Giving Thanks

Fall was cut short as snow fell over Manhattan on Saturday. For over a week students at Kansas State have been regretting not packing that extra coat on their last visit home. Also, across the state high school basketball practices have begun. Just like I miss the beautiful fall weather, I miss lacing up those basketball shoes and throwing on that practice jersey. One never realizes how fortunate they are in a situation until it’s gone.

           

Enjoy the little things and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves. There were so many times that I dreaded going to basketball practice, because I always thought it would be so much easier to take a nap after school. However, basketball is just a sport. There are many other experiences that will come and go just as quickly as high school basketball. Seriously appreciate the time you spend with loved ones, whether that is your family members, a community, or friends. As Thanksgiving approaches, I challenge you to do three things:

1)      Think about the events in your life that you may not enjoy all of the time and find the purpose behind the effort you put into it.

2)      Thanksgiving Day, shut your phones off and have a conversation with those around you.

3)      Tell the people you care about the most how much you appreciate them being in your lives.

      Finally, understand that as certain things come to an end, there will always be a silver lining. As fall comes to an end, think about all of the new calves that are being born across Kansas. Though I may not see my friends from high school every day, I have built new friendships. Even though I will not be serving my community on our high school basketball team this year, I will be serving a much larger community in Kansas FFA.

What purpose are you serving? How do you show your appreciation for that purpose?

Quitting Strategically

Change. It’s a wonder to think that everything in our life that we have resulted from some form of change. Whether it’s a change in our taste of music, a change in our daily habits, or a change in the people we associate with, that change will have some type of impact on our future. This past month I have joined the hundreds of thousands of college freshman who changed their living arrangements, study habits, and change in areas of focus.

In high school I focused immensely on sports. After school I would devote two and a half hours of my day to that specific sport that season. However, I underwent a change when I graduated high school, because, despite my five year-old aspirations, I will not be a professional football/basketball/baseball player. Now it seems that every spare moment of my life (outside of FFA) is focused on my academic materials.

“Never give up.” How many times have we heard this from our role models, teachers, or coaches? At the surface this seems like a motto worth following precisely. Although, if I hadn't given up my aspirations of a professional athlete, would I be studying Agricultural Engineering at Kansas State? In Seth Godin’s book The Dip he describes the difference between quitting within “the dip” and strategically quitting to begin something new. “The dip” is a natural occurrence that happens in an effort where there is no hope of success.

The truth of the matter is that not every idea we ever have is a great idea. As kids, almost everybody goes through the “running away from home stage”. After about an hour of boredom, loneliness, and hunger, we head back home, essentially quitting that idea for the best cause. However, if one were to abandon their hope of being an Ag. Teacher after one difficult Animal Science class, “the dip” has conquered another victim. On the contrary, if that individual can’t devote the hours needed to study for the class because of their involvement in too many organizations, then strategically dropping one of the organizations would be beneficial in the long run.

Think about how you devote your time throughout your days. Is it beneficial to your overall goal? If not, do not feel reluctant about defying the old adage of never quitting. There may be that friend in our lives that is holding us back for a number of reasons. Abandoning relationships can be difficult, but if they’re not constructive towards the future, then that relationship has a weak foundation and will crumble in the future anyway. Consider the activities you partake in. What are they accomplishing? Change is challenging, but once one begins to focus their efforts more wisely, success will come. Persevere through “the dip” and quit those unconstructive areas. All of that being said, I leave you with this quote, “Winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt”- Seth Godin.

The Race

“The real purpose of running isn't to win the race, it’s to test the human heart”- Bill Bowerman

 If there is one thing that you know about me, it’s that I do not like to lose. Especially on a summer night run and my competitor is my brother, Tim. A relationship with a brother is filled with many emotions, but competition is never more evident than with one particular night.  I knew that my 11 year old body was ready to finally beat my 18 year old brother. My plan was to hang with him at the beginning. Then make my move at the end.

We ran for what seemed three-quarters of a mile. I could see the end of the road, meaning our destination was in sight. I took off! It was my turn to show my speed. My brother strayed behind. He didn't have the strength to keep up with me, and my victory was eminent. However, my heart began to beat faster. My lungs started to struggle for oxygen, but I continued to accelerate. Then, I looked up. The target seemed no closer. I began to walk. I had built a sizable lead on Tim, so I decided a break wouldn't affect my goal. As he caught back up, my lungs, legs, and determination did not. I finished strong, but two or three minutes after the victor.

