Thursday, May 28, 2009

sinking sand of self

So I have recently learned something very valuable. I feel like the information age with an overly active image focused hedonistic society has created us into over expectant monsters. When I say this, I heavily refer to myself. Don’t jump to the automatic conclusion that I think I’m better than anyone – because I’m not.

What I’ve noticed is that with selfish individualism sets us up for an unhappiness, a fundamental flaw of constant dissatisfaction with our past, current and future circumstances. I’m not entirely sure as many people have depression as clinically categorized as such so much as we fundamentally become so inwardly focused and from thereon in it is a pit of sinking quick sand.

We seem to be forgetting a huge thing. It’s not about us and there is a bigger picture. On top of it, we can’t save ourselves as hard as we try to.
And thus, because we are a bunch of geriatric slow thinkers on this profound aspect of life, we set ourselves up for constant self-induced dissatisfaction. In our relationships both pletonic and not-so-pletonic. In our evaluation of self, life, and others. In overall contentment of life.
AND, as this is not a complainer’s blog, I have come up with an equation to attempt to simplify a complex observation with an almost just as complex equation.
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Realisation(IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU) + Put others first

/DIVIDED BY/

Keep Expectations Low (for everything/everyone else)

= EQUALS =

Met*Exceeded Expectations in life giving way to understanding how to be more content

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I figure that if our unhappiness creates this spiral of unhappiness and dissatisfaction. Break the cycle. Re-evaluate why your expectations are so high. Keep a standard but recognize where you might perhaps be unreasonable in expectation and surprisingly if you were to not expect so much out of life, you’ll be more pleasantly surprised and content with what comes your way. Not to say this works in every circumstance, however, if you let go of a lot of high expectations, suddenly certain circumstances don’t seem like such a burden.

This is realistically an overarching theme that Christ came to hammer into our heads by dying unselfishly on a cross. If you’re truly curious about the Biblical principles that keep us grounded such as the themes behind this equation, you’ll dive into his word. I don’t have to preach at you in a blog. Just an observation for everyone.

Monday, May 18, 2009

refrigerated leather jackets and the warming oven of learning

You know the phrase you learn something new every day is incredibly cliché but true. I recite it to myself every time I learn something new unexpectedly. There is a difference between choosing to learn something new and the information catching you by surprise. And the more I learn, the more I realize that I don’t know.

Take these lessons I have learned recently for example:

DON’T leave the house with the oven on. You just may not have a roommate fortunately returning from a shopping excursion to save your egg rolls/apartment from a smoldering fate. As much as you may like them more on the golden side, ovens are unpredictable at the best of times. And so am I as I learned.

WHEN you try to hang your coat up in the refrigerator, you know it’s time to call it quits. Who knows what quits is, whether it is laying off an excessive consumption of something that makes you groggy, or if it’s just sheer natural exhaustion – the point is, I learned not to put our standalone closet next to the refrigerator and that I need more shut eye.

WHEN in Rome do as the Romans do – to a point. The locals are comfortable in their routine and stick to what they like. I stumbled upon my favourite restaurant period by asking someone at a store down the street where the recommended sushi place was. Ask me about my experience there sometime and try it out and you may just join the growing club.

HANGING out at sports stores like MEC is just a really pleasant experience. The general populace works at keeping fit and as a result everyone is naturally high on endorphins. Counted the most consecutive smiles in one place in my entire life. Similarly, if you constantly hang out at brooding emo musician’s concerts, chances are you could find yourself clinically depressed. Sort of proves my belief in the universal law of affinity.


LASTLY, I am happy to report that I learned that I don’t know everything and that humility lessons come in all shapes and sizes. Accepting responsibility for our words and deeds and taking the necessary course of action to repair and strengthen and continue to grow will forever be something that takes time to master and is as dynamic as life itself.