Anyone who spends time with me knows that I enjoy my occasional visits home to see family and friends. After running around Long Beach and Los Angeles for any extended period of time, it’s always nice to slow down and enjoy the simplicity of my hometown. There is rarely traffic, essentially no need for a crowded public transportation, and the best home-cooked food that anyone could ask for.

Unfortunately though, my family time has been cut to a minimum during the past few months due to speaking and school. Recently, I discovered that I wouldn’t be able to make it home for Thanksgiving (sorry, Escalon). Needless to say, not getting to visit home for one of my favorite family times can definitely be a downer.

Like I mentioned in my last week’s blog (Break the Cycle), I spontaneously planned a mini vacation for my Halloween weekend.

My itinerary was simple: get in my car, drive 350 miles north, and hang out with my family.

The weekend was fantastic. Not only did I get the chance to catch up and hang out with my mom, dad, and brother, but I also was able to see some extended family. While I was away from the house, I found myself meeting up with old classmates and friends that still live in town.

Regardless of where I was or who I was enjoying time with, one question would always begin the conversation: “Why did you decide to come home this weekend?”

Was it for Halloween? A three-day weekend perhaps? Was it someone’s birthday?

I even found myself asking the same question. Was there a holiday I was home to celebrate? No (I had no big plans for Halloween other than seeing a few friends). Was there any special occasion? Nope. Was there a dire need for me to be up north? Negative.

Why then did I make the huge drive?

With the holiday season right around the corner, many of us find ourselves scheduling our lives around dates and holidays that make them convenient.

Feel like giving back to others? I’ll wait for Thanksgiving. Want to show someone that you care about them? I’ll get them something nice for Christmas. Want to change something about your life that you are unsatisfied with? Wait for New Years to make a resolution!

Like I soon discovered on my trip home, some of the best days of your year are those when you take it upon yourself to do something just because you sincerely want to. Rather than wait for a specified date, I had made the trip home strictly because I missed my family and wanted to spend time with them.

What I was able to learn this weekend is simple: It doesn’t take a holiday to express love. There is no need to wait for a scheduled time to improve your own life. It doesn’t require a special date to show others how much they mean to you.

So with that said, here are some questions that you might want to think about as the week continues:

Why not make tomorrow the day you tell someone how much they mean to you?

Why wait until January 1st to make a resolution? Why not this exact moment?

How long has it been since you’ve reconnected with old family or friends? Do you have to wait until Thanksgiving?

Finally, why not make today your own special holiday?

I think we can all benefit from taking some time out of our busy days to simply celebrate life. Just like Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other holiday, turning random days into a celebration spreads happiness just about everywhere.

So in that case, let’s celebrate! Happy Wednesday everyone =)

***What are you celebrating this week? Email me and let me know! Scott@ScottBackovich.com***

With my third year of college well underway, I’m beginning to see myself settle into a very familiar routine:

Step one: wake up (after a few snooze buttons)

Step two: go to class for the day

Step three: homework

Step four: sleep.

(Eat a few meals somewhere in-between, and repeat).

Yes, I do find time on weekends to go out and have fun. Unfortunately though, it seems as if half of my time on weekdays is spent anticipating my routine’s end.  If I succeed in classes and make sure that work is taken care of, I am left with a couple of days of freedom. If not, I can be found catching up so that the next week can go smoothly.

Last night, I decided to break my routine. Instead of worrying myself over homework (which would be the usual Tuesday evening activity) I found myself planning a miniature 2 day vacation that I will be embarking on tomorrow (and likely blogging about along the way). Needless to say, I woke up this morning with a renewed sense of energy and excitement.

I know that I am not alone. Regardless of whether you find yourself at school, work, or even at home, I am willing to bet that you too have a regular routine that consumes your Monday through Friday. Granted, that routine might involve a sport or hobby, but your daily schedule remains the same.

Now while many people would consider a regular daily schedule healthy, I have a little different take on take on it.

You say routine, I say boring.

If you’re up for it, I have a challenge for you this week. It’s simple- one per day.

I’m not talking about taking at least one vitamin per day (though Flintstone gummies are delicious). Your challenge is not to get your recommended serving of fruits and vegetables all week (because we all know that’s what Jamba Juice is for)…

I encourage you this week to take one hour per day and do something out of the norm. It can be going to the gym for the first time in a long while, going to see that new movie you’ve been dying to see (sorry everyone, Twilight isn’t out yet), or even taking some much needed time to yourself.

By switching up the way we go about our days, we open opportunities that would otherwise be left unchecked and unnoticed.  More importantly, you enable yourself to discover something new and exciting about yourself, your friends, and your world.

***I would love to hear about your new routines and adventures this week! Simply fill out a comment box below or email me at Scott@ScottBackovich.com ***

Sixteen hours of driving solo characterized my weekend up to San Francisco for a conference known as Expert’s Academy. That’s SIXTEEN hours… one-six. One more than fifteen; one less than seventeen (sorry about that, ozone layer).

Now after only getting home a few days ago, saying that I’m exhausted is a huge understatement. And though I could spend endless blog space filling you in on my weekend and the lessons learned, I feel that it’s more appropriate to talk about something else…you.

Yes, you. The one in the chair in front of your laptop with Facebook open on a separate page and the TV blaring in the background (ok, so I probably got 2 out of three right…not bad).

Regardless of where you are in your life right now, I know that like me, you are on a journey to accomplish something this week. You may not be physically traveling much of anywhere (let alone 16 hours), but you are progressing towards something in your life. Whether its midterm exams, balancing work and school, or dealing with friends and family, you’re going somewhere.