State Conference for Chapter Leaders is now completed. After three days, after fifteen workshops, and after over 300 students absorbed knowledge about Vision, Kansas FFA’s Vision became truly “possible”. Although, one point that must be emphasized is the goal we have for ourselves, for our chapters, or for any aspect of our lives cannot be achieved in a sprint. Just like my unsuccessful duel, even though I could see where I wanted to be, I lacked the knowledge on how to venture successfully. The unforeseen limits immobilized my efforts. When these limits find their way into our missions, we must not allow them to keep us down. We must follow the same advice my track coach always gave me, “Breath through your nose, and keep your legs moving.” These troubles we find in our journey cannot be walls in our way, but hurdles that we leap over. 

At the end of the night, I returned home. Though defeated, I lived to see another race. As we race towards our goals, we must know the “return point”: The place we go after downfall. Throughout this next year there will be defeat, but we cannot wander aimlessly on the side of the road following the tribulation (that would result in an encounter with a Mountain Lion). Whether that “return point” is our faith, our family, or our FFA chapter, we must identify it before we embark on our journeys.

No matter how big our goal is for ourselves, there are always steps that have to be taken to reach that goal. With running, it's one foot in front of the other (and many more chemical reactions that take place within my legs, but let's not get into details). In our goal towards having a successful career, our steps could be to complete high school, attend college, and gain work experience. With our FFA Chapters, it could be developing that Program of Activities, carrying out those events throughout the year, or creating a Vision and mission statement. Whatever steps we may be executing, do it with our best ability. Because one false step in a race, we will find ourselves face first in the ground and at the back of the pack. 

Finally,  this is the second time Kansas FFA has heard or read of my running conquests (I promise my running stories are depleted). I would like to take the opportunity to introduce what my race of life consists of:

1) I live in Cuba... No, not the country. Cuba, Kansas

Cuba is a primarily Czech community. Hada-Chek. Get it? 

2) In Cuba, I have lived 18 years with a fantastic and loving family.

3) With my family I had the opportunity to travel to Ireland this last year.

Just a small taste of agricultural life in Ireland.

What we woke up to every morning.

4)  I was heavily involved in sports, forensics, and band throughout my high school, but.....

5) FFA IS LIFE!

This next year will be a race. A very quick race. Almost two months have passed since the state officers were elected. Every moment is just as thrilling as the last. I look forward to the opportunity of serving as Kansas FFA Secretary. Although, the members are what make this organization great. I have a very powerful Vision for Kansas FFA. In order to arrive at our destination, we must take it one member, one chapter, and one day at a time.

Kansas FFA, what steps will you take to reach your goal?

Curtain Call

It’s that time of the year, commonly known as the time of “lasts”. For those of us still in school, we become well accustomed to these lasts, and we welcome them. The last homework assignments, the last tests, and the last days of school before the sweet, sweet beginning of summer break. For some, these “lasts” may also carry a different meaning - the last time that we will step foot into our school as students, the last time we will hang out with our friends before going separate ways, and it may very well be the last time that some of us don the blue corduroy jacket as FFA members. What are some important “lasts” for you? What do they mean for your future?

I can think of a “last” happening very soon for myself. My final exams are next week, marking the last days of my freshman year of college. On the bright side, these final days count down to the time when I get to see some of the best dressed people in the State of Kansas wearing their blue corduroy as we kick off the 86^th Kansas FFA Convention. There we will celebrate the last days of our year as Kansas FFA members, and my teammates and I will retire, as well as install the 2014-2015 State Officers.

As I think about stepping onto McCain auditorium’s stage to welcome Kansas FFA members in a few weeks, I think about the stage we all step onto when we take on a new task, or experience something new. Whether it’s going through high school, taking on a new job, or being a part of the FFA, we all have a part to play on that stage, and it’s beyond important that we perform to the best of our ability, for ourselves as well as the people watching.

No one knows exactly how long each scene will last on stage, but we all know that eventually the curtain must fall. The curtain signifies the end of a scene or act, and that the parts of the people on stage are done for a time. Now this may sound really philosophical at this point, but just like a play, we will all see the curtain fall at some point in our lives. For many around this time of the year, the curtain looks like the last day of school. And while I may not be able to see my curtain, I’ll know it when I hear the sound of the final gavel tap at convention.

