Becoming a Southerner: Can You Love Things More?

Have you ever read something that you absolutely love and you're fascinated with the subject? Recently, I read a post in a newsletter by Sasha Chapin that was entitled, "How To Like Everything More." He explained that he is very good at "intensely liking things." He had a very difficult childhood and he learned to love the pleasant things in his life and it's a skill that anyone can develop. He listed seventeen things you can do and I'm going to pick and choose the ones that mean the most to me.

1. LOOK AT THE OTHER PART

It's very easy to go to a restaurant and there are obvious things that you notice first. I always notice the lighting, because I don't like sitting in "the dark." Other people might notice how the place looked outside or how clean the bathrooms were, or if there were enough menu selections that they liked. What are the secondary things you notice, what things can you find that you liked?

2. LET THE INTENSITY IN

Have you ever heard a song that you didn't like, but it told a great story or the singer sang their heart out. I love "story songs", with "American Pie" still being my favorite song. The beginning and the end of the song are ballad-like and the rest of the song has an up tempo with a great chorus. The song immortalized, "The Day the Music Died," when three young, promising singers were killed in a plane crash together. If you focus on the words at the end of the song, it's difficult not to feel the loss of those lives. One of the secrets to life is finding what your passion is and doing it. Look for passion in others.

3. CRANK IT UP BY 10%

You don't have to be all in on something, but can you enjoy it 10% more? Putting a focus on what you do like about something will increase how you feel about it completely. I tell people that I drive Uber, "I have more fun than a driver should be allowed to have." I don't expect other drivers to have as much fun as I have, but, by showing my enjoyment to others, it can increase their enjoyment, even if it's only by 10% more.

4. BE A TIME TRAVELER

I like this was one a lot. He explains when you're looking at something or experiencing it, what would someone in the past think about it? About 3 1/2 years ago I picked up a secret agent who lives in my area and he gave me the first bill that I put up in my car which was from the South Sudan, pictured below. What would his reaction be now that I have 61 countries represented in my car? Some of my riders from several years ago who were amazed that I had 10-20 bills, what would they say today?

A friend of Sasha's, when he is on an airplane imagines that Sir Isaac Newton is sitting next to him and the amazement he would have on the flight. Appreciation can be increased by being a time traveler.

5. GIVE IT A SECOND

His example was perfect, because it just happened to me. The opening couple scenes in a movie we were watching on Netflix were some of the worst I've ever seen. The movie turned out to be pretty good, but what if we had turned it off? Sometimes, something very good takes a little time to grow on you, like having a dog.

6. GET LOST IN ANY DETAIL

What is the very best part of it? Movies are an easy example, because you usually have a favorite scene. You may have liked the movie, but you loved this one scene. It's that one scene that you love so much, it takes over the whole movie. When you think of the movie, you can get lost in that scene.

"ROCKY 2"- Adrian to Rocky: There's one thing I want you to do-WIN!