I spent an unnecessary portion of my life mired in a lack of confidence, indecision and procrastination. Once I got into my mid- to late-30s and into my 40s I started my road to self-discovery, questioning everything, and realizing I was letting others (and myself) manipulate me into a spongy state of limbo-life —- a chaotic pinball bouncing from one bumper to another, aimlessly ricocheting through life with no clear direction. The books I began to read and the philosophies to which I exposed myself eventually showed me the way.
The result of questioning & discovering? Self-knowledge; Self-confidence; Self-esteem; Enlightenment; and at times unfortunately, Anger & Frustration.
Frankly, I was PISSED OFF how I let culture, society, guilt, duty, narrative, authority, relationships, school, and religion drive my behavior and life into something akin to being a controlled servant.
I wasted so many years not pursuing self-identity/purpose/passions because I doubted everything about me. I allowed myself to drift along as a lost soul with no direction – just getting by in the mundane world.
Two words of advice:
- Expand your horizons. Obtain the knowledge and enlightenment you need to start paving the road to total self-confidence and independence. Question everything. Be a free-thinker; an independent thinker. Don’t simply accept the mainstream, cultural narrative. Seek out and look for anything and everything NOT being espoused by your elementary school, high school, university, parents, priests,
professors, culture, leaders, politicians, government, “authorities,” “experts,” and mainstream media. Look at the “other side” of the establishment story-line/paradigm. Dig deep to identify the illusions and lies. Read alternative theories/news/worldviews. Become an autodidact. Learn to discern. If your world view is only informed by the aforementioned entities, you are on a WRONG and misdirected path. Guaranteed. - Start Now. Take action. Whatever your life’s values, purpose & passions, start pursuing them. It may mean you make decisions that are difficult:
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- start by stopping your church attendance; leave your religion; apologize to no one
- start taking control of your future by dropping your college education (if you’re not so inclined to pursue it) and tackle a skilled trade that actually will pay dividends instead of putting you into horrible debt (not to mention the advantage of avoiding indoctrination). If you stick with college, use your successful completion to buttress your financial future as you seek out the many paradigms they hid from you.
- start by dropping your political affiliation because they’re moving in an irrational direction; stop politics altogether – – – it’s a no-win game of following idiots who manipulate and divide us
- start ditching negative, abusive or unproductive relationships that aren’t serving you
- start eliminating time vampires that suck the life-potential from you and your passionate pursuits
- start standing up for yourself with your S.O. letting them firmly know that the relationship will no longer be a one-sided affair; seek counseling with them if needed; leave if they refuse
- start your personal business if you’re of the entrepreneurial spirit
- start your creative art
- start your research and writing if you desire to enlighten others – particularly your ancestral line who may eventually read it (current family will give it no credence, so don’t fret over your attempts to open their eyes)
- start partaking in the joys of immersing yourself in the simple & grand beauty and wonder in the world
- start whatever is a passion for you!