This essay has been playing on my mind a lot lately.
Covid-19 has revealed the true nature of many, which only served to reinforce this notion.
Who puts a smile on the face of the village idiot?
The saddest part of this essay is that most who read the title thought it to be humorous.
From my book The Egosystem, it explores our relationship with those who give selflessly, while being forgotten.
This pandemic has highlighted the forgotten and the taken-for-granted, and it has diminished further the roles of others who are not deemed essential through need, but who maintain the wellbeing and spirit of others through quiet contribution.
I’ve always considered what this world would feel like if we didn’t label the purpose or the need that we have of others, and instead we were compelled to choose very deliberately each time what it is that we value about another before we are able to obtain benefit from them.
Would that be the cure for the pandemic of consumerism? Would it finally rid us of our inclination to see people as a means to an end?
Or is even that an ideal so far fetched that only the most naive would buy into it?
#hope #expectation #sincerity #entitlement #gentleness #life #rage #anger #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthrecovery #selfworth #selflove #selfawareness #selfrespect #mindfulness #inspiration #ownyourshit #ownyourlife #theegosystem #embracingME
Tag: Life
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The forgotten village idiot
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Blind rage
Sometimes we get so caught up in our anger at the world that we lose sight of the fact that our anger feeds the very same cycles that we’ve grown to despise.
Don’t get angry.
If you can influence positive change, do it. If not, walk away.
Insisting on rage after you’ve realised that you are unable to influence positive change is an indulgence of your ego and not a righteous protest.
It’s not worth it.
The rage within often blinds us from the oppression that we impose on others.
The rage starts to build up after we’ve experienced oppression at the hands of others, but if left unchecked, it eventually clouds our judgement as we seek vengeance from anyone that reminds us of those who treated us badly.
When you find a reason to rage at every assumed threat, peace becomes elusive and bitterness takes over.
Find a balance between righting the wrongs and inspiring others to rise above your own experiences, otherwise all you’ll be left with is rage and no fulfilment, nor peace in this lifetime.
#hope #expectation #sincerity #entitlement #gentleness #life #rage #anger #angermanagement #mindfulness #selfawareness #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthrecovery #selfworth #herdmentality #wisdom -
Sincere advisors
Cherish those who hold you to a higher standard, not those who pacify you when you’re wrong.
Of the rarest of creation, I believe, must be the sincere advisor.
If you find one, cherish them, because their commitment is to your upliftment, and not to their own ego.
Photo Credit : Naadirah Ismail -
New spaces
My daughter has been nesting more than usual recently. And she’s been bullying me for my phone to take photos like these of her nesting efforts. These flowers from the garden are surprisingly cheerful. They look beautiful in the garden, but they really pop in the house. I guess it’s a reminder in a way that in our usual environment we blend in or appear ordinary, but explore new spaces and what we have to offer suddenly takes on a new richness. I think I’m in this space now…but grappling with the mechanics of figuring out how to insert myself into new spaces. It’s not the unfamiliarity that I find challenging, it’s simply access. Maintaining a low social profile makes it that much more difficult to break new ground when that new ground is intricately woven with other beings. Never a dull life…
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Live, Laugh, Love, and leave a Legacy
Live to love, to laugh, and to leave a legacy. Your material success will only be celebrated after your death if it is of benefit to others. Accumulation of wealth to stroke your ego not only deprives you of the joy of human connection, it also denies you the bonds of beauty that feeds your soul. Laughter should not be sourced from a business deal that outwitted your opponent. Such laughter will mock you in your later years when you realise that your fascination with wealth was merely a drop in the ocean of joy compared to what joy you could have achieved in investing the incredible talents you have to brighten up the faces of loved ones, or even strangers. Wealth is a means to an end. Don’t get so caught up in the means that you completely lose sight of your end.
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Mandela Day – A Day of Conviction
From the archives in my time in corporate. I had this quote from Madiba on my office wall as a reminder never to settle for less than what I am capable of achieving, or at least contributing in life.
“There is no passion to be found in playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” (Nelson Mandela)
The biggest mistake we make is when we wait for others to validate the value that we see in something before we pursue it. When we do that, we forget that we’re in fact pursuing what they see as valuable more than what we see as valuable. That denies the world our unique contribution, and more importantly, it denies us the sense of purpose that makes life rewarding.
Conviction is found when we connect with the value of an outcome. If we insist on that value being judged by the opinions of others, the only conviction we’ll experience in life is the conviction of chasing acceptance in society, or validation from others. And that is not only a torturous way to live, it’s also a recipe for chronic illness and bitterness.
Own your life, and let the rest of the world own theirs. That’s the only way in which you’ll create opportunities to attract those that are as passionate as you are, about the causes that are close to your heart.
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Imminent Release of Own Your Sh!t
Perfection is an aspiration, a path of continued learning and application. Not a destination. Almost at the finish line, for getting it to market, at least. Then the real work starts with getting it out there. My little dent in the universe of overbearing emotions… Watch this space for Amazon listing info soon.
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Optimism versus Reality
Positivity is about focusing on opportunities, not about wishing away reality.
Wishing it’s a sunny day when it’s raining is not going to make the sun come out. So leaving your umbrella behind is an act of foolishness, not optimism. A positive mindset can often lead us into delusional states. When our overbearing sense of deliberate positivity doesn’t produce results, it crushes our spirit even more than before we started because the little hope we were holding onto becomes more difficult to believe in.
Keep it real.