If it’s anything that I’ve learned from my friends who have participated in plays and musicals, the curtain falling is nothing major. It happens so that the performance can move on, new scenes can develop, and new characters can be introduced. What are major, however, are our performances before the curtain falls. It is through our actions that we have an impact on those around us, and those that stand out and put forth the most effort and passion are the ones that are remembered. How will you be remembered? For your hard work? For putting in extra time to help out those around you? How can we all make sure that the impact that we make is remembered in a positive way?

At the end of the performance, an event called the “curtain call” occurs. A curtain call is when individuals return to the stage to be recognized by the audience for their performance. Think of it like a chapter banquet, or a graduation ceremony. This is the time that lets you be remembered for your passion, and the action that you took to achieve your goals. But who says that a curtain call is a short, temporary event? You might not be recognized for every single thing, but create an impact, and leave a legacy, that will set a standard for those behind you, letting your impact live on for years to come.

Kansas FFA, I’d like to give each and every one of you a curtain call. Being a part of this organization, I know that the fire that it can fuel resides in each of you, and the things that we all can accomplish together are immeasurable. But as you are recognized for what you accomplish, you are also challenged. I challenge all of you to not stop with what you’ve already done, and keep pushing ahead. I challenge you to never quit trying, and always seek improvement in yourself as well as in others. Play your part on the stage, and never quit performing, even if the curtain falls. The curtain always rises again, and lets everyone have their curtain call.

Kansas FFA, I am proud (and slightly sad) to say for the final time as your State Secretary, we out!

Take It and Make It

For those of you that read the title and automatically assumed I'm talking about Papa Murphy's, you will be sadly disappointed. For the readers who don't really know what I'm talking about, don't worry! Either way, thank you for taking time out of your day to read. So many times we get caught up in the hustle and bustle in the world, and our to-do list gets so long, and we feel like we are being pulled every which way, that we forget to do something that we enjoy; something for ourselves, or something for those that we care about.

This is definitely the time of the year when I wish there were four or five of me. One could do homework, one could be practicing a speech, another could be back home with my family, while another could be hanging out with my friends. Sadly, there is only one of me (I'm pretty sure), which means only one time schedule, with lots to do. As finals close in, I find myself more frequently in my room, with a textbook open, making sure I get all of my work completed and that I actually understand it. Even when I think I have free time, there's that little voice in the back of my head telling me that there's probably something that I should be doing.

All in all, I have definitely felt the burden of deadlines on my shoulders. But I have found this miracle solution that is shown to increase happiness, as well as strengthen friendships. You've probably heard it before, and done it before as well - I take time. In fact, I take time...to make time!

What I mean is that I take what time I do have when I'm not involved in something and use it to my advantage. I could be getting ahead in my work, or I could use it to spend time with my friends. This has made me more spontaneous in a way, because I've learned to make the most out of the time that I'm given.

It's really a nice habit that I've picked up from my parents. At home, my family is well aware that the Hunley to-do list is constantly growing. But given a beautiful weekend in the spring or summer and you'll probably find us at a pond with our lines in the water. My family recognizes that a little break time (and some fresh air) is a good reliever. It's the little things that can mean so much, bring happiness, and help make things less serious. Maybe it's a random road trip, or a group of friends going to see a movie. What do you make time for?

A reliever for me came in one of the best ways last week in the form of the 2014 Nebraska FFA State Convention in Lincoln. There I got to interact with members from across the Cornhusker State, watch my friends (the Nebraska FFA State Officer team) deliver their retiring addresses, and see seven dedicated individuals be chosen to serve as the 2014-2015 Nebraska State Officers. Being at the convention reminded me of what a great organization that we are a part of. The FFA has definitely allowed me to make the most of the time that I'm given, and use it to build relationships that will last for years to come.

Make sure to take that extra time for yourself, or for others. Use it to your advantage. Get ready for the next Career Development Event. Put in that extra hour in your SAE. Go out of your way to make a new friend. You'll be glad you did. So what are you waiting for? Time won't wait for you, and you can't grab it once it's gone. It's sitting right in front of you, so reach out, take it, and make it!

Kansas FFA, we out!

Happy

So those of you who listen to the radio, have seen Despicable Me 2 (highly recommended), or just know a song that will almost always put you in a good mood, you’ve probably heard “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. For those that haven’t, don’t despair, there’s a link at the bottom.

 With the title pretty much giving away the premise, Williams sings about that one emotion that the world doesn’t feel as often as it should. The upbeat tempo is enough to bring a smile to anyone’s face, not to mention getting the urge to dance.

