To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge.
Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)
Welcome to my blog space, where I will periodically express my thoughts about the world to the world. I hope you enjoy reading them. Thanks.
iACTUATE: 100 days of Inspiration: Blog
Thursday, January 1, 2009
New Year Quitters:
New Year’s Day is fast approaching! As usual at this time of the year, many of us begin to work on our New Year’s resolutions and decide to improve our lives by achieving set goals and ditching harmful habits or addictions. Consequently, we begin to jot down our resolutions and like children the night before Christmas, we begin to anticipate the first day of the New Year to execute our plans. Upon the arrival of the New Year, (or to be a little cynical, upon the arrival of a New Day) we follow through with our plans and adhere to a life without bad habits. However, many of us, after a few short weeks, eventually lose our willpower and succumb to the temptation to break our resolutions.
Why do many of us allow our bad habits or addictions to be triumphant? The answer is a complex combination between our genetic makeup, willpower, and environment. If you have failed several times in upholding a New Year’s resolution, you may ask “What’s the point in trying again?” Well, for the sake of simplicity and straightforwardness, New Year’s resolutions remind us that we are all capable of changing our lives for the better. I know that changing aspects of our lives can be physically, mentally, and even emotionally demanding. However, I believe that with time, determination, and the following four simple (shh... secret!) points, every one of us can uphold our New Year’s resolution.
1. DECIDE: Choose to achieve your goals or end your relationship with bad habits or addictions. Forget the fear of changing yourself for the better!
2. VISUALIZE: Use your imagination to visualize success. Let’s be honest, we all at some point have heard about the deadly consequences of certain addictions, such as alcohol and tobacco use. Yet, many of us ignore the warning signs. To avoid this problem, frequently imagine the worst-case scenarios if we continue our addictions and the best case scenario if we quit. For example, imagine running with no shortness of breath or lessening your chances of becoming gravely ill if you quit smoking.
3. DECONDITION/RECONDITION: To quit a bad habit, “decondition” and “recondition” yourself. By “decondition,” I mean avoid situations, people, or other things that may lead you into doing the bad habit. By “recondition,” I mean seek out situations, people, and other things that will help you form a good habit(s). For instance, if you are trying to stop overeating, quench your hunger with a salad instead of greasy fries.
4. REMINDERS: Remind yourself! Just like we go to the grocery store with a shopping list to remember what to buy, we also need a “New Year’s Resolution list” to remind us of the benefits of pursuing our resolution. A simple way to remind yourself is to place little Post-It notes on your desk. Another good method is to tell and remind your close friends and family members about your goals because they are likely to encourage you to uphold them.
WHILE evolving into a greater "YOU" it is important to know that embodying and sharing love for others ensures your prosperity on your journey to excellence!
Love is wanting good to come to another person; being concerned and willing to work for another person's benefit.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Cor. 13:4-8.
Love is the most important thing in the world. Embracing the qualities of love ensure that we obtain all upright, positive and virtuous characteristics that we as people strive for in life. If you walk in love, you have no choice but to honor God and better yourself at the same time.
Everyone needs love. Everyone wants love. We were created to share love so that the spiritual needs of people can be satisfied. Walking in love improves your attitude, your relationships and your overall perception of life. The more you give love, the more God will bless areas in your life where you are lacking.
Love creates happiness and better environments. We all want happiness within ourselves and loving environments
Panacea pan-uh-SEE-uh, noun:1. A remedy for all diseases, problems, or evils; a universal medicine; a cure-all. #Over the years, I have come to the simple conclusion that showing genuine compassion to the less-fortunate and continually striving to better one’s community is the panacea for self-hopelessness. -Sheg Aranmolate!
Done Differently: The young man woke up in the morning with his ideas lurking in his head. Cuddled up in his bed, he thought about his family and all the great plans he wanted to execute. As he was reflecting in his dank, inhospitable cell room, one of his masked captors walked into the room with a pencil and blank piece of paper in his hand. He handed the writing utensils to the young man and told him to write his last rites, as it was time for him to meet his creator. As soon as the young man heard those words, his mouth became dry and there was a burning sensation in the back of his throat. His hands trembled as he held the crumpled paper in his left and the crooked pencil in his right. Sweat trickling down his forehead; he began to write his final legacy – five things I will do differently.
1. Wake: I will wake up every morning and smile at the world. I will be glad for the chance to see yet another day, and most especially I will be grateful for the “gift of life.” 2. Eat: I will cherish every meal I receive. I will eat healthy delicious meals and I will take my time to savor the complex flavors of each meal. My body is divine and it surely deserves the finest of foods. 3. Love: I will develop my innate ability to Love myself and to Love others selflessly, as Love is the universal language that all humans understand. 4. Work: I will establish my identity at work and I will let my purpose of “positively improving humanity,” fuel my creativity and talents. I will view success not through the eyes of an epicure, but through the eyes of a famished individual who has been fed and empowered with the wisdom of life. 5. Sleep: At the end of each day, I will lie in my bed and I will sleep like a baby because if life is worth living then it must be worth dreaming as well. Furthermore, I cannot dream without sleep!
