank you to the community of Fargo, North Dakota. It was there in one of the most unusual of places that this individual’s wildest dreams came to fruition and the foundation of a life yet fully realized created. You provided me with a phenomenal college education at Concordia. Your commitment and fortitude to education excellence has brought forth some of the most capable graduates in the region. Partnered with tremendous collaborations with business and government these graduates will change the world in ways they cannot even imagine yet.

To big companies with a strong Fargo presence, thank you for the opportunity to learn, grow and be challenged preparing me to become the marketing communications and business professional I am today.

Furthermore, thank you for the opportunity to drive a successful corporate career into one of private enterprise, where a community rallied around a small group of mid twenty-somethings to create a media company that would forever change the way Fargo/Moorhead viewed itself.

Finally, to friends and supporters – your faith and ability to see the grander vision is always and will be forever appreciated. The journey and path, although not always easy, produced results that we can all be proud of. A wake still flows both with celebration and challenge and only time will tell how the full story will end. I know deep down that the ties and memories that bind us together will show its grace as the future progresses.

A new home emerges now with challenges, friends and opportunities uniquely its own. The last 8 weeks have been remarkable and memorable. As many can attest, the process of moving to a new city and laying a new level to the house of life can be daunting. However it is the memories and experience I have gained to date that I know will propel me further on this road. I know I have the tools, knowledge and support to go out and accomplish whatever it is I set my sights on.  What will that be? Only time will tell.

Starting anew can be one of the greatest adventures life brings to us. A chance to reinvent, grow and learn. Today I focus on two things, giving back to the community that brought me this far, and investing in the community that I now choose to call home. I’m becoming connected and involved, feeling as though I’m once again home.

The big question for those that know me well I’m sure is what will I be doing next. Honestly its a question that even I don’t know the answer to yet. Since coming to Minneapolis I continue my consulting work, my work with the American Diabetes Association and have started work with a few other non-profits helping to formulate strategies to attract greater giving and organizational efficiency. I do continue to keep my eyes peeled for new opportunities that seem to emerge every day. I desire a return to life in the corporate sector, however also look forward to dabbling in new ventures that can further transform the world around us.

So as tomorrow rolls around, I mark a few more milestones in life and celebrate the potential that only the future fully knows.

Life is about choice. At every turn we have decisions to make that could have a profound impact on how the rest of our lives take shape.  The key is to not be afraid. I learned a long time ago that ultimately you will go one direction or the other. The reality is that no matter which direction you choose, the end result has the potential to be fabulous.

I find that many people have a sense of real fear and anxiety that comes along with taking on the challenge of choice.  It’s the questions that hang us up and stop us from really taking advantage of the opportunity.

There are all the “what if’s” in life that scare us.  What if this happens? What if that happens? For those that know me well, I have a theory here. Whatever the choice in life may be, always eliminate the “What if’s.” I remember saying to myself back in middle school, “no matter what I experienced in life, I would hope that I would never look back on anything and say ‘What if?’” This is when you really start missing out and begin to develop regret.

These “What If” questions pop up in ways big and small. Could I really be a homeowner? Do I really have what ti takes to do this job? Can I really make it through college? Should I plant corn in the garden? The truth is, you’ll never know until you choose to eliminate the “What If”. When you do this you’ll find yourself completely empowered. Now I’m not saying over extend yourself, we all must learn to live within our means and our limits. But its perfectly well to push the envelope.

Another aspect in life where choice is important is when it comes to relationships. We can all relate to the varying complexities that revolve around our interactions with other people. There are the co-workers you just sort of deal with, the ones you enjoy happy hour with after work and those that eventually make their way into your personal life. Likewise with friends there are those that you must maintain on a regular basis in order to properly and effectively keep the relationship going. Then there are those friends that no matter how long the distance, every time you meet you can talk and converse as though no time ever passed.

We have choices when dealing with those around us – we choose the types of relationships that we are comfortable with and we also find ourselves choosing who we are most compatible with. Its not a sense of right or wrong, its a sense of spirit and energy. We each affect people in different ways and like a jigsaw puzzle some pieces fit perfectly while others have a better fit in another part of the life puzzle.

It’s when we need to find that “better fit” that choice becomes the most difficult. A very dear friend of mine is currently going through a divorce. We’ve all heard the horror stories of the fights, the legal battles, the terrible toll on the children involved. What I admire about this friend is that she is grasping the power of choice in the ordeal and choosing to love, honor and celebrate a life once shared while being positively open to a new chapter in her life about to unfold. This openness is allowing her to maintain grace, dignity and most importantly a positive energy as she moves forward. A friendship is spared, children are left feeling loved and two people are able to start anew with hope and revived spirits.

Through the entire journey we call life, choice is a driving force that takes us from where we began our journey to where we are today while shaping what will become of us in the future. The key is to recognize that choice is the most valuable tool we have and we must use it wisely, discreetly and without hesitation.

So tomorrow when you wake up, I challenge this. Choose to see the world in a different way than you did today. Choose to love and be loved. Choose to make an impact. And as a wise teacher once told me, always choose to be happy.

Make good choices!

Christopher

Ok, so this whole blog thing is an adventure that I once traveled down and am committing myself to starting once again.

What does blogging mean to me? Well, I feel that it is a place for me to have a conversation with you, the reader. I’m going to allow massive amounts of creative license here and completely Let Loose! For those that know me well you are probably thinking, “OH BOY! We’re in for it now.” Rest assured, we will have fun, we will be quirky at times, but I promise to venture a few tidbits of information you might find helpful whether personally or professionally.

Through this blog I hope to spread inspiration and excitement for dreams and possibilities. I’m in a bit of transition myself, having lived in Fargo, North Dakota for the last 11 years post high school.  The community provided me with a multitude of amazing opportunities and phenomenal friends. But, alas, change comes once again.

I’d have to compare my move to Minneapolis to a feeling much like I had when leaving home for the first time. Filled with anxiety, nerves but also excitement and promise of something even bigger than I’m currently aware of. After about 5 months of hiatus I’m getting ready to dive into the adult world once again. I’m opening myself up to new opportunities and new experiences in a whole new city.

For those that remain in Fargo, its not farewell but a till I see you soon. I’m planning several trips back to the city in the coming months and look forward to many evenings either at the HoDo or Basies catching up and sharing some vino.

Well, I’m going to leave this first post with that (in an attempt to keep these down to short reads).

Til the next whirl of inspiration,

Christopher