Life’s Possibilities are Endless

What you can do to escape, to look outside of your personal bubble, your BOX.

We all have hopes, dreams; wishes for us to advance onward. It is in our nature to want things, to set goals for the future. So why do we, as a society find it necessary to accept our lives the way they are? Well because we are tricked, the concept of illusion.

We, as people, always feel the immeasurable need to be of use, to have a place, a purpose. We look around at what society has to offer, then at ourselves; we compare the two and see how we can fit in more perfectly than a puzzle piece. No person wants to feel useless, no matter how much he/she says he/she doesn’t care. Knowing this, we might also recognize that most people lie to themselves, so that they can derail from the truth, in search of false existences.

So, to answer the thousand-year-old question, “Why do we accept our lives the way they are?” Well, it’s quite simple, actually. It all has to do with the goals we set. Every person these days has a goal in mind that already has competition – Journalists, authors, college attendants, sports stars, presidents, etc. We are all fooled into believing that there is only one hat in which all of the possibilities already present, and you only get to pick one. In true nature, respectively, the possibilities are endless.

Freedom, especially in this day and age, is an illusion. How so? Life and everyone around it say that you are free to choose, but it isn’t freedom at all if you are stuck with the options only society offers you. Once you put your hand in that hat, you’ve already started stumbling in the wrong direction. The trick here is that there are many hats, and you can mix and match, grab as many as you desire.

Instead of having just one thing to fuel you, have multiple things. You are not limited to one choice. For example, the members of the rock band Disturbed all met in Harvard, they were planning to be lawyers; now, they are one of the most well-recognized rock bands in recent times, but they are still lawyers.

Life sometimes sprouts opportunities right before your very eyes, don’t ignore them, not even the small ones. But I suppose I shouldn’t tell you to wait, because waiting will get you nowhere without luck. You have to individually go out there, against the world, and find what you’re looking for, even if you have no clue as to what it may yet be. Keep an open mind, because the simplest idea, event, or occurrence could land you into life-altering dilemmas.

Things to look out for:

• Randomness
• Interests
• PEOPLE (most important of all)
• Whatever your mind may dream up

Life sometimes presents things in the strangest ways, don’t let them slip by or take them for granted.

Honesty is the Key to Everything

What is honesty? Well here’re the dictionary definitions:

1. The quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness.

2. Truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness.

3. Freedom from deceit or fraud.

Those are the ways we would define it in an essay, or even a speech; but I am not here to BS you and create a false sense of security; I am going to be as blunt as possible.

There is no possible way in HELL that I’m referring to either of those fine definitions; I’m talking about the one that we repel most often: our own. We choose to seclude ourselves form the outside world without actually confining ourselves. It is as if we want to live two lives at once; there’s the honest side, and then there’s the “honest” side. You all know what I’m talking about. Truthfully enough, the only person you’re lying to is yourself.

The kind of person I’m associating to is the one that A) Lies for no apparent reason or B) Lies to him/herself to elude the elementary fact that he/she doesn’t have such a grand life. Although very different, they are both only hurting the individual at hand, and ruining his/her life.

Type A lying is, considered by many, a disorder. For some reason, they spark their own lives with daring adventures and meteoric facts that do nothing but give one measly moment of glory which will be forgotten once that second ticks. There is no benefit gained from it; in the long run, it will probably only cause social disbelief in the subject, and he/she will not be trusted. ‘Side effects may include: Loss of friends, disbelief of everyone around you, and crying. Using just a bit of logic, these “exquisite” liars are easy to spot. When you call him/her a liar right to his/her face, be sure to expect a negative reaction. Hey, it’s not your fault that you don’t believe that trip to the store turned into a dragon slaughtering, or witch burning, or whatever kids do these days! In all seriousness though, lying to oneself is just another way to create a false sphere for people around you; another way of getting pity from others. They just want others to feel sorry for them and their more-than-perfect lives. It’s a sort of transition to a new, falsified life, to relish the audience with majestic stories; nothing more.