Upon writing these words, the young man carefully folded the piece of paper and handed it to his captor. He smiled and felt calm. He was at peace with himself because he realized that he had lived a great life and completed his legacy. It was now time to celebrate his life.
See, many of us probably at some point really liked a particular song that we would practically listen to it at every chance. Then, it seems like every time we listen to it, the lyrics and the melodies keeps getting better. Suddenly one morning, we wake up and we try to listen to that particular song, only for us to realize that we it doesn’t make us feel the same. It begins to sound kind of boring and monotonous, and we actually start getting irritated by the song. The underlining truth, however, is that neither the lyrics nor the melody of the song changed over time. In fact it is us (the listeners) that changed over time. We have simply become so “in tune” with the song that we begin to feel “out of tune” with the song.
Similarly, many of us elicit this same behavior when we are in relationships with people. For instance, many of us, when we first meet a person that we like or find attractive and we start learning about him or her, we become elated and thrilled. We enjoy their presence and want to learn more and more about that person - sort of like an unquenchable thirst. However, just like our latter responses to those songs, we become used to that person’s company and eventually stop being excited. Next, we begin to point fingers and blame the other person for changing, when the reality is that the other person has not changed very much. It is just the way you feel about that person. Isn’t it amazing that sometimes taking a break from those "boring" songs and listening to them at a later day can make it sound even better? Similarly, many of us might need to give those people that we once liked some space and time, so that both parties (you and the other person/persons) can appreciate the good old times. Nevertheless, I still think humans are very interesting creatures (smile)...
dilatory \DIL-uh-tor-ee\, adjective: 1. Tending to put off what ought to be done at once; given to procrastination. 2. Marked by procrastination or delay; intended to cause delay; -- said of actions or measures.
Many of us are not living out our desires to achieve overall success (financial, physical, emotional, and even spiritual success) in our lives, not necessarily because we are losers or failures, rather because many of us have dilatory attitudes towards completing our set goals.
panacea \pan-uh-SEE-uh\, noun: 1. A remedy for all diseases, problems, or evils; a universal medicine; a cure-all.
I have come to the simple conclusion that showing genuine compassion to the less-fortunate and continually striving to better one’s community is the panacea for self-hopelessness. -Sheg Aranmolate
chortle \CHOR-tl\, transitive and intransitive verb:
1. To utter, or express with, a snorting, exultant laugh or chuckle.
2. A snorting, exultant laugh or chuckle.
Our everyday life is surely demanding and many of us get bogged down with our jobs, family responsibilities, and several other societal obligations. However, many of us also fail to realize that our lives can be more productive and we can be much happier with ourselves and others, if we chortle more at the wonderful gift of life. Cherish today like it’s your last!
quixotic \kwik-SOT-ik\, adjective: 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals. 2. Capricious; impulsive; unpredictable.
On an interesting note, many of us, especially we youngsters, have made many quixotic choices and decisions that have resulted in grave mistakes, which on a regular negatively affect our happiness and well-being. The main reason for such decisions lies in the fact that we are still searching for our true identities. Nevertheless, we cannot beat ourselves down for our past mistakes and failures. The past is the past, and we cannot change it no matter how hard we try. Mistakes are portals to self discovery and we can only change the present. Be more vigilant in your important choices and you will prevent several quixotic choices. - Sheg Aranmolate
berate \bih-RAYT\, transitive verb: 1. To scold severely or angrily.
It is unfortunate that many of us, primarily due to our insecurities and self-esteem issues, blindly berate other people's actions and behaviors to make ourselves feel better, without taking a moment to examine our fundamental flaws. How absurd? A bat calling a mole blind! -Sheg Aranmolate
nefarious \nuh-FAIR-ee-uhs\, adjective: 1. Wicked in the extreme; iniquitous.
