Impulse: [im-puhls]

-noun

1. sudden, involuntary inclination prompting to action

2. a psychic drive or instinctual urge

3. an impelling action or force, driving onward or inducing motion

I'd like to argue that good things always come from impulses. You might think this is naive of me, being the silly 21-year-old I am, but in my experiences thus far it's proven to be correct. Take, for instance, me moving here. Total impulse. I can't recall the actual timeline, but I feel like I decided it and was here two weeks later. In fact, I was on an entirely opposite path at the time, but now here I am. And I think it's safe to say it was probably the best life decision I've made so far.

Also take into account my last two New Year's, which have both involved impulsive roadtrips and ended up pretty fantastic, thus kick-starting both 2010 and 2011 with a bang. Basically every pair of shoes I own was bought on impulse. I'm sure I could compile more evidence but my brain is a little fried after this week. Just suffice it to say, I am always happy with my impulses. Even when they seem like the wrong choice at first and I can't help but wonder if I royally screwed up. At least I learned from them, right?

Impulses are genuine. Words spoken on impulse are always true -- even if you want to bite your tongue later, and even if you didn't realize they were true at the time. My professor once said that our true selves are hindered by our need to rationalize everything or by our fear of failure... like when you have an impulse to help an old lady with her groceries but you don't offer because you're in a hurry, or you figure she'll turn down the help. (Am I the only one this happens to EVERY time I'm at Walmart?) Your true self may be compassionate and all, but your rational self is kind of a selfish jerk. Anyway, my professor challenged us to go one week without thinking everything through and to just DO. I helped a lot of ladies with their groceries that week.

My long, rambling point is... follow your impulses. They're good for the soul.

(I wish I could say this was an impulsive post, but it wasn't. I thought about it on the bus this afternoon.)