My Eyes Have Been Opened

Ed209

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Jul 20, 2015
5,438
Tinnitus Since
07/2015
With all the problems in my family right now, and the passing of my uncle, I wanted to say something to you all. We only have one shot at life and I think sometimes we forget that we're going to die one day. Make your life count now. Stop putting things on hold and embrace each and every day. Tell people you love them, de-clutter your thoughts, and move forward with positivity in your heart. If there are issues, or problems, that are bugging you, try and resolve whatever you can and accept the stuff you can't. There's so much life out there to be had even with a screaming noise in our ears and brain. The noise in our head doesn't have to define us, or the decisions that we make.

I want you all to get a pen and paper, and then I want you to write a list of all the things you can think of that would totally change your life. Put some thought into it. Write down anything that's bothering you, big or small, or anything you wish you could do/have. Are you unhappy with your career and wished you'd gone in a different direction? Add it to your list. Regret never learning the piano as a child? Add it to your list. Want to be able to paint a masterpiece? You get the point. Maybe you haven't spoken to a friend over something that happened years ago? Pick up the phone and throw out all that negative energy. You will be surprised at the difference; just writing the list alone can make an impact on your mindset. Each small goal gives you purpose, and that's something we all really need to be happy and content. If you go through with this, and find that you actually complete a goal on your list, you will feel a rush of endorphins. A small goal that's met will also lead onto bigger ones because it sets a precedent. The feeling that you can achieve anything you want. An admiral once said, in a great speech, 'make your bed every morning'. If you complete the first task of the day you set yourself up with the mentality to achieve other things.

Don't sit around and wait for things to happen to you, they won't. Poke at life and it will poke back and cause a ripple that could change your entire future.


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With all the problems in my family right now, and the passing of my uncle, I wanted to say something to you all. We only have one shot at life and I think sometimes we forget that we're going to die one day. Make your life count now. Stop putting things on hold and embrace each and every day. Tell people you love them, de-clutter your thoughts, and move forward with positivity in your heart. If there are issues, or problems, that are bugging you, try and resolve whatever you can and accept the stuff you can't. There's so much life out there to be had even with a screaming noise in our ears and brain. The noise in our head doesn't have to define us, or the decisions that we make.

I want you all to get a pen and paper, and then I want you to write a list of all the things you can think of that would totally change your life. Put some thought into it. Write down anything that's bothering you, big or small, or anything you wish you could do/have. Are you unhappy with your career and wished you'd gone in a different direction? Add it to your list. Regret never learning the piano as a child? Add it to your list. Want to be able to paint a masterpiece? You get the point. Maybe you haven't spoken to a friend over something that happened years ago? Pick up the phone and throw out all that negative energy. You will be surprised at the difference; just writing the list can make an impact on your mindset. Each small goal gives you purpose, and that's something we all really need to be happy and content. If you go through with this, and find that you actually complete a goal on your list, you will feel a rush of endorphins. A small goal that's met will also lead onto bigger ones because it sets a precedent. The feeling that you can achieve anything you want. An admiral once said, in a great speech, 'make your bed every morning'. If you complete the first task of the day you set yourself up with the mentality to achieve other things.

Don't sit around and wait for things to happen to you, they won't. Poke at life and it will poke back and cause a ripple that could change your entire future.


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Your post resonates with my mentality/purpose in life. We have 1 life. We have a short time. We need to do our best to make it count NOW! Tomorrow is not promised, Today must be great!

PS-A song that I listen to, that gets me even more motivated is "Right Now" by Van Halen.
 
Decluttering our minds of all the mental junk that we carry also lifts a huge weight off our shoulders. I don't think many people realise how many burdens they are carrying both from the past and the present.
 
Decluttering our minds of all the mental junk that we carry also lifts a huge weight off our shoulders. I don't think many people realise how many burdens they are carrying both from the past and the present.

The mind is like a storage space, that many use on a monthly basis. It's full of junk that has no value, full of junk that will only drag us down and COST us in our lives. We need to figure out what is junk and what is valuable and de-clutter that mind. This can take YEARS of practice and discipline. Doing this CAN improve one's life and give them a NEW lease on life.
As I say in my profile page. "The MIND is the biggest asset, one has to control their affliction " .

Life will only get more complex, we have to be mentally prepared for those challenges.......WE WILL TASTE VICTORY!!!! WE ARE WARRIORS!
 