Anger is a powerful human emotion that if allowed to negatively control our thoughts and actions can have nefarious consequences on ourselves and others. However, if channeled through positive mediums can highly benefit humanity. Be cautiously angry at world! -Sheg Aranmolate
1. Lacking in courage and resolution; contemptibly fearful; cowardly.
As we journey through life, there will certainly be times when we are confronted with negative ideas, loathsome messages, and hurtful people that directly affect our comfort and peace of mind. Consequently, at such times, it is necessary that we need not be pusillanimous to such oppressive forces, rather be courageous and confident enough to correct such unfairness. - Sheg Aranmolate
Our close friends and family members are integral tools to positively shaping our unique individuality. Unfortunately, many of us tend to misprize their value and continually hurt and ridicule them without remorse. True friendship is like a precious gem - they are rare commodities that don't come easy! Be a good friend today. -Sheg Aranmolate
1. Physically or morally hardened; unfeeling; stubborn. 2. To make hard; to harden. 3. To harden against; to make hardy; to habituate. 4. To make hardened; to make callous or stubborn. 5. To establish; to fix firmly. 6. To grow hard; to harden. 7. To become established or fixed.
The main reason many of us are not happy with our lives is not neccessarily due to harsh living conditions, but because we have become indurated to the beauty and compassion that still exist in the world. Take a few minutes today to think about how fortunate you are to be alive and be able to complain about your several materialistic possessions like your cars, condos, bank account, e.t.c. Don't let our “time conscious” and “achievement driven” society continue to indurate your heart from the beautiful and wondrous gift of life. You are alive... - Sheg Aranmolate
I was reading part of Friedrich Nietzsche's famous essay "God is dead,' solely for entertainment of my mental faculties. Accordingly, Nietzsche suggests that the idea or concept of God is no longer capable of acting as the sole source or standard of any moral code, that is, Human Moral Code. What do you think about his, back then, very controversial ideology? (Or is it still controversial?) If Man and Woman, alike, are created in the image of God, then why do we constantly criticize and judge others based on what we call their fundamental "Flaws"?
Metaphorically, I like to consider the concept of the Almighty as a large Flawless Diamond, and every human being (living and dead) as tiny fragments from this gigantic precious stone. As a direct result, when we judge and criticize others for their basic "Flaws" (which is obviously an artificial or man-made criteria), we are criticizing several parts of ourselves that we fail to acknowledge, including the Almighty. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.
It has been a "brief" while since I have posted any more thoughts of mine on this “amazing” blog..(hahaha just kiddin’). You know sometimes the demands of everyday life can get to you! Yes I know, it’s not a legitimate excuse. Recently, I have decided that I would begin to focus this blog more on my ideas and thoughts on global issues rather than only creative ways to inspire people. Over the last few days, my attention has been highly focused on the recent earthquake in southeast China. When I first heard about this catastrophe I must confess that I immediately wanted to know the number of people that were hurt and likely killed from the event.
This is not because I am in some way a sick, sadistic person who enjoys learning about injured and killed people, but rather because it makes me so grateful for life. I mean, it could have been the other way around, and someone else would have the pleasure and luxury of sitting in a comfortable chair, in front of laptop computer, reading about my misery and involvement or dead in an earthquake. Isn’t scary and humbling at the same time to realize that most of all, if not all those people, who were killed in the earthquake, probably woke up that morning, thinking mainly about their bills, jobs, friends, families, e.t.c, and not about the fact that they would end their day dead and buried under rumbles. Surely, it put our blessings in perspective!
A few days ago, when I first learned about the earthquake, the Chinese government initially estimated that about five-thousand (5000) were killed. Today, I just learned that it is an alarming twelve thousand (12,000) people and counting. Geez! That’s a lot of people, don’t you think? We live in the information age and we all tend to get the “411” on local and global events, in no time. This is a great thing because many more people will hopefully be enlightened. Nevertheless, it also makes us very detached. We hear the news that ten thousand (10,000) people were or have been killed in a disaster and some of our responses are commonplace like "oh dude, that sucks!"
Let assume that we equate the value of one person to be equal to $1.00. So, for example two (2) people will be equal to $2.00, and ten thousand (10,000) people will be equal to $10,000.00. I can tell you from experience (lol... from my experience on the Oprah's Big Give show) that it can be challenging task to spend $10,000 on several people in a short amount of time. I mean $10,000.00 is a large amount of money! Right? Honestly, if one of your siblings told you that he or she lost $10,000.00, in say, a grocery store, many of us might get fired up and upset on the behalf of our siblings. So I wonder why many of us don’t get fired up when we hear about mass causalities? Currently (May 13 2008), it is estimated that eighteen thousand (18,000) people are still buried in debris... That is a lot of people. Picture yourself as one of the multitudes, trapped and covered with lots of concrete, with a broken leg, crying with several thousand others, knowing that there is no hope in sight. Scary! You know you can do something! What can you do? Do anything that you are good at. Blog about it, raise awareness, tell someone else, or donate $1 or more to charity working frantically to help the injured. You can do something. Remember that anything to help is better than nothing to help.
