all right good morning so to begin I’d like to ask you all to
so to begin I’d like to ask you all to
so to begin I’d like to ask you all to close your eyes imagine with me I want
close your eyes imagine with me I want
close your eyes imagine with me I want you to imagine that you’re hiking it’s
you to imagine that you’re hiking it’s
you to imagine that you’re hiking it’s dark maybe 3:00 4:00 in the morning and
dark maybe 3:00 4:00 in the morning and
dark maybe 3:00 4:00 in the morning and you’re completely alone to say that
you’re completely alone to say that
you’re completely alone to say that you’re exhausted would be an
you’re exhausted would be an
you’re exhausted would be an understatement so you’ve been traveling
understatement so you’ve been traveling
understatement so you’ve been traveling for several days going from bus station
for several days going from bus station
for several days going from bus station to bus station one hitchhike ride after
to bus station one hitchhike ride after
to bus station one hitchhike ride after the next and once you finally made it to
the next and once you finally made it to
the next and once you finally made it to your destination you learned that where
your destination you learned that where
your destination you learned that where you were going to stay could no longer
you were going to stay could no longer
you were going to stay could no longer host you so here you are sleep-deprived
host you so here you are sleep-deprived
host you so here you are sleep-deprived completely alone and on the side of a
completely alone and on the side of a
completely alone and on the side of a mountain with nowhere else to go
mountain with nowhere else to go
mountain with nowhere else to go you decide to continue and after each
you decide to continue and after each
you decide to continue and after each painstaking step doubt starts to creep
painstaking step doubt starts to creep
painstaking step doubt starts to creep in you start to ask yourself questions
in you start to ask yourself questions
in you start to ask yourself questions like what am i doing was this all a
like what am i doing was this all a
like what am i doing was this all a mistake and why am I here but you keep
mistake and why am I here but you keep
mistake and why am I here but you keep going after what seems like an eternity
going after what seems like an eternity
going after what seems like an eternity you start to notice the ground under
you start to notice the ground under
you start to notice the ground under your feet against the level and you
your feet against the level and you
your feet against the level and you realize you made it to the top so with
realize you made it to the top so with
realize you made it to the top so with what little energy you have left you
what little energy you have left you
what little energy you have left you throw off your bag and you crash to the
throw off your bag and you crash to the
throw off your bag and you crash to the ground as you sit there trying to catch
ground as you sit there trying to catch
ground as you sit there trying to catch your breath
your breath
your breath the most incredible thing happens you
the most incredible thing happens you
the most incredible thing happens you see the darkest night of your life
see the darkest night of your life
see the darkest night of your life begins to break and turn into one of the
begins to break and turn into one of the
begins to break and turn into one of the most incredible mornings it starts
most incredible mornings it starts
most incredible mornings it starts slowly at first you start to hear the
slowly at first you start to hear the
slowly at first you start to hear the birds chirping off in the distance and
birds chirping off in the distance and
birds chirping off in the distance and II breathe a couple minutes later you
II breathe a couple minutes later you
II breathe a couple minutes later you start to notice the Rolling Hills around
start to notice the Rolling Hills around
start to notice the Rolling Hills around you and II breathe
and then a few minutes after that the
and then a few minutes after that the most incredible cityscape you’ve ever
most incredible cityscape you’ve ever
most incredible cityscape you’ve ever seen presents itself out of the darkness
seen presents itself out of the darkness
seen presents itself out of the darkness and as you sit there completely alone
and as you sit there completely alone
and as you sit there completely alone and exhausted you realize that this
and exhausted you realize that this
and exhausted you realize that this place and this time is precisely where
place and this time is precisely where
place and this time is precisely where you were meant to be okay open your eyes
you were meant to be okay open your eyes
you were meant to be okay open your eyes now I’m excited to say that this story
now I’m excited to say that this story
now I’m excited to say that this story is not just a story
is not just a story
is not just a story in fact this is what happened to me a
in fact this is what happened to me a
in fact this is what happened to me a couple years back when I got the
couple years back when I got the
couple years back when I got the opportunity to travel through Europe the
opportunity to travel through Europe the
