The Three A's of Awesome

I've been a fan of the 1000 Awesome Things blog since at least #805 The Smell of Crayons, but probably even before that. This counted down list of the everyday awesome things really makes me appreciate the little things around me and reminds me what a gift life is. Many posts are insightful, most are funny, and some are down right icky (like #989 Blowing Your Nose in the Shower). But they never fail to make me smile.

When I heard that the blog's author, Neil Pasricha, had given a talk at TED (a conference bringing together people from Technology, Education, and Design), I knew I had to see it. The talk was posted in January, but for whatever reason I just got around to watching it today. Maybe it took that long to prepare myself for the awesomeness of it all.

In his talk, Neil outlines the keys to a satisfying life, the "Three A's of Awesome": Attitude, Awareness, and Authenticity. So I just thought I'd share the points he made about these here, though I definitely suggest checking out the talk for yourself.

Attitude
When bad news hits, you always have two choices: "You can swirl and twirl in gloom and doom forever or you can grieve and then face the future with newly sober eyes." You can choose to move forward and move on, taking baby steps into the future.

Awareness
Appreciate the small wonders around you, as if you're seeing the world for the first time. Embrace your inner three-year-old, remembering that you saw everything you've seen for the first time too.

Authenticity
Be true to yourself. It's about "being you and being cool with that." When you're authentic, you put yourself in places, situations, and conversations that you love and that you enjoy. You meet people that you like talking to, you go places that you've dreamt about, and you end up following your heart and feeling very fulfilled.

While these points aren't revolutionary, they're important reminders of something we often forget. And they get to the heart of what living is all about.