The people who are the most bigoted are the people who have no convictions at all. G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936)
Suppose you were taking a walk around your neighborhood and suddenly, as you passed a tree, you heard the sound of a child in distress. Immediately, you look behind the trees, and to your surprise you find an older child torturing an adorable toddler. Any adult in their right mind will be stunned by the older child’s actions and would immediately stop the child from inflicting anymore pain to the toddler. Some might even go further as to taking the toddler away from the older child and reporting the incident to the parents of both children, if they happen to know them.
This response to such a situation is due to our sense of justice, which is aroused by the sight of injustice and gives us an incentive to correct such unfairness. However, many of us fail to utilize this authority, when it comes to situations that directly affect our comfort and happiness. Why do many of us continuously allow others to take advantage of our weaknesses and mistreat us on a daily basis, without ever voicing our opinions? There are times in our lives when we will be mistreated like the toddler, but unfortunately there may not be anyone but ourselves to defend us. Therefore, it is important for us to learn how to stand up against such tyranny and abuse. Today, not tomorrow, is your day of liberation from those bad habits as well as demeaning and oppressive individuals who consciously or subconsciously try to humiliate you. Peacefully stand up against the oppression and let your voice be heard!
All of us at some point must have bumped our knees on the edge of a table or pricked our fingers with a sharp object, and out of reflex we immediately retract our knees and fingers, and "painfully" yell Crap! or Arrgh! or #@#&#@#, e.t.c. Subsequently, we quickly rub our knees or suck our fingers, in hopes of dissipating the unpleasant burning or hammering sensation that we feel. Usually (or maybe luckily) after a few minutes of yelling, rubbing and sucking, the “pain” vanishes and we continue on our normal business. However, we become more vigilant of the edge of the table or sharp object that caused us pain.
There is no doubt in my mind that many of us have experienced some kind of physical pain and consequently we have all reenacted (with few modifications) the above classic painful scene. Interestingly, over the years, I have asked several people to describe to me what pain feels like, and surprisingly I never really get concrete or defined answers to this seemingly “simple” question. I have had some people tell me that, “pain hurts,” or “pain sucks,” or “pain is painful,” but not answers that would convince, say, an alien who doesn’t understand the concept of pain. I have to be honest with you and confess that I also have a tough time explaining what pain feels like. Nevertheless, I do know for a fact what it feels like to bump my knee on a table, I do know what that hammering sensation feels like (I just might not be able to explain it), and I do know that I don’t enjoy pain.
Despite the unpleasant feelings of pain, the truth is that we need pain to survive and to fully enjoy the human experience. Believe it or not, but pain shapes the way we think, act and interact with ourselves, our environment and with other people. You don’t believe me? Honestly? You are kidding, right? No? Ok, let me give you an example, there a few people in the world who have a neurological disorder (I don’t want to bore you with big fancy medical words, so I will not mention the name of the disorder), and as a result these people are unable to feel or experience physical pain. Wow! Awesome! Sounds like a great disorder! I mean, I don’t have to deal with pain at all! Dude, that is sweet, right? Nope!
Sadly, many of these people seriously hurt their bodies and scar themselves because they can’t feel pain when hurting themselves. For example, such a person can pickup a burning kettle or pot and keep squeezing it without knowing that his or her skin is frying, or such a person could step on a rusted nail and not know that he or she is bleeding. Unfortunately, these people don’t regenerate like the superheroes in movies, so after a while they end up really jacked up. Why? Because they lack the “gift of pain.”
Likewise, we all need “emotional” pain to fully cherish the human experience. I was recently talking to a good friend of mine and we were talking about recent experiences in our lives: wonderful and painful, alike. I found it particularly intriguing to realize that though we were in different part of the country and were in different environments, we both still shared very similar feelings of pain. As I type this blog and as you read it, I know for a fact that there will be lots of people who are experiencing all kinds of pain (physical and emotional). Some of us are currently experiencing illnesses, a divorce, an emotional separation, bankruptcy, depression, a recent loss a loved one, or one of many pain causing events. As a fellow human (Yes! I am not an alien. Hahhaaha) who is vulnerable and has experienced pain, I know that we don’t usually find pain amusing, especially when we are experiencing it, but the truth is that the memories from those painful experiences make us better appreciate painless moments, it makes us stronger (increases our pain threshold), and it make us more vigilant to possible situations that could cause us pain. If you are presently experiencing pain, keep your head up because pain is a temporary sensation. Nevertheless, always remember that pain, is an interesting way, is a joyful, wonderful and commendable human gift.
This is a comical comic-styled video, I produced yesterday. I just wanted to present Inspiration through a different len. I hope you enjoy watching the short clip.