opportunity to travel through Europe the place that I was at was a little
place that I was at was a little
place that I was at was a little formation called Arthur’s Seat just
formation called Arthur’s Seat just
formation called Arthur’s Seat just outside of Edinburgh Scotland and I
outside of Edinburgh Scotland and I
outside of Edinburgh Scotland and I brought a couple pictures so that you
brought a couple pictures so that you
brought a couple pictures so that you can get an idea of just how incredible
can get an idea of just how incredible
can get an idea of just how incredible Scotland is so this is Edinburgh it’s
Scotland is so this is Edinburgh it’s
Scotland is so this is Edinburgh it’s pretty incredible isn’t it it’s kind of
pretty incredible isn’t it it’s kind of
pretty incredible isn’t it it’s kind of like a fairy tale
like a fairy tale
like a fairy tale in fact Scotland is so magical that
in fact Scotland is so magical that
in fact Scotland is so magical that their national animal is the Unicorn
there’s another picture now this is one
there’s another picture now this is one of the many stories that I like to tell
of the many stories that I like to tell
of the many stories that I like to tell of my travels but when I tell them I
of my travels but when I tell them I
of my travels but when I tell them I usually get the same responses people
usually get the same responses people
usually get the same responses people say man Cody I wish I could do that but
say man Cody I wish I could do that but
say man Cody I wish I could do that but and then they start to list off reasons
and then they start to list off reasons
and then they start to list off reasons they feel like they can’t either school
they feel like they can’t either school
they feel like they can’t either school or work family obligations finances and
or work family obligations finances and
or work family obligations finances and to that I always give the same response
to that I always give the same response
to that I always give the same response I say well if I could do it anyone can
I say well if I could do it anyone can
I say well if I could do it anyone can and I don’t say that to be trite or
and I don’t say that to be trite or
and I don’t say that to be trite or dismissive but because I honestly
dismissive but because I honestly
dismissive but because I honestly believe that if you could handpick one
believe that if you could handpick one
believe that if you could handpick one of the least likely people to live
of the least likely people to live
of the least likely people to live fearlessly or adventurously that it
fearlessly or adventurously that it
fearlessly or adventurously that it would be me so this is me and as the
would be me so this is me and as the
would be me so this is me and as the pastel colors and the mullet might make
pastel colors and the mullet might make
pastel colors and the mullet might make you believe this was taken in the early
you believe this was taken in the early
you believe this was taken in the early 90s I was probably three years old and
90s I was probably three years old and
90s I was probably three years old and what you need to know is that I was born
what you need to know is that I was born
what you need to know is that I was born into a broken home my family we
into a broken home my family we
into a broken home my family we struggled with all sorts of things
struggled with all sorts of things
struggled with all sorts of things financial difficulties drug and alcohol
financial difficulties drug and alcohol
financial difficulties drug and alcohol addiction and all the things that go
addiction and all the things that go
addiction and all the things that go along with that we were even left
along with that we were even left
along with that we were even left homeless at one point following a strand
homeless at one point following a strand
homeless at one point following a strand of hurricanes and to top it all off I
of hurricanes and to top it all off I
of hurricanes and to top it all off I was born with a disability
was born with a disability
was born with a disability the disability is known as cerebral
the disability is known as cerebral
the disability is known as cerebral palsy and if you look closely at the
palsy and if you look closely at the
palsy and if you look closely at the screen you can see little pieces of
screen you can see little pieces of
screen you can see little pieces of fabric on my legs attaching leg braces
fabric on my legs attaching leg braces
fabric on my legs attaching leg braces to me that I had to wear my entire
to me that I had to wear my entire
to me that I had to wear my entire childhood now I do have to say that I
childhood now I do have to say that I
childhood now I do have to say that I was pretty lucky and that my diagnosis
was pretty lucky and that my diagnosis
was pretty lucky and that my diagnosis was not as severe as it could have been
was not as severe as it could have been
was not as severe as it could have been and through the help of several doctors
and through the help of several doctors
and through the help of several doctors half a dozen surgeries and countless
half a dozen surgeries and countless
half a dozen surgeries and countless hours of physical therapy I was able to
hours of physical therapy I was able to