I feel like I’m diversifying to blood types, but type B are the ones that lie to themselves to create a false reality. It is a scrutinizing process upon oneself to believe in his/her own lies. A mental battle, in a sense, that is fought down to tears sometimes. It is the brain’s reaction, for some, as an alternative to suicide, or just an excuse for being plain lazy and not WANTING to change the life of oneself. This form of lying is, by far, the most pathetic thing people can do to themselves. I mean, what are we living in alternate realities or something?! ‘Enter… THE MATRIX! Where your whole world is a lie!’ It’s more sad than anything.

Lying to others and lying to oneself are two completely different stories. Type B liars, from my perspective, are much worse than type A. Why so? Well because type A liars can always find new people and start out fresh, while type B lie so frequently that, after a while, those persons actually start believing their false preachments. Either way you look at it though, lying is just awful.

If you’re honest you won’t have any problems, I guarantee it! Sure sometimes it’s difficult to confess, but you will feel amazing about it afterwards. You shouldn’t have to live in a world of lies, and you shouldn’t have to fear what others think. Tell them the god-honest truth, and if they don’t like it, then obviously they’re not your kind of people. Honesty fills a person with pride, knowing that he/she doesn’t have anything to hide. One lie leads to another, and another, and so on and so forth. Even white lies you shouldn’t have to tell, because you still have to live with your guilty conscience. Honesty is the key to everything, no doubt about it!

The Key(s) to True Happiness

Why can’t anyone be happy with what they have?
Do your possessions own you?
Stop and smell the roses…

Why can’t anyone be happy with what they have?

I have pondered over this question for years now, and still no answer. Nothing I have done (and probably nothing I will do) can lead me to uncover the answer. It has boggled my mind since the first time I tried becoming enlightened. The only conclusion I came up with is that it is in human nature to WANT. It must be something neurological, because it is etched into our brains. I cannot rid myself of this curse, no matter what I do. What should I do? What can anyone do? No one is ever satisfied with what they have. Think about it: every time you get something, you want something else. An endless cycle, and it is truly impossible to stop. There is a bottomless void and it is only filled by possessions (until you die). If anybody has ever come that far let me know. There is no logical explanation to this (none that I’ve found), and so I am just going to stick with my earlier statement: it is in human nature to behave this way; uncontrollable.

I have been pushing forwards, trying to make it better, and I have progressed a bit, but not enough to give up all worldly possessions. There are some things I just can’t let go of. I am certainly not willing to go as far as the Buddhist monks and isolate myself, meditating for hours and hours on end. My main point is to just TRY not caring about your items as much. In the end all they do is blind you from true happiness.

Do your possessions own you?

You are a slave to what you own. Charge your ipod, water your plants, make your bed, pay your bills, take care of your car. Now I’m not telling you to just find the closest stranger and give all of your belongings away; no. All I’m saying is that there could be more freedom involved. Stop making your bed, no one cares how neat it is, and who do you have to impress? Get a crappier car; then it won’t matter if it gets damaged. You get a couple scratches on it, no big deal! Buy a cheaper house, or move into an apartment. Less payments, more money in your pocket, for things like vacationing.

Just downgrade a bit. Like Tyler Durden always says, “Things you own end up owning you.” A lovely Fight Club quote. Amazing movie, for those of you who haven’t seen it. It’s a must if the only thing you want is to NOT want.

Stop and smell the roses.

Try and be happy with what you have. Take the good from the bad. Try to take a negative and turn it into a positive. Stop and admire the world around you; the clouds, the sun, your family, a warm meal, the roof over your head. Be grateful and hold things most dear to you close at hand. Have the ability to let that which does not matter truly slide. Forgive and forget. Don’t spend all of your time troubling about the past. It will not help you whatsoever. Worrying about the future won’t either. Mapping out all possible outcomes is just crazy, and it’s all a very deep state of paranoia. The future is just a projection of what YOU think, not the actual outcome. Just relax, sit back, and enjoy life. No point in trying to stop something that is out of your control.