When anger rises, think of the consequences. Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC)
I was watching the television one morning, and happened to catch a news exclusive that focused on the aftermath of a tornado storm on a small town. The tornado has literally destroyed the entire town and its important landmarks. The schools, libraries, shops and all other important buildings were all shattered to pieces, and I remember watching several of the town members cry and lament on how quick the tornado had destroyed their homes. These people’s lamentations, in a unique way, got me thinking about anger and its damaging effects.
The repercussion of our anger can very much be like a wild tornado, rapidly advancing through a town, producing tremendous irreversible damage along the way. There are so many us who have seriously hurt ourselves and our loved one because we let our anger take control of our actions. Our anger burst usually begins with someone or something ticking us off and suddenly we unleash our severely damaging “inner tornado.” Do you remember the last time you got angry? Did you say or do things that you normally will not say or do? Did you hurt people that you wouldn’t normally hurt? Anger is a powerful emotion that can destroy and has destroyed many great people. Remember that just as nature controls the occurrence of tornadoes, we have the ability to control of our actions based on anger. Hence, next time someone angers you, before you let go, take a moment to think about all the damage that could result if you let your anger take the best of you.
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)
As a kid, I loved reading comic books about superheroes because I was astonished by the great powers that these superheroes possessed. Sometimes, I would even imagine myself as a superhero, flying around the world and defeating evil. I became so engulfed by the comic characters that I would get upset whenever the darker sides of the superheroes were revealed to the readers. Back then, I used to think that it was impossible for a lifesaving superhero to have a dark side. However, as I got older I began to understand the poisonous effects of power and how it can corrupt virtuous minds.
Great power is like a kitchen knife—both should be used with great care but, in the wrong hands, can be used for evil. It’s unarguable that great power can corrupt the mind. Take a look at all power-drunken world leaders who, although initially starting off as good people, committed unimaginable atrocities to their own people or others. Just like the superheroes in comic books, every one has been bestowed with great talents to benefit humanity. Sadly, many of us never get to develop these talents because we don’t discover them or we fear the great responsibilities that come with talents. Don’t let your abilities go to waste ― take charge and let your talents positively impact the world. However, beware of the intoxicating effects of great talent and power. Always remain humble and virtuous.
Once I was driving on the highway, I believe I was going home after window-shopping at a local electronic store. I was on the right lane (slow lane) and I happened to be behind another vehicle that was moving very slowly (I mean, way below the speed limit). Consequently (or maybe out of impatience), I decided to move over to the faster left lane. As a good driver, I flicked on the left signal switch and looked in the rear view mirror for approaching cars. I saw a blue car approaching in the distance and I concluded that I had enough time to make the lane change. To my surprise, despite my signaling to switch lanes, the driver in the approaching car didn’t seem to reduce his speed. In fact, he seemed to increase the speed of his car. Nevertheless, I decided to merge over to left lane, hoping that the driver in the approaching car would slow down. As soon as I made the lane shift, the guy in the approaching car seemed surprised by my actions and swiftly moved over to the other left lane (it was a four lane unidirectional highway) and honked at me! This guy sped by me and from what I could see, he seemed to be yelling and cursing at me.
“What the crap man? That dude is a “real” jerk!” I said to myself, referring to the driver in the blue car, which was, then, in the distance. I was highly irritated by the guy’s actions because I had signaled for a left lane change and I had given him ample time to slow down. This is a very common occurrence on the road, right? Many of us have seen or had experiences with those belligerent drivers who have no road courtesy. Anyway, I didn’t let that guy’s actions determine the way I felt, so I let it slide. However, later that day, when it was a lot darker, as I was about to make a left turn into my driveway, looking through my side view mirror, I realized that the left signal light on my car was burnt out!
Crap! So I was, indeed, the “real” jerk because to the other driver (through his perception of reality), it would have seemed like I had suddenly decided to switch lanes with signaling. Isn’t crazy that I, on the other hand, (through my perception of reality) thought the other driver was just being selfish and inconsiderate, when I was at fault for not properly signaling for a lane change? The power of our perception! Honestly, there are several times when we hurt people unknowingly out of circumstances that are sometimes beyond our control (like not knowing about a burnt signal bulb). As a result, in times of possible confrontations, it is important for us to periodically examine our environments for possible flaws and always listen to the other party, in order to get a different perspective on things. Don’t just go all out, guns blazing and fist throwing, whenever you get vexed by someone. Take a quick minute think about the possibility that you might be the person in the wrong!
Let the fear of danger be a spur to prevent it; he that fears not, gives advantage to the danger. Francis Quarles (1592 - 1644)
The “victim with the keys” is a classic scene that I often see repeated in several scary and horror movies. This scene usually depicts a scared individual running away from a killer or a monster towards a room or a car that represents their freedom or salvation. Adding to the suspense, these individuals get to the door, pull out a bunch of keys, and begin to fumble them in search for the right key. Unfortunately, these already terrified people then begin to panic, wasting time, as they frantically try to open the door, only to be captured or hurt by their assailants.
