Be a Maker

I was at Salt & Light Cafe a few weeks back, and they had a children’s book on the shelf that caught my eye – Be a Maker. I checked it out and became intrigued by its simple byline:

How many things can you make in a day? A tower, a friend, a change?

It got me thinking… how awesome would my life be if I could follow that mantra every morning? Knowing that today I will be making something that could change my life for the better – or maybe even someone else’s?

My day-to-day involves marketing for some of the coolest clients in town, and you could argue I’m already being a maker – but let’s categorize that as work and that doesn’t count!

Make a New Friend

What I’ve come to find is that being able to connect to another being tends to make you smile and feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. I really dig interaction with others, and that includes sweet doggies.

I’ve had a total of 8 dogs over the course of my life, and each one of them has had their place in my heart – and always will. They will love you more than any other person, and I base that on one simple credo: they may only be a part of your life, but to them, you are their whole life.

I was fortunate enough to meet this sweet boy named Cody over the weekend, and we instantly bonded. He couldn’t get enough of me petting him, and I sat with him for what felt like hours, just vibing and enjoying the cooler fall air on Long Island.

Make a new friend – check!

Make Some Art or Music or Whatever

I remember when I would play guitar daily. Learning new songs, getting better, more versatile – then I had to “grow up”. I let my love for playing fall by the wayside, and in turn, I let my creativity go.

You get resentful. You start to hate what you have to do. You fall into the humdrum of your routine. This, in turn, makes you a do-er, not a maker.

I started rebuilding an engine a few weeks ago and haven’t been happier. I disconnect myself from normal life and get my hands dirty. I’m also learning a new skill, and hopefully acquiring a new hobby. Who doesn’t like taking things that don’t work and making them work again – right?

Make whatever – check!

Make an Effort

I’m rambling, I know, but don’t you ever feel like you’re disconnected? I find myself getting up from my desk and sweeping the floors because I like to break up the monotony. Moving around and doing something productive that doesn’t include an iPhone or computer monitor makes me feel like I’m doing something with meaning.

Sounds crazy – yes – but it’s easy to get lost in the constant doom scrolling or countless hours of work that never end. Your purpose becomes lost, and frightfully, you lose yourself.

Don’t let that happen to you! Save yourself from the dangers of being a slave to your everyday life. Don’t become a shell of your former self. Take some time to throw a wrench in the works and learn to live again.

Be a maker.