Conclusion:

– Be happy with what you have.

– Don’t let your possessions own you.

– Stop trying to impress people.

– Calm down and let life be the way it’s supposed to be.

– Stop trying to control everything.

7 Life-changing Questions

Introduction:

An assortment of different questions that help a person think of what he/she really wants in life. These questions helped me figure myself out when I was lost, so maybe they can aid you as well.

1. Which is worse, failing, or never trying?

Really makes you think about what you want and it convinces you to take more risks and to have less regrets.

2. To what degree have you controlled the course your life has taken?

This question is more about doing than anything else. It’s about taking action, taking responsibility.

3. Are you holding on to something you need to let go of?

Many times we are unable to do something because we can’t let go of the past. Forget the past; the only way it can haunt the future is if you let it.

4. Why are you, you?

What makes you special? How are you unique? How are you any different? Maybe you are very versatile? Who knows? Find out what you’re good at and that you enjoy simultaneously. Complete yourself by giving uniqueness to your life and what you stand for.

5. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a friend who lives right near you?

Just a little heads-up. It makes a person grateful for having friends. A reminder to never let them go.

6. It is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?

Make sure you question everything before believing it. Don’t accept everything just because someone said so. If you don’t then you will surely be pushed around and used.

7. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you enjoy doing?

Another reminder to just keep at it. Never stop pursuing your goals, no matter what. Nothing can stop you from being happy but yourself.

This Week Is “Change” Week!

Revisions:
2-21-10: Initial release.

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Call it inspiration, or maybe call it being proactive.  What I am planning this week is to do something that I haven’t really had a chance to do in months and that is called doing some “Winter Cleaning”.

This week I am going to start doing some subtle and maybe not so subtle changes on the blog.  To bring make it even more interesting, I am going to make it a game.  Starting tomorrow (Monday, 2/22/10) through Friday (2/26/10), I am going to do some significant changes on the blog.  One change a day until by Saturday morning there are 5 changes on the blog.

The game is can you detect all 5 changes and repeat what those changes are in order from Monday through Friday?  The first person to get it right will receive a whole week’s recognition as the Underground’s “Best Treasure Hunter” displayed prominently on the front page of the blog or even in the tagline of the blog banner.

Now the changes will be obvious, and I will be leaving bread crumbs behind for you guys to follow me.  If I rewrite a tutorial, respond to a comment, or update some obscure article, this does not count as a change. These changes are part of living documents.

When I mean significant changes, it will be something such as rewriting a “blog page”, changing the blog banner, changing the theme, or something else.  If I wrote down all the examples, then that would be pretty easy to know what changes to look for, wouldn’t it?

I am going to throw a curve ball though.  The first four days I will leave hints behind, but on the last day no hints whatsoever. Good luck hunting!

It’s not too late to fix regret!

Introduction

Well obviously we have all regretted something in our lives whatever it may be, it has left you scarred and you just don’t know how to fix all of your problems, not to call myself a psychiatrist or anything.

Suffering from the roads not taken?

Well, at some point in your life you must have said, “I wish I had done that, but didn’t.” This often happens because of our human instinct of fear and scariness. Fear overcomes even the bravest of minds, and it puts our brains into submission mimicking it into thinking that what we are doing is dangerous. Then later, we beat ourselves up for not taking the risk.

We are the Change in this Small World

Over the past few months, lots of people have come across this blog and said what they needed to say here, which include stories, questions, flames, spam, comments, more questions, sarcastic comments, humorous posts, and thanks.

When this blog started back  in April 2007, I didn’t think much of anything really.  When I finished college and started working, I had more time to really fine tune the blog, and setup some personal goals article wise.  I have hit perhaps 60% of what I wanted to write personally, and then with the addition of Voltaire we were able to increase our viewership even more!