This classic movie scene can be similar to moments in our lives, especially when we are confronted with physical, financial, or emotional difficulties. During these times, it usually seems like every time we get close to our door of salvation, things always go wrong and we end up getting beaten by our problems. Interestingly, many of us seem to forget that we have in our possession, in the form of great ideas, the keys to set ourselves free—called solutions. However, like those people in the classic movie scene, we become so overwhelmed that we fail to find the correct key (solution) from the bunch. Whenever you feel like you are been pursued by life’s problems, and when you sense that you are close to your door of salvation, don’t panic because anxiety only makes things worse. Instead, try to relax, take control, find the correct key (solution), and open the door to your financial, emotional, physical and spiritual freedom.
An unhurried sense of time is in itself a form of wealth. Bonnie Friedman (1958 - ****)
What time is it? This is a typical question that you probably have been asked by someone else, and it is one of the few questions to which you and the several billion other people in the world can relate. We always want to know the time, because we have all of our activities invested in time. We pay our bills based on certain times of the month, we get paid according to how much time we spend working, and we celebrate special occasions based on certain times of the year. I was recently watching a movie and I heard an interesting statement about time, which suggested that time is simply a series of numbers with attached meanings, and without these meanings, time is nothing more than numbers. In all actuality, this description of time is correct. Time is a concept that was developed by humans, using numbers to keep track of events, and we indeed give these otherwise meaningless numbers power.
Many of us have become so engulfed by time that we literally have become slaves to it. Our every move and action is determined by the time, and many of us can’t function without knowing the time. We have become so strung-out like addicts that we allow our fast paced and time-conscious lifestyles ruin our personal relationships. Of course, it will be ridiculous for anyone to completely ignore the time; however, everyday it is important for us take some time off to breathe and recuperate. Use this period to think about and appreciate all those wonderful things around us, like our family, friends, pets, good food, scenic landscapes, and escape to a place where we can relax and forget about all the worries we have attached to time.
Humans are surely very social animals. We love to “hang-out” with others and flock to wherever the crowd seems to be gathering. In fact, I believe we are the only animals on earth that pay entrance fees to be around people who have similar or dissimilar interest as ourselves. Please don’t get me wrong, I am not inferring or saying that this is a bad thing, but sometime I just chuckle at that prospect. Actually, I sometimes think that this “unique” characteristic to flock with the crowd helped us survive those harsh Stone Ages. Back then, a person probably had a better chance of surviving being attacked by wild beasts or dying from starvation by “hanging-out” with the crowd than by being a loner. Do you think this theory still applies to us today?
Nevertheless, I cannot deny the fact that I still have this “hanging-out” trait entwined in my genetic makeup and there are times (occasionally) when I just want to be around people that have similar or dissimilar interests and lifestyles as mine. Consequently, I go “hang-out” in nearby bars or restaurants. Honestly, I don’t necessarily go to these places to get drinks or listen to the latest tunes because I can do these things in the comfort of my own home. Right? (hahahaaaa OK, who am I kidding! Maybe sometimes I do go out for the drinks and tunes!). Anyway, I must say that I enjoy going out mostly to observe other people’s actions and behaviors in these social gatherings.
It is truly amazing to watch people act in these places and I can confidently say (with high statistical significance ...hahhaa…a nerdy term) that many people in these places act slightly or overly different from their normal selves, generally out of “peer-pressure.” I have seen guys and gals alike, do some pretty embarrassing things because everyone around them talks them into doing it. For example, I once saw this young man, following the terrible advice of his “friends,” consume several alcoholic shots, until he was incapacitated and unable to walk properly. Whenever, I witness one of these many incidents, I always wonder if people will similarly jump-off a cliff or jump into a pit of flames because their “friends” talk them into it! Hummm..!!!@*#???
Dude will you jump over a cliff because everyone is doing it? Are we really that gullible in our actions? To be honest, I really don’t know! However, what I do know is that we all possess a special gift called “Freewill” and we all have the ability to choose and decide between two or more circumstances. I mean, we are not automatons incapable of reason. So why does it seem like many of us, once we get to these gatherings act like so? I suppose we consciously decide to leave our abilities to think logically and freely at the front door with the Bouncers! No one should ever douse their inner flames of CREATIVITY and UNIQUENESS for the temporary gift of acceptance from a bunch of people who don’t really care about your well-being.
