Everybody is a Star

I remember only one thing from elementary school social studies: When a pharaoh was mummified, they'd toss the brain but preserve the heart (at least I think it went that way).

Anyway, I think they were onto something.

To elaborate on my last post, I believe that truly living is learning to get in touch with your feelings. This is supplemented by thinking; however, at our core we know what we want and what is best for us. The more willing we are to take that risk and dare to be ourselves, the more fulfilling our lives will be.

I have long been an avid believer that we are born already knowing all that we need to know. Knowledge is attained through the mind, but wisdom comes from the heart. An open mind is nothing without the heart to match.

At some point, very early on, many of us lose this wisdom. Through our innocence and insecurity, we may relinquish our inner ideals in order to conform to our surroundings. Sir Ken Robinson gave an insightful TEDtalk relating to this here.

It seems that part of life is this challenge of learning followed by a progressive unlearning. In the U.S., capitalism teaches us that happiness and security come from outside ourselves. When you have, you will be happy. This has given way to a culture of materialism and instant gratification.

I am a firm believer that true happiness is about letting go, allowing ourselves to be happy, to love.

We actively hold onto things that make us cold, bitter, and unhappy. We build up a guard, and our hearts harden. The letting go process, passive as it might sound, is perhaps the most courageous thing we must do. It is a skill many of us forget, including myself.

When we harness this skill, we don't simply have motivation--we have passion. When we become comfortable taking that risk, getting in touch with our guts and opening our hearts, we learn to let ourselves be great.

Start now.

I Have Found.

When I started this blog in 2012, it was an attempt to learn more about the world and my place in it. It was an initiation into introspection and contemplation. Little did I know how much I would learn on this path, and the mysteries life had in store for me.

Two months ago, I thought I had found the meaning of life. Yes, at 26 I had discovered THE ultimate truth, THE universal theory of everything--what many have spent their wholes lives attempting to discover in vain. And I could prove it.

Yea, sounds pretty ridiculous. But that's where I was. I thought I could show everyone through logic, even perhaps through a mathematical proof, the undeniable epitome of our existence. This life epiphany at the time provided, albeit brief, joyous revelation. I couldn't fathom how short-lived it would be, nor how long the subsequent period of despair and anxiety.

I have found.

I have indeed found--not ultimate truth, but a real truth about myself, and a major life lesson. The past two months have without a doubt been the most trying time of my entire life. I'm fairly certain I went crazy for about 3 weeks, as I realized how laughable my epiphany was. I always aim to remain thankful for the challenges life hands me, and I am particularly grateful for this one. Here are 3 things I have learned from it:

1. Practice positivity. This is a tremendous skill. No matter how bad things may seem, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. You must simply believe it. Imagine it, and it will be.

2. Logic and rational thinking are essential tools, but can only take you so far. At some point, you must FEEL. This is my vice, and is my next life venture. We can attempt to describe with words, diagrams, and numbers the wonders of this life, but nothing beats the actual EXPERIENCE. It's about quieting the mind and opening your heart to the irrational, the miraculous, and diving in headfirst with the risk of drowning. The fortitude and fulfillment this brings is invaluable. In a culture where we are constantly looking toward the future, it is easy to lose our spontaneity and ability to live in and fully enjoy the present. Perhaps Ms. Frizzle said it best, "Take chances. Get messy. Make mistakes!"

3. Retain an open mind to avoid a rude awakening. My experience was very humbling. There is much at work in this universe we don't understand. A healthy skepticism keeps us grounded, but if you can adapt and roll with the punches, no challenge is too much to bear.

The mind is a beautiful thing. It is malleable, and can be a source of joy or turmoil. Keep it healthy, and perhaps turn it off on occasion. In the words of our favorite sensitive rapper, "Don't think about it too much." There is a reason the guy in the statue above is stationary.

Perhaps it's time for a change.

Been a hard morning. Last night I was with friends, discussing the meaning of the Zimmerman trial with heavy hearts and rage before a Saturday night out. I tried to stay level headed and keep my friends the same. "You can't be surprised. This is just the status quo. Don't generalize. You can't live your life harboring anger," I said.

But this morning...

After reading the status updates on facebook, it was hard to hold back the tears. My bhuddist-influenced, carefree attitude left and gave way to a grave sadness that deepened as I read and continued, for hours, to barrage my soul with reminders of how messed up a country we live in. If any of you reading think justice was served here, that race was not an influence in this trial or the event being tried, that we live in a post-racial society; man, just sit down and shut the hell up.

Listen.

One lesson that we are forced to learn as we grow up is that we are always wrong. No matter how right we might think we are, we are always wrong when someone challenges us on our ideals. Truth is relative, and until you attempt to see the world by stepping into someone else's shoes, you will forever remain ignorant.

It is hard to have faith in others when prejudices cloud your judgment. But one thing remains true, and must be true if we are to believe that progress awaits us on this earth: we all come from the same stock. We are all human, and we have made it this far on the evolutionary ladder because we have the same needs. We need to challenge ourselves to believe in one another. And in order to do that, we need to challenge and believe in ourselves.

It became glaringly obvious to me last night that, as much as we might try to ignore, deny, or conceal them; there exists severe, ugly prejudices in every single one of us. And they will remain there, continually influencing our psyche and our decisions, until we confront and destroy them. 

Perhaps instead of trying to find blame in others and find external solutions, we can all decide to make ourselves the solution. If the world were just filled with better people.. I mean, just imagine that. It may sound idealistic, but how truly simple is it to recognize that the greatest responsibility you have is to yourself? EVERYone can do that.

Stop reacting. Stop basing your actions and opinions on others. Be the action. Make the conscious effort to make yourself better. Run away from yourself, and we all suffer.