I started thinking about this question myself a lot recently when my own life felt like it was starting to fall apart. And the more it did, the more overwhelmed I felt and the more incapable of dealing with the things that were unfolding I became.
(…I’ll tell you more about these things in a minute and why I am now happy that they came into my life.)
But first I want to talk about why I think more and more people these days are feeling overwhelmed, depressed and unhappy with their life circumstances and why we all need personal growth now more than ever.
Our Modern Society Is The Root Cause Of Our Inability
From the day we come into this world we are being shaped and influenced by society; confronted from childhood with a picture perfect vision of a world full of fairy-tale miracles and happy endings. We start school and learn about reading, problem solving, mathematics and finding a job...but what we often don’t realize until it’s too late is that we didn’t really learn anything about REAL LIFE.
We don’t learn how to deal with the emotional, challenging situations like losing our job, not making enough money, having meaningful relationships, raising children, etc.
I want you to picture this …
When you come into this world you are given a little raft and for your first 18 years you will spend your days in it close to the shore being protected by the reef. Life is easy. During these years the foundation of your little raft doesn't change much, you just add little gadgets here and there that will supposedly prepare your raft for the open water (e.g. all those things you learn about in school). Then the day comes when you are ready to leave the shore - ‘cause your grown up now and you learned all there is to learn about rafting. So you take your raft with all it’s little gadgets and sail out onto the open sea.
Everything is great, the sun is shining and you inhale deeply as you enjoy your newly won freedom. You see the first storm coming up, but it doesn't bother you because you're prepared. At least you think you are because you have all your gadgets with you. The storm hits and you realize however that all your gadgets don’t help you at all. You little raft gets thrown left and right by the massive storm and you barely make it back to shore.
At this point some people may say, “I am so lucky I made it back alive, I’ll stay close to shore now for the rest of my life.” Whereas others have this feeling there is more out there, and although they might not be ready yet, they still want to get back out and explore it.
They begin to realize that all those things they learned during their first years in life don’t really help them maneuver what the big open sea - LIFE - had in store for them.
Instead sticking their head in the sand, they see that their first storm has taught them a lot. They start improving their little raft and sail back out to sea and they keep repeating this process until eventually they're truly ready for life.
In the face of the storm they eventually realize that their business skills will not help them heal a broken heart, their ability to to file taxes will not help them weather a financial crisis, and having success will not help them find purpose in life.
What would really help them through are the valuable skills that many of us leave behind in our childhood...
- Do you remember what it feels like to be fully present in the moment? Occupying a space where past and future do not exist?
- Do you remember how easy it is to let go?
- Do you remember how much fun it is to learn new things (They excite you not scare you…)?
- Do you remember how it feels to live in space where there is no good or bad, right or wrong?
- Do you remember when adapting to new circumstances was a matter of seconds, not weeks, months or years?
Instead of expanding, nourishing and evolving these skills within our children, we choose to limit and replace them with things that would help us in our civilized (capitalist) society. A society focused on profit over personal evolution.
Where it’s not about being open, free and flexible but functional.
And this is where personal growth comes in. Getting from functional back to flexible is a long way. And every challenge that you take, brings you a step closer towards that, if you see it for what it is: a chance for growth & transformation.
At least this is how I choose to see the challenges that come my way. How do you choose to see them? I would love to hear your views.
Oliver
PS: Totally forgot to tell you about my challenges, maybe next time. Stay tuned.
Willkommen bei Steemit Oliver! An Bali habe ich sowas von tolle Erinnerungen. Also setze ich darauf von Dir mehr aus Bali zu lesen :). Steem on!
Hey danke fuers vorbeischauen. Lass auf jeden fall hoeren von dir wenn du wieder in der Naehe bist. Das Leben ist ein wenig stressfreier hier :)
Mach ich ;) .. nach Bali will ich schon nochmal. Das kann ich mir vorstellen. Living your dreams, huh?
Yeah we left 6 years ago, and it was the best decission ever :) As you can see living the dream: https://www.instagram.com/p/BDs4YCouFOz/?taken-by=oliver.rivers&hl=en
My garden...
very well said and sometimes we just forget to take breaks!! i work too much!!
@allasyummyfood, we all do! We've been conditioned to think we need all this... Uploading a new controversial piece right now would be curious to see your take on it. But first get some rest!
Hey @oliver.rivers. Nice article. I think the biggest reason why people feel overwhelmed is because they don't do what they enjoy. I feel like being overwhelmed comes from a sense of burden or frustration. But when you do something you enjoy, that burden and frustration is consumed by the passion for that art (whatever that may be).
@joe01, great comment. So true... unfortunately the times are long over where people do what they love, people do what earns them money. Love this video form Alan Watts, If money was no object.
@oliver.rivers - great vid! Times are not long over where people do what they love. People just focus on the wrong things. People don't focus on themselves and what they are excited about. Like, if you like music - get into the music industry. You might not be an artist, but maybe you are involved in some other capacity. Maybe you are good at math, but in a job for sales. Maybe you love to write, but are in a job for data analysis. It's these mismatches that create unhappiness in people - at least from everything I've seen. It all just makes me want to help people all the more.
Agree, all we have to do is look at our children... The are pure, happy and present and do only what fills them with joy until we force them into the system.
I see it a little different than you, I see probably 90% of the worlds population spending a third of their live doing something they don't like doing :)
Thanks for sharing!
I will keep an eye on You eheheh :P
@sergiomendes, I think that is a good idea! :) where are you from my friend?
It is me! thesassysergio LOL forgot that I had a different name here! LOL
hay gun @oliver.rivers...
nice pic.
up vote