My favorite part of the song has to be the hook, which goes a little something like this (sing along if you’d like):

Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

One thing I have noticed whenever this song comes on is that a lot of people know the lyrics, but few seem to know the meaning to them, so let’s break it down:

“If you feel like a room without a roof” – Williams says that this is a metaphor for one’s space without limits. Too often we can become unhappy because we are boxed in by limitations, whether that’s something like being told that we can’t do something, or other emotions. There are times where we can feel “roofed in” when our plans don’t go accordingly, or we fall a little short of our goals, but that shouldn’t keep us from feeling happy. Take it from the room – not having a roof and having access to the infinite possibilities that await is a great feeling. How can you stop feeling “roofed in”?

“If you feel like happiness is the truth” – Of course it is! There’s no need to argue with it, or try to contradict it. Being happy, and especially true to yourself, is the best feeling. Don’t settle for being someone else, because their happiness might not be yours. Branch out and try something new, because you might find something that you love, all while being true to yourself!

“If you know what happiness is to you” – What does happiness mean to you? Does it mean hanging out with friends, or curling up with a good book? Maybe it means getting to spend time with your livestock, or getting ready for that next public speaking event. Like I said before, don’t take someone's definition of happiness. Find what you like to do, and make it your own.

“If you feel like that’s what you wanna do” – By this point, you should be clapping. If you feel happy, and want to stay happy, surround yourself with individuals who also stay happy. Find things in common, and always make sure to show your happiness. A smile is contagious, you know.

At the end of the day, we all have an opportunity to be happy, and make sure those around us are happy as well. We each have our own passions, and by supporting the passions of others, and finding ways to ignite our own, we can all clap along, because we’ll feel happy.

Here’s a link to Pharrell Williams’ “Happy”:

http://youtu.be/y6Sxv-sUYtM

Kansas FFA, we out!

Fortune Favors the Bold

Time and time again, even from when we probably didn’t have a clue as to what they were, we all looked forward to the true reward of eating at a Chinese restaurant: the fortune cookie. These golden treasure chests were just waiting to be cracked open, to show us what we can look forward to in our future. Most of us probably didn’t care for the actual cookie (I didn’t until a couple of years ago), but were much more concerned of what was inside.

It’s funny how a little strip of paper stuffed into a cookie causes us to think so much. Maybe it fills someone with anticipation, or gives someone else a good laugh. Whatever the purpose is, something clicks inside of our brains that whenever something peculiar happens afterwards, we think “that must be what the fortune cookie meant!” As always, a fortune is always subject to interpretation. “You will have a pleasant surprise” might actually mean a penny you find around the corner. “Good things take time” might just be the cookies sitting in the oven. No one really knows what power these things have, but fortunes find their way into our lives one way or another.

There’s one fortune cookie in particular that I cracked open a few days ago. Inside, it read: “Happiness is around the corner, wealth down the street.” My mind instantly started racing. Was I going to see a long lost friend? Was I going to find a $100 bill lying on the ground? Unfortunately, neither of those things happened, but I decided to take my own interpretation of it. I found happiness around the corner as when I left lunch, it had actually warmed up about five or six degrees. Those five or six degrees were the dividing line between me being comfortable in a coat and hoping my nose didn't fall off. As for the wealth that I found down the street? I found it after a walk back to my dorm, where I was surrounded by my friends, welcoming me back. It might not be the conventional wealth, but friendships are priceless. Truly, these strips of paper only have the power of our imagination and attitude. Depending on how we look at things, there are limitless possibilities. How do you look at situations? There’s probably a time or two where putting a positive spin on things can make a world of difference.

Now let’s jump back to the whole fortune cookie. They all share the same outside characteristics as one another, but what’s inside could be totally different. Does that remind you of anything? If you’re thinking of the FFA, then we’re on the same wavelength. Whether you meet someone at a CDE, or make a new friend at Convention, we all have common ground. We’re all linked by the blue corduroy, but at the same time, we’re all individuals. We all possess different outlooks and perspectives, and can impact others with our actions.

When we get to know someone, we have the chance to see what’s inside; what makes them special. What you learn might get you thinking, and want to know more. The bonds we make through FFA are strong and true, and through them, we can make a difference. How can you use your message to make an impact? How can you take that first step towards a more positive outlook? And as you meet new people, remember to be bold, because fortune favors those who are.

Kansas FFA, we out!