CORE VALUES
Journal Entry
THOUGHTS™
02–04–2024
︎ Writer: Stew Caldo
[7AM GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — REDBULL EVENT]
I woke up with some semblance of motivation. Determination. At the risk of sounding ironically corny, given I'm [REDACTED].
I woke up sore. More sore than I've been in years. Possibly my life? That always gives me a bit of excitement when starting my day. It reminds me that I lived the day before as best I could. I made memories. There's a story there.
I think I've lost my drive for life. With age, but especially with traumas. Like being [REDACTED]. [REDACTED] being on drugs. [REDACTED] going into a [REDACTED]. All those things have added up, and slowed down my pursuit of life. I think there's this little voice in the back of my head that whispers to my conscious all the things that have gone wrong before. And what could happen again. If I live life too much. Or put myself out there.
I used to be vocal about the things that excited me. I used to put fun above all else. I used to crave fun. I still crave fun, but not like before. It used to be nearly a deathwish. I had to have fun to survive.
I want to experience a rediscovery of self this year. Daily.
[REDACTED].
CORE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES
People come first, Love Others — No matter who hurts me, what fate becomes of my relationships, I'm here to love others throughout this journey. Whether I continue to believe in God or not, that is a principle I will always hold on to. When someone in my circle (not my family, but my inner circle) is hurting, I will put life on pause to help them. When I'm at an outing, event, or around new people, I am not the center of the world. I'm am meeting new people to hear there stories, and give them a stage to speak from. I encourage those around me, and push them to live their best life.
Enjoy the passage of time — Life happens for you, not to you. I have more control over the life I live than 99.9% of the world that surrounds me. I'm so lucky to have [REDACTED], a job that I have full control over, a home in one of the most beautiful states in the world. My natural inclination is to push myself into the ground, doing work, tasks, or other disciplines. There is a fine line between overworking yourself, and having discipline. Discipline comes from doing work that you may not want to do, but is building character. When you consistently get burnout, you're not doing fulfilling work.
Create stories worthy of a legacy — My legacy is the stories I build. My relationships I build are strengthened by the stories that are shared. The laughs that we have while sharing are what set those stories in stone. My favorite moments are the ones where I'm buckled over in pain, from laughing to the end of my breath. All stories come with a price. A bit of pain. A bit of embarrassment. A hangover. Some money. Every story has a price, but I promise it's always worth paying.
Push culture forward — You're a leader. Everything you dedicate yourself to should be in an effort to push culture forward. That's a broad statement, but it can be quite simple. A photo taken can push culture forward, if it is unique and true to your art and aesthetic. A video can push culture forward, if there is a message or story that hasn't been told through that lens. A journal entry can do it. All of my art can continue to push culture forward if it is:
- True to who I am
- Executed to my highest ability
- Tells a story