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Questions About Life
Allow me to sound fatalistic before I get to the bright happy point of this essay AND our lives. The more I ponder life and the point of our existence, I draw the same few conclusions every time. That the duty of every human being is to do our best, make peace with our aging bodies and come to terms with our impending mortality.
Here and there when we’re too busy to worry about our existential angst, we forget that we won’t live forever. So, we end up spending time reviewing shows and movies, learning new recipes and canceling celebrities because somehow they’re the ones to show us how to live life?
We also fight with our loved ones and stay out of touch for decades. We fight entropy (more on this later), fight obligations and yield to them, and we even fight our own mind and its crazy thoughts.
If the futility of life sounds this dreadful, how and why must we continue living spectacularly? Well, we’ve been given this life so we might as well lead by example and leave the world in a better shape than how we found it (I don’t know who said this first).
Entropy – Inside and Out
Our brains crave coherence. It wants predictability. Psychological entropy is that mental unrest we feel when everything around us is shifting, and everything seems uncertain. Even in the physical world, nothing stays ordered without effort. Relationships, health, peace – they all require tending.
If entropy is inevitable, we must strive to get better at organizing our energy, choosing our focus and taking small steps towards an orderly chaos.
Anchor Yourself To Thrive
Imagine talking to a person who’s struggling to make ends meet about how to set lofty goals for life. How would you think he would react? His basic physiological goals of food and shelter safety haven’t even been met and here we’re asking him to self actualize.
The point is, before we reach for meaning and purpose, we must feel safe. When our days feel unstable, when the noise drowns out the inner compass that we’re supposed to grasp at, we begin to look externally for belonging and validation. So, first let’s get to the low hanging fruits and create a safety platform for us to anchor to.
Once you ground yourself, you understand what the self wants. Your definitions of success will be yours, not what society thinks it should look like. And that’s when you become dangerous in the best way because you’re grounded, awake, and unshakeable in your desire to live a life that means something uniquely to you.
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It’s a Dog’s Life
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The Ultimate Gift Of Life Is Meaning
The story of Jim Stovall on how he turned blind and went on to write books and become a motivational speaker must teach us all one thing. That if a blind man can lose his sight but gain an inner vision it means that our limitations don’t define us. What we do with them does.
His book The Ultimate Gift teaches this through Jason, a young man who inherits not wealth, but wisdom through experience. If you haven’t read the book or watched his speech, I highly recommend it.
Meaning Isn’t Found. It’s Built.
We all want to believe our lives matter. Psychologists call it coherence, purpose, and mattering. But, how can we consciously build a meaningful one?
• Grow: Learn something that changes how you live.
• Give: Contribute something that changes how others live.
Think alignment when you start to plan your Grow and Give route. Your strengths are your clues. Pay attention to what makes you lose track of time. That’s the soul saying, “Right here is where I can want to stay.”
Let This Be the Nudge
We’re all looking to be inspired, but inspiration alone isn’t enough. What will you do with what moves you? As Swami Vivekananda asked, “Do you want to be remembered today, or for the end of time?”
See, no one promised us certainty. And the stress of uncertainty and novelty is good anyway. Thriving doesn’t mean having perfect clarity. Show up and keep putting that one foot after the other. Move through fear and the unknown. By doing that you’re also giving courage to those around who are seeing you go through the terrain.
This life is your offering. Let it count. The point of life is to realize the self, that we are special with our unique proposition and potential. One day when the end is here, you will ask yourself. “Did I live?”
And I hope your answer, like mine, will be, “Yes. I gave it my all, I tried my best.”
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Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Quote On Hope
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Featured Image: Dog Tags Memorial For Brave Soldiers at Harvard Square
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About The Article Author:
Hi, I’m Rachana. Its been my dream for years to do something to consciously create a better future where every one of us is excited about our own potential. My challenge to everyone is that they aspire for their personal best and leave a legacy of their work through their contributions to mankind.
One more thing. In December of 2044, I hope to win the Nobel.
Will you join me on this journey of growth and transformation?
Namasté.
COURAGE - A Pillar of FutureSTRONG Academy
Our children will one day face the real world without our support. Academic development is not the only skill they will need in the real world where people skills like taking the lead, emotional intelligence and a strong moral compass will determine who will shine. So, as parents who want to raise well rounded adults, we want to give them the right tools for their personal development.
Here is COURAGE as described as the 6 C’s of Future STRONG.
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