Great post Ed. So easy to obsess about tinnitus and let it be the excuse not to do all the things you want. Meanwhile life slips by. Your words are spot on.
Ride the wave brother.
 
I've had an email from something I suscribe to. Write a letter to your future self to be read 2 years from now! It's along similar lines to make us really THINK. Death and Major illness of a significant person in our lives can be a huge wake-up call.
Our lives are finite, at least this life.
Sometimes we carry burdens from our past without properly being aware. If those emotional baggages were huge packages of something we would buckle under their weight.
Whatever it is, by becoming more aware, we can choose to lighten the weight.
Another gem of a post from you Ed. Xxx
@Ed209
 
Don't sit around and wait for things to happen to you, they won't.
OK – great advice all around. My only (and main) question here is: why don't you start by incorporating the logic you preach into your own life? Being practically glued to TinnitusTalk 24/7 (and from dawn until dusk) isn't going to bring about anything helpful to your own journey through life. And it certainly doesn't pay the bills (or bring anything of value) to be constantly online with the members of this community. If "helping others" – that so many... ahem... TT-veterans seem very concerned about – is so important to you, why not just check in once a week on – say – a Saturday morning? I am sure answering an hour's worth of posts on a weekly basis should suffice in order to have a clear conscience (aka. "helping others").

I mention the above since you are keen to mention in every other post that "it gets better with time" (example below)...
it really does get better with time. I felt just like you and never dreamed I'd ever feel remotely happy again, but here I am.
If it really does get better, why not "move on" as they say?
 
OK – great advice all around. My only (and main) question here is: why don't you start by incorporating the logic you preach into your own life? Being practically glued to TinnitusTalk 24/7 (and from dawn until dusk) isn't going to bring about anything helpful to your own journey through life. And it certainly doesn't pay the bills (or bring anything of value) to be constantly online with the members of this community. If "helping others" – that so many... ahem... TT-veterans seem very concerned about – is so important to you, why not just check in once a week on – say – a Saturday morning? I am sure answering an hour's worth of posts on a weekly basis should suffice in order to have a clear conscience (aka. "helping others").

Already have, and am currently doing so again. I left for over 6 months to turn my life around, and have left many times since for months at a time. I will return to do another charity fundraiser later this year, and then I think that will be it. Contrary to your belief, I have only really hung around to help others. I have absolutely no other reason to be here anymore.

I popped in today to make sure there were no replies to my last few PMs, and then decided to answer a couple of threads whilst I was here. Other than that I'm outta here. Take this thread as some parting advice that I think could benefit many on this board.

I mention the above since you are keen to mention in every other post that "it gets better with time" (example below)...


For me, it did. Are you saying I'm a liar or something?

See you later ATEOS.
 
I popped in today to make sure there were no replies to my last few PMs, and then decided to answer a couple of threads whilst I was here. Other than that I'm outta here.
Okay... makes sense. I was just wondering since you have +500 posts since the start of May:

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Compare that with someone who has moved on (me) and you will see that the same amount of posts takes me back to October 2015:

upload_2018-7-16_23-46-29.png


That's almost three years ago...
 
@attheedgeofscience ,
It does not matter how much time a member spends on here and @Ed209 is a lovely helpful member like yourself and others,that goes for any member who gives their free time to give support and knowing we are here for them too!.
love glynis
 
Okay... makes sense. I was just wondering since you have +500 posts since the start of May:

Are you serious? What are you trying to prove? Ed has been nothing but helpful to others, and provides a much needed balance against some of the obsessive, self-indulgent whiners on this forum. So what's your point?!
 
Okay... makes sense. I was just wondering since you have +500 posts since the start of May:

I'm not sure what your point is? I came to terms with my intrusive tinnitus and wanted to give something back as I'm quite aware most people who do don't care anymore. I do. I'm quite impressed that I managed to rack up that many posts.

Personally, I think it's odd that you are bothering to go through people's post history with such integrity. In my opinion, that really is a waste of time and gains nothing.

Anyway, unless you post something really intriguing that deserves an answer, I'll say bye one last time. See you later ATEOS.
 
If it really does get better, why not "move on" as they say?

Oh geez really?....@Ed209 you better not decide to leave the forum. I am staying because you are staying. I have never paid any attention to how many posts I have made...and I never thought you spent that much time here either. Just like me an hour or so a day or a few days a week at the most?