Earlier today, I was doing some photo editing work on my computer with a memory intensive computer program that requires a lot of RAM (computer memory). From previous experience, I know for a fact that my computer has its memory limitations and this program slows down my machine. Nevertheless, most of the time when I use this program, I always open several other programs and push the “limited” memory limitations of my computer, hoping that my computer would magically surpass its limitations. Suddenly, (or more precisely, as expected) my computer screen locked-up. The buttons on the keyboard stopped responding to my commands, the computer programs didn’t budge either, my background music stopped, and the previously dynamic computer screen was motionless. “Crap!” I said, “This thing really sucks” I continued, referring to the computer program and my crashed computer simultaneously. Yet again, I had reached the limit and crashed my computer! I knew I had to restart my computer and begin my editing once again. Luckily, I had saved some of my work, so I didn’t have to start from scratch (Oh my! Now that would have REALLY sucked, if I had to start from scratch).
I find it funny that many of us are quick to complain about events that result from our own actions, like when I complain about my computer crashing. Like always, I knew from the start that opening several other programs while using the photo editing program would crash my computer. Consequently, I wonder if I truly have the right to complain about the computer program or my computer, when I clearly knew the limitations. It is even more absurd that many of us are quick to complain about many things that we cannot invent or produce by ourselves. For example, I don’t know how to write the correct codes for a photo editing computer program. In fact, I don’t even know how or where to start. Yet, on several occasions I have been so quick to complain about how much the program sucks. I am not in anyway saying that we don’t have the right to complain, but it is important that we think about the reasons why we complain. Are we complaining about self-inflicted incidences? Do we know what we are complaining about or why we are complaining? Or are we just blind complainers? I know it is tough not to complain about things around us, because human are hardwired to want to complain. Nevertheless, nowadays I consciously try not to complain unnecessarily because I know that life can always be a lot worse.
Never confuse movement with action. Ernest Hemingway (1899 - 1961)
Suppose that one day, while you are watching your favorite TV show, a commercial for a charitable organization begins, pleading for funds to feed a bunch of starving children with large oversized bellies. These types of commercials usually make us sad because we are generally kind-hearted by nature and hate to see others suffer. After the commercial, many of us will probably complain about all the injustice and greed in the world, and further conclude that those starving kids will be better off if more rich people gave to the poor. The truth, however, is that many of us, in our rants against the rich, fail to identify our own greed and inadequacy.
Wealth is relative. For instance, a millionaire is poorer than a billionaire, but to a person with only a few pennies, both people are extremely rich. Honestly, many of us have enough money and resources to give to the needy, but because of our numerous excuses usually end up doing nothing. We’re like broken cell phones that are capable of receiving incoming calls but incapable of making outgoing calls. Everyday, we receive so much information on the suffering of others, yet we do absolutely nothing to change the world. Ironically, these disheartening issues sometimes become the latest gossip amongst those people who actually care about the news. Change in our society requires consciously taking action, and every one of us has the ability to produce positive change. Next time don’t just complain about other people’s inaction and those issues that affect your families, friends, and humanity, do something to help out. Remember that actions always speak louder than words, and words always speak louder than absolute silence.
(P.S: Yes! That is a real picture of me: Olusegun 'Sheg' Aranmolate. I cannot only be vocal activist, I have to be visual one as well. Right? hahhaaaa..)
The absence of flaw in beauty is itself a flaw. Havelock Ellis (1859 - 1939)
It’s always heartbreaking to hear beautiful people with so much potential call themselves ugly and worthless. Time and time again, I often try to understand why some people mistreat themselves this way. There is no doubt that we live in an image-conscious society, where people use certain standards and requirements to define beauty. However, because we are human, the truth is that everyone is beautiful, regardless of height, weight, race, or any other characteristic. The words “human” and “being” encompasses so much beauty that it’s absurd some of us constantly subject ourselves to ridiculous standards of beauty. The ideas of beauty and ugliness are emotional states of mind. For instance, it’s very likely that the last time you were angry and happened to look in the mirror, you didn’t feel beautiful. It’s equally possible that the last time someone complimented you on, say, your hair, you did feel so. But we should not let our emotions determine our sense of beauty. We should break free and appreciate all the beauty emanating from inside us and others. Honestly, why does anyone want to be like the norm? The truth is that if everyone on earth looked like the “perfect” models in the magazine, the world will be a very boring place and there will probably be new standards of beauty. Take a walk around your neighborhood and observe the beauty of diversity in people. People say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so when you behold yourself in your mirror, behold yourself as beautiful.
