In the book series know as A Song of Fire and Ice there is an interesting theme in play. The books revolve around the goings on in "the seven kingdoms". The kingdoms are surrounded by a wall around the northern boarder. Little is know about what currently resides beyond the wall, even by those who guard it, except for stories passed down through generations. Throughout the series people of the seven kingdoms are battling for power. Everyone wants to be king an everyone wants to bring down someone else. While this a most entertaining element to the book another equally important aspect of the book is what is occurring beyond the wall. The men who are appointed to guard the wall discover more each and every day that they should be concerned with and fear what is beyond the wall above all else.

So what did I take from all of this. I think it is an important lesson that we need not concern ourselves with little things so often. It is difficult to see outside of our own petty concerns and issues, but the outcome of training your brains to let go of the little things would mean a happier you as well as a happier world. The more and more we force ourselves to think on a larger scale the more and more we can realize things that are not big deals. I attempted to implement this thought process for the first time today and while I have to admit it is not an easy task. Trying to ignore the tendencies of one of my coworkers who tends to irk me every so often was my first hurdle and with all honesty I failed, but I won't be discouraged and I intend to continue on with this idea. The difficult part was deciding where I plan to draw my line. What is important and worth my concern?

I do first and foremost intend to rid myself of anger and worry over smaller everyday tasks, this would include things like disagreements at work and home and though these smaller things will not be limited to this list it is intended to give a reference size to the issues I am writing about. My second objective is to cease arguments of any political issue. I can hold a position and welcome the thoughts of others, but all in all life is too short to argue opposing political view points. In the end I hope to remember that every person simply wants to live happily and that happiness means something different for everyone. I cannot live to change what happiness is for others. Since this all is an easily forgotten new initiative I decided to use something special to remind me of my goal. I fashioned myself a bracelet with googly eyes glued to it to always remind me that not everything is a big deal. For occasions where I am unable to wear a bracelet with silly eyes on it I have randomly glued these eyes to many things of mine such as the corner of my rearview mirror, the edge of my water bottle, and even the corner of my computer. My hope is that in doing all of this I might be able to find what I interpret to be truly important or in a reference to my analogy "what is beyond the wall?".While I don't know what that is at the moment I think that we are all intelligent enough to know that it is bigger than the little things we all get hung up on day to day.