I believe that both Ed and I did "move" on. But we remember what it was like to have a few good people respond to our posts. I still remember the very first person who responded to me in 2002 on a different board way before TT.
I remember his message gave me hope and we became good friends. His name was Dave.


Are you serious? What are you trying to prove? Ed has been nothing but helpful to others, and provides a much needed balance against some of the obsessive, self-indulgent whiners on this forum. So what's your point?!

Exactly!!

And he had a fund raiser which helps keep TT running for everyone.
 
Ed!! Thanks for all your posts, your contributions are a treasure for all the new comers and people like me,

Right now im struggling with work, my music career and health
My therapist is helping see that i can get trough this.
Despite of the tinnitus, visual snow, joint pain.... there are bigger and better things in my life , and im focusing more on them, i stopped a lot of my goals because of the fear of making my t worse, and once i decided to overcome this fear
and start working on my goals i opened a pandora box.

pain is something we cant skip... but suffering is totally optional.
better work on your goals despite of the noise in the head, before its too late!!
 
I popped in today to make sure there were no replies to my last few PMs, and then decided to answer a couple of threads whilst I was here. Other than that I'm outta here. Take this thread as some parting advice that I think could benefit many on this board.

Ed, your presence here on TT is very valuable. Some people consider time spent here on TT is not moving on with life. But what if our goals in life, especially the loftiest ones, have to do with offering help and compassion to those in dire need of support who are in the darkest time of their life? What is wrong with such goal? I mean rich people like Bill Gate and Warren Buffet are doing just that with their riches, extending help to the rest of humanity who are in need of help. We, on the other hand are using our spare time to help those in their darkest time by encouraging and advising them from our experience with this horrible ailment of tinnitus. Does that mean we are forgoing the fun and meaningful things in our life? Not really! We still live a normal and meaningful life.

In stead of chatting on the sports forums of NBA or NFL soccer, or chatting on social media, we spend time here with those who need us. That is the most meaningful goal in life for me. I could be on a cruise ship sailing from Hawaii to Bora Bora or doing my favorite Caribbean cruises, and yet I can afford to spend a few hours at the Internet room contributing to this forum. I could be going after the mighty king salmon or steelhead on a river and during breaks or while having lunch decide to come in here to see if there are calls for help from those on the verge of suicide. We can be multi-tasking on any single day.

Each of us can still pursue the goals in life and find some time to drop by here based on your schedule. Nothing wrong with it in my book. Please stay if you can, Ed. You are a highly valuable member and you have a compassionate heart for others. I enjoy reading your postings a lot and I don't care how often you post. Don't let others sway you from this lofty mission of offering help to the suffering people. This is a most worthy goal in life. But the choice is yours. I respect that. Have a wonderful day, brother.
 
Ed don't leave completely. Some of your powerful words kept me going through some very dark days. They are less now but I think of what you've written when T is particularly bad.
I have so much respect for you even though we have never met.
Eve x
@Ed209
 
@Ed209,
I hope you stay as your a valued and well loved member of the forum who's earned the respect off all of the forum members as the caring and knowledgeable person you are and made many friends and support members by pm's also.
Your a great Ambassador and well deserved.
love glynis
 
@Ed209


Well, after looking at your profile page, since you joined in July 2015, you received:

1,247 - Like ratings
1023 - Agree ratings
247 - Winner ratings

The only conclusion that I can come to is that you have written many posts that have helped, inspired or benefitted other members in some way. The bottom line is that the Forum has been a better place because you have been here. If you should leave, I do hope that you'll come back from time to time to let us know how you're doing.
 
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Dear @Ed209

My bet is that you will not be missing the kind of people who only want to bring you down, and criticise you with their snide comments.

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Very best wishes Ed,
Dave
xx
 
@Ed209,
Don't let the member put you off,he was not kind to another member not so long a go,next week will be someone else and im sure would not be missed if he ever left.
love glynis
 
Ed, use the ignore button. It works like a charm. Never let anyone take you away, from doing what you love doing....that is supporting members that suffer. Ignorant people will start bashing others, to get a cheap thrill. Use the ignore feature and you won't have to see their hate on your screen :)

PS-Why should a supportive/valuable member of this forum leave, when people need his/her support on a daily basis....
 

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