hours of physical therapy I was able to have most of my symptoms treated but
have most of my symptoms treated but
have most of my symptoms treated but there is something that physical therapy
there is something that physical therapy
there is something that physical therapy and surgeries can’t fix and that’s the
and surgeries can’t fix and that’s the
and surgeries can’t fix and that’s the emotional baggage that accompanies
emotional baggage that accompanies
emotional baggage that accompanies something like this you see I’ve always
something like this you see I’ve always
something like this you see I’ve always been a pretty ambitious child some might
been a pretty ambitious child some might
been a pretty ambitious child some might say a dreamer but from a young age I
say a dreamer but from a young age I
say a dreamer but from a young age I knew I was different and I got the
knew I was different and I got the
knew I was different and I got the impression that somehow my dreams
impression that somehow my dreams
impression that somehow my dreams weren’t meant for me that they were
weren’t meant for me that they were
weren’t meant for me that they were reserved for someone else someone who
reserved for someone else someone who
reserved for someone else someone who had more money or was from a better
had more money or was from a better
had more money or was from a better situation definitely not a kid from a
situation definitely not a kid from a
situation definitely not a kid from a broken home with a broken body and the
broken home with a broken body and the
broken home with a broken body and the more that I live the more I realized
more that I live the more I realized
more that I live the more I realized that this isn’t something that’s
that this isn’t something that’s
that this isn’t something that’s specific to my story that we’ve all been
specific to my story that we’ve all been
specific to my story that we’ve all been there that we’ve all been in places
there that we’ve all been in places
there that we’ve all been in places where we would look around and feel
where we would look around and feel
where we would look around and feel insignificant or that we weren’t capable
insignificant or that we weren’t capable
insignificant or that we weren’t capable of reaching our goals luckily for me
of reaching our goals luckily for me
of reaching our goals luckily for me though I’m extremely stubborn and I
though I’m extremely stubborn and I
though I’m extremely stubborn and I decided that I didn’t want to let
decided that I didn’t want to let
decided that I didn’t want to let society dictate my ability so I set out
society dictate my ability so I set out
society dictate my ability so I set out to live adventurously
to live adventurously
to live adventurously and fearlessly and what I found along
and fearlessly and what I found along
and fearlessly and what I found along the way was that living adventurously
the way was that living adventurously
the way was that living adventurously has very little to do with your actual
has very little to do with your actual
has very little to do with your actual circumstance and everything to do with
circumstance and everything to do with
circumstance and everything to do with your perspective so that’s what I’m here
your perspective so that’s what I’m here
your perspective so that’s what I’m here to talk with you about today four things
to talk with you about today four things
to talk with you about today four things that I do on a daily basis to help me
that I do on a daily basis to help me
that I do on a daily basis to help me shift my perspective to live
shift my perspective to live
shift my perspective to live adventurously
adventurously
adventurously and fearlessly and the hope that you’ll
and fearlessly and the hope that you’ll
and fearlessly and the hope that you’ll be able to take those and do the same so
be able to take those and do the same so
be able to take those and do the same so the first step is to set goals and write
the first step is to set goals and write
the first step is to set goals and write them down so when it comes to setting
them down so when it comes to setting
them down so when it comes to setting goals I want you to take some time to
goals I want you to take some time to
goals I want you to take some time to yourself figure it out who it is that
yourself figure it out who it is that
yourself figure it out who it is that you want to be
you want to be
you want to be what you want to do and what you want to
what you want to do and what you want to
what you want to do and what you want to accomplish I’m not asking you to think
accomplish I’m not asking you to think
accomplish I’m not asking you to think about what your parents want you to do
about what your parents want you to do
about what your parents want you to do what your friends want you to do or what
what your friends want you to do or what
what your friends want you to do or what society says you should do but what do
society says you should do but what do
society says you should do but what do you want to do and then after you figure
you want to do and then after you figure
you want to do and then after you figure that out write it down see writing it
that out write it down see writing it