I remember the first time I went on a “real” roller coaster ride at Six Flags, I think the name of the ride was called the Superman. I was eighteen and I must say that it was an intensely memorable experience! I remember that I really didn’t know what to expect, when I first got strapped in the train seats. However, as soon as the trains began to move quickly on the tracks, up and down, round and round, I then suddenly realized why so many people, including myself needed to scream at the top of our lungs (it was intense!!). Clearly, we enjoy the roller coaster rides because of the sudden turns on the track, the ups and the downs, and I am pretty sure that any “roller coaster lover” would be disappointed, if they hopped on a ride that was called a roller coaster, but were subjected to a ride on a straight track with no ups and downs or swirls and turns. The bottom-line is that we enjoy those ups and downs on the track. Our lives, in an interesting way, are also very similar to an intense roller coaster ride (we have our incredible ups and scary downs). Life presents us with ups and downs, and similarly to “real” roller coaster rides the entire ride combined is memorable and enjoyable. Rarely do people live through life without challenges and I will be lying to myself and to you, if I claimed that my life was without its upheavals. Nevertheless, I try to enjoy every moment of it. Honestly, will you want to read an autobiography about someone with each chapter—start to finish is filled with only celebrations with no tough times? I am sure it will get boring and old after a couple chapters because we read these books to help us better understand the circumstances that life throws at us. I am not in anyway saying that it’s going to be easy, but we definitely learn from the tough times and it makes us better appreciate the good times!!!
Every morning, when I get to work, I have to park my car on the top floor of the designated parking garage (lol.. this is where they cramp and seclude the low-profile researchers like myself), and I must say that sometimes I don’t mind driving to the top. It actually can be very much fun driving spirally to the top of the building. In fact, there are times that I pretend that I am a "00" agent, like James Bond (yeah... James Bond with the sleek cars and fancy cocktail drinks) and I have to race to the top before I lose the bad guys. However, upon arrival to the top of the garage, I get knocked out of my adventurous day-dreams and realize that I must go save the world via biological research (This surely makes me feel like a Studly Nerd!). The ability to day-dream about whatever we like is an incredible gift that we all possess (I mean every one of us). Day-dreaming allows up to stretch our imaginations and immerse ourselves in incredible environments that we may never physically experience. Isn't amazing that our day-dreams and imaginations can feel very much like "real experiences" that we have actually experienced? Can you really differentiate the memories and sensations of driving a "real" car from that of driving an "imagined or dreamed-up" car? Don't these memories both feel the same? That is just one of the many amazing powers of our minds! We literally can re-experience the past, reinvent it, and invent the uncertain future. As I am writing this blog or more correctly as I am typing out this blog, I am day-dreaming that millions of people will read it once I am done! I am surely getting excited about this prospect. Nevertheless, if no one eventually reads it, does it change this feel-good feeling sensation that I am currently experiencing??? Hahhaaaaaa, Nope! I really don’t think so!!!... I will still feel good regardless because I invented the uncertain future to my liking. So why limit your happiness and horizon of the world, when it is indeed limitless. Keep dreaming guys! It takes the same amount of brain power to dream about trivial things, such buying a new pair of sneakers as it is to dream about impressive things, as buying a beachside mansion or writing a bestseller! So always dream "Big"......
During my studies as a psychology student in college, I learned about the power of self reflection and introspection, and the ability for us, as humans, to control and even manipulate our environment by simply thinking about it. The ability to self reflect and introspect can change your attitude toward exercise and help you regain your energy level. At those down times, simply stand up and walk around your room or apartment. Then, ask yourself these five questions and deeply reflect on your answers.
Why am I feeling so let down?
What happened me today that is making me feel this way?
What am I presently going to gain from been inactive?
How much better would I feel if I decided to be active?
What can I do to overcome my current emotional and physical state?
Sincerely answering these questions would enable you to better appreciate yourself. It would also allow you to actively and consciously take the appropriate steps required to taking better care of body, and thus giving you the added boost required to get up from your lazy bones and get active. Hey, remember that we are only endowed with one body in our lifetime, and unfortunately, we cannot order a replacement body in a store or over the internet. So do the right time, don’t let your precious body go to waste, get up and take better care of yourself today.
Many of us fail to realize that a large part of our perception of the world is shaped by our culture and the society. Today, I was reading a news article about a one month old baby in a village in Northern India that was born with an extremely rare condition known as craniofacial duplication, where a single head has two faces.
Interestingly, this beautiful two-faced child was being worshipped by several villagers as a goddess reincarnate. However, I know for a fact that in other parts of the world, this beautiful girl will not be treated like a goddess, rather a castoff or a “freak of nature.”
I wonder why? Why do different people treat others differently based on their cultural background? Shouldn’t everyone, regardless, of cultural or religious backgrounds treat everyone the same with kindness and compassion? Why do we on a daily basis categorize and attach negative labels to people? Some of several questions, which seem to be irreparable fundamental human flaws! However, like many of our flaws, I believe we have the ability to consciously “correct” them. So Dude or Dudette (female dude) mend your ways!