So…

Here are some rules of the road to help you through your week.

1. Go the speed limit. By going too fast and rushing through your weekly activities, you run the risk of putting your final goals in jeopardy.
2. Listen to music. Some of our most creative thoughts come when listening to music that intrigues and inspires us. Also, listening to that perfect “pump up song” can give us the added motivation to accomplish our daily tasks.
3. Spare the A/C and roll down a window. Instead of being locked up in your own home 24/7 with the air conditioner/heater blasting, take a trip outside and enjoy the world around you.
4. Take short breaks to snack and refuel. Make sure that both your mind and body are in tip-top shape. By taking proper care of yourself, you will find that you are far better prepared to tackle everything in front of you.
5. Don’t get frustrated by traffic. Yes, hitting a snag in the road can be very frustrating. Remember that your successes will not only be based on what you accomplish, but how you go about doing it.
6. Finally, enjoy the ride. Take a few minutes to look around as you make progress towards your everyday goals.  Don’t just see the next few days as ‘just another week’, but instead as the week you accomplished something great.

Regardless of the situation, I encourage you to bring some positivity and enthusiasm to your own travels this week.

****I would love to hear about your accomplished goals at the end of this week! Simply fill out a comment post below or email me at Scott@ScottBackovich.com . ****

As I continue to balance college and speaking, I notice many similarities between the teens I speak to and the students I attend class with.

A few weeks ago, I audited a speech-based class entitled Interpretive Literature. Essentially, the class consists of a set of 5 oral performances that are drawn from popular literary texts.  Though the instructor selects the text, it is the student’s job to take the written work and attach their own emphasis and emotion to it, bringing it to life.

Like in any class, the first day’s lesson ended with a question and answer section. Immediately, one hand from the front row shot upward.

“Professor, are we acting as ourselves or the character in the text?”

Apparently, three other students in the class had the same question.

“The choice is yours, but I find that most students prefer to act as the characters in the reading.”

She was completely relieved.

As we exited class, the girl turned to me to talk about the upcoming performances. Though the majority of our conversation involved what texts the teacher had chosen for us, she made one thing very clear.

“I would much rather act as someone else in front of a group of strangers than myself.”

I think that all too often we try to find ways to prevent others from seeing who we really are. Whether we’re talking to complete strangers or close friends, we sometimes try to hide our true sense of self and replace it with someone or something that will be given a stamp of approval.

If you find a few minutes of free time this week, I encourage you to personally take a step out from behind the curtain.

-Make yourself vulnerable at school or work.

-Take a small risk that would usually cause you to shy away.

-Choose to go about your week with an added sense of self-confidence.

By being proud of who we are and expressing it to those around us, we can discover cool things about ourselves that we never even knew existed.

I spent a few days this past week traveling to and from Arkansas for a Future Business Leaders of America district conference. I had never presented to any groups in The Natural State, so I was pretty excited to hang out with the students of the area for a while.

The day was definitely a memorable one. After speaking to a group of about 1,500 early Wednesday morning, I headed backstage to talk with a few students and administrators.

As we chatted about the presentation and FBLA in general, the conference continued with The Battle of the Chapters, a competitive event where leadership students represent their schools in a war of business knowledge. Twenty minutes into the competition, a group of about 6 teens were left to duke it out.

Now I like to think that I’m a veteran when it comes to leadership conferences, but every once in a while something out of the ordinary is bound to take me by surprise.    As I walked up towards the stage to watch, I noticed something a little odd.

And when I say odd, I mean awesome.

Two students had managed to rally over 1500 of their fellow leaders to do the wave that extended around the entire coliseum.

While I looked around to see other’s reactions, I noticed that everyone’s expressions were the same: happiness and shock.

It’s funny how a random act of positive enthusiasm can take so many people by surprise. Whether it’s a carefully planned “flash mob” seen on youtube or a single person singing at the top of their lungs on the freeway, the spontaneous acts of others often cause many of us to join in with a smile.

As you enjoy your few days of rest before beginning another hectic week (of whatever life has in store), I encourage you to think about what you can do to stir up some excitement in your life and the lives of others. Take a risk and meet someone new.  Go support an event or cause that needs the added attention. Take up a new hobby with some friends.

By taking just a few minutes a day to live life with a little bit of added enthusiasm, you not only make your own day better, but can cause a waves of others to join in.

As I woke up this morning, I realized something out of the ordinary. The area on my computer which usually displayed the words “Page Not Found” had changed dramatically. What had been a vacant site was now filled with months of work, frustration, and finally, success.

After doing a small happy dance around my room (which oddly resembled the hokie pokie), I began to reflect upon the past few months that had led to the site being finished. 3 months of constant busy work, emails to mentors, and hours on the computer have characterized my summer away from Long Beach.

Saying that I’m excited to get out there and try to spread my message is an understatement to say the least. But before I begin, I feel that it is necessary to thank those who are responsible for what happened today.

So without sounding like Taylor Swift at the VMA’s (mainly because I fear that Kanye West will hack into my page), I just wanted to thank those people who have constantly been helping me up to this point. To my family, NCYLS members, professional speaking mentors, and everyone in-between, you have all been a HUGE support! I would not have been able to do ANY of this without you.

So with that said, let the fun begin! Take a tour around the site, look at the new pictures, even add me on Facebook and Twitter if you’d like. And while you’re at it, take a few minutes to thank someone responsible for good things in your own life. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or coworker, I think we can all gain from appreciating those in our lives who help us to be the best we can. After all, life isn’t just about where you’re going, but who’s beside you along the way.