that out write it down see writing it down it’s going to take that idea and
down it’s going to take that idea and
down it’s going to take that idea and make it tangible it’s going to give it
make it tangible it’s going to give it
make it tangible it’s going to give it some meat and once it’s in a physical
some meat and once it’s in a physical
some meat and once it’s in a physical form it’s easier to manage and once you
form it’s easier to manage and once you
form it’s easier to manage and once you write it down
write it down
write it down you’re less likely to forget it as well
you’re less likely to forget it as well
you’re less likely to forget it as well and now this can look differently for
and now this can look differently for
and now this can look differently for different for everyone
different for everyone
different for everyone and for me it takes shape in the form of
and for me it takes shape in the form of
and for me it takes shape in the form of a bucket list and when it comes to my
a bucket list and when it comes to my
a bucket list and when it comes to my bucket list I write down absolutely
bucket list I write down absolutely
bucket list I write down absolutely anything that I think I might want to
anything that I think I might want to
anything that I think I might want to try and then a couple times a month
try and then a couple times a month
try and then a couple times a month I’ll break out my bucket list read
I’ll break out my bucket list read
I’ll break out my bucket list read through and pick a new goal that I want
through and pick a new goal that I want
through and pick a new goal that I want to work towards now these goals can be
to work towards now these goals can be
to work towards now these goals can be anything they can be things like going
anything they can be things like going
anything they can be things like going to college skydiving or going on a road
to college skydiving or going on a road
to college skydiving or going on a road trip and seeing famous monuments or
trip and seeing famous monuments or
trip and seeing famous monuments or maybe backpacking Europe or they can be
maybe backpacking Europe or they can be
maybe backpacking Europe or they can be seemingly less significant things like
seemingly less significant things like
seemingly less significant things like learning to ride a unicycle so the
learning to ride a unicycle so the
learning to ride a unicycle so the second thing is to shake up your routine
second thing is to shake up your routine
second thing is to shake up your routine so in my opinion routine is the killer
so in my opinion routine is the killer
so in my opinion routine is the killer of spontaneity but we’re creatures of
of spontaneity but we’re creatures of
of spontaneity but we’re creatures of habit so we fall into routine we do the
habit so we fall into routine we do the
habit so we fall into routine we do the same thing day after day we go to work
same thing day after day we go to work
same thing day after day we go to work or school we come home we see the same
or school we come home we see the same
or school we come home we see the same friends we eat the same foods we watch
friends we eat the same foods we watch
friends we eat the same foods we watch the same shows and then we get bored and
the same shows and then we get bored and
the same shows and then we get bored and after we get bored we look around and we
after we get bored we look around and we
after we get bored we look around and we see people who are living outside of
see people who are living outside of
see people who are living outside of routine and we get jealous but what we
routine and we get jealous but what we
routine and we get jealous but what we don’t realize is those people have made
don’t realize is those people have made
don’t realize is those people have made the conscious decision to live outside
the conscious decision to live outside
the conscious decision to live outside of routine now I’m not asking you to
of routine now I’m not asking you to
of routine now I’m not asking you to quit your job or quit school and move
quit your job or quit school and move
quit your job or quit school and move across the country okay it’s not what
across the country okay it’s not what
across the country okay it’s not what I’m asking you to do I’m asking you to
I’m asking you to do I’m asking you to
I’m asking you to do I’m asking you to start small do things like drive a new
start small do things like drive a new
start small do things like drive a new way to work go to a new restaurant try
way to work go to a new restaurant try
way to work go to a new restaurant try new food maybe hang out with those
new food maybe hang out with those
new food maybe hang out with those friends that you keep saying go get
friends that you keep saying go get
friends that you keep saying go get coffee with but you never see and then
coffee with but you never see and then
coffee with but you never see and then once you start doing that it’ll snowball
once you start doing that it’ll snowball
once you start doing that it’ll snowball and it will get easier and easier and
and it will get easier and easier and
and it will get easier and easier and easier to try new things the third is to
easier to try new things the third is to
easier to try new things the third is to learn to say yes now saying yes is
learn to say yes now saying yes is
learn to say yes now saying yes is single-handedly the most impactful
single-handedly the most impactful
single-handedly the most impactful thing for me when it comes to living
thing for me when it comes to living
thing for me when it comes to living adventurously you see the more you say
adventurously you see the more you say
adventurously you see the more you say yes the more people are going to
yes the more people are going to
yes the more people are going to perceive you as someone who’s open to
perceive you as someone who’s open to
perceive you as someone who’s open to new experiences and the more they as the
new experiences and the more they as the
new experiences and the more they as the more that they perceive you as such the
more that they perceive you as such the
more that they perceive you as such the more they’re going to ask you to do new
more they’re going to ask you to do new
more they’re going to ask you to do new things a perfect example of this
things a perfect example of this
things a perfect example of this happened about a year ago I was sitting
happened about a year ago I was sitting
happened about a year ago I was sitting in my office and my phone bust it was a
in my office and my phone bust it was a
in my office and my phone bust it was a friend who had messaged me that I hadn’t
friend who had messaged me that I hadn’t
friend who had messaged me that I hadn’t seen in a while asking me if I wanted to
seen in a while asking me if I wanted to
seen in a while asking me if I wanted to take part and what she called a
take part and what she called a
take part and what she called a quintessential Nebraskan experience of
quintessential Nebraskan experience of
quintessential Nebraskan experience of course I said yes
course I said yes
course I said yes and I found myself on the way to the
and I found myself on the way to the
and I found myself on the way to the smallest town I’ve ever seen and when I
smallest town I’ve ever seen and when I
smallest town I’ve ever seen and when I got there I realized I’d been invited to
got there I realized I’d been invited to
got there I realized I’d been invited to the social event of the season
the social event of the season
the social event of the season people from all over the state and
people from all over the state and
people from all over the state and several others came together to help
several others came together to help
several others came together to help this family with their annual cattle
this family with their annual cattle
this family with their annual cattle branding and I got to spend the day
branding and I got to spend the day
branding and I got to spend the day wrestling cows and learning how Nebraska
wrestling cows and learning how Nebraska
wrestling cows and learning how Nebraska ranchers and farmers lived and to date
ranchers and farmers lived and to date
ranchers and farmers lived and to date it is one of my best memories of
it is one of my best memories of
it is one of my best memories of Nebraska I know right but that would not
Nebraska I know right but that would not
Nebraska I know right but that would not have happened if I hadn’t have first
have happened if I hadn’t have first
have happened if I hadn’t have first said yes so lastly is to tell your
said yes so lastly is to tell your
said yes so lastly is to tell your stories so the more you tell your
stories so the more you tell your
stories so the more you tell your stories the more you’re gonna remind
stories the more you’re gonna remind
stories the more you’re gonna remind yourself of some of the incredible
yourself of some of the incredible
yourself of some of the incredible things that you’ve done and as you do
things that you’ve done and as you do
things that you’ve done and as you do that it’s going to encourage you to
that it’s going to encourage you to
that it’s going to encourage you to continue to live fearlessly and
continue to live fearlessly and
continue to live fearlessly and adventurously second when you tell your
adventurously second when you tell your
adventurously second when you tell your stories you’re gonna inspire others to
stories you’re gonna inspire others to
stories you’re gonna inspire others to live and a manner that is similar to
live and a manner that is similar to
live and a manner that is similar to that and it kind of brings everything
that and it kind of brings everything
that and it kind of brings everything full circle so to close I want to
full circle so to close I want to
full circle so to close I want to reiterate one point that living
reiterate one point that living
reiterate one point that living adventurously and fearlessly has very
adventurously and fearlessly has very
adventurously and fearlessly has very little to do with your actual
little to do with your actual
little to do with your actual circumstances and everything to do with
circumstances and everything to do with
circumstances and everything to do with shifting your perspective and once you
shifting your perspective and once you
shifting your perspective and once you shift your perspective you’ll find
shift your perspective you’ll find
shift your perspective you’ll find adventure everywhere thank you
”
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