There is an eternal struggle many of seem to be battling with and perhaps it is the way it must be and that is the conflict between what we want and what we experience. Nearly everyone I talk to, everyone I read is somewhat unsatisfied with their current position in life and would like more of something. More money, more time, more love.
Perhaps this is the way of the world and as humans we can never actually be satisfied, we are programmed to consume and the more we have, the more we want. A continual expansion until we meet the walls of resource limitation and we can eat no more. Then what? Does life end at that point?
What if that realisation that we can never be filled is where life begins, a point where we understand the game is endless and choose to play another instead? Perhaps it is at this point that we start to look at what life may actually be rather than what we expect it to be.
People talk of the meaning of life, of finding their purpose and diving deep into their passions yet, few seem willing to let go of the edge of the pool and swim to where their toes no longer touch. For me, this analogy works for I am not a strong swimmer and being out of my depth scares me. Does this replay in my life where other things are concerned? Yes.
I long to life a full life, a valuable life, a life where I am able to sink my teeth in and do something great, or be part of something great yet, I fear. I fear that I will slip and make a wrong choice, I fear I will attempt and fail, i fear that my failures will not only cost me but cost those I care about, especially my daughter.
So much fear that releasing my white-knuckled grip and pushing even tentatively away from the edge is difficult, I need help. But, help is unlikely to come for those that are unwilling to let go enough to prove they have the capability to grow as like everything in this world, investments cost and resources are scarce. Those that have the means to help are often the ones that best understand this, so they are careful.
This first push away has been the hardest for me and has taken a large amount of effort. To invest myself into the unknown and push has come with large costs in time, experience and personal energy. It takes its toll. Previously I had the energy to do but the unwillingness to act and now, I have very little energy left after all that I do. Each night when I lay my head onto my pillow, I know that I have done all that I can. I am tired but I am living. The first step has been taken.
Now I must improve my process, learn to swim better, learn to keep my eyes open for opportunity and threat alike, learn to get comfortable without being able to touch the bottom. This process of struggle is life but with it comes great beauty. As I swim I see others, help others and be helped by others. I see many struggling, many that have pushed away from the edge and are attempting to live.
Some are more successful than others, some are swimming strong and fast, some barely managing to keep head above water but they are all trying as those that look on from the edges laugh at the failures and long for the successes. But, without pushing themselves into the fray, very few will have the opportunity to live. The flow will pass them by forever.
I question why we are so programmed by fear, why we are held down and restricted by ourselves. We spend time worrying about our freedoms and rights, but even when alone, we are not free. We are continually wanting, but rarely willing.
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]
The fear started when we are facing with exams since primary school. Or else, we are born to be explorer. We have no fear to explore when we are newborn. Fear may be our instinct but it has not been evolving much since with our rapid growth of civilization. Thus, it needs training to control it which I’m sure we are working on
We are working but it is slow going as too often instead of dealing first with the internal sides, we try to limit our exposure to what scares us externally.
True, we limit ourself within the box that we set for ourself, the comfort box.
The fear we have of venturing into the unknown has been passed down from our ancestors. But its really up to us to face it and not let it get to us. Ive seen people i know since i was a kid that have dreams yet years have passed but they never even tried putting their feet in the water to chase their dreams. They were too afraid to drown and in the end, they are now already too old to do it. I dont want to live my life in regret someday so as much as i can i have to learn to face my fears and chase after my dreams regardless if i fail or not. I dont want to end up like those people i know who regretted not taking action while they can because of fear. For me, fear is actually an acronym for False Expectations Appearing Real. Its all in our mind! Thanks for this post bro!
There is the genetic fear inherent to protect us which is a vital resource, but when this is applied to the mind, it limits our actions by imagining monsters at every turn.
Yeah, getting out of your comfort zone is not comfortable... money can buy you time! Money doesn't make you happy, but neither does poverty! This video helped me understand it better. You have to find a way to get money to work for you instead of just being in the rate race.
Money buys space and breathing room to grow. For most, regardless of how much time they have, it gets wasted.
Really, why do you say that? Do they spend it on the wrong things? Thanks for being a blessing and connecting on here! I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day! 😀 😃 😄 😁
A great post.
My thinking is we are born into a trap. A monetary cycle that we spend our lives trying to escape. it's easy to say I don't need money, but in reality you do, either to buy food or buy land to grow it.
And so the 'struggle' is to escape the 'reality' into which we are born.
To me "perception is 90% of reality", tweak or change the perception & the reality changes. I think / hope that crypto will change the world, and break the world population free from the slavery we call banking.
But as a famous song writer once wrote "maybe I'm a dreamer" :-)
The problem is that without the majority of people actually dealing with the responsibility of their internal conflicts, the cycle of slavery will be repeated time and time again.
You are correct, but perhaps the mass just need to be shown the way?
Perhaps a few 'leaders' can blaze a pathway for others to follow?
The 'leaders' know who they are, they will turn the light on truth, and the 'game' of slavery will be over ;-)
Perhaps leaders are required but the risk becomes another reliance on an authority and over time, that dependence leads back into the slavery cycle. There have been some amazing people, amazing leaders in history yet, here we are again and again.
You are correct.
Maybe it's time for a new approach?
Something REALLY interesting?
I used to teach my children. It is not a question of capacity (swimming well), but rather of motivation... what reason do you have for letting go of the side of the pool? Why risk safety for danger?
Your daughter will grow and letting go will be gradual. She will teach you as she needs to. It’s a jungle out there.
It is a jungle indeed and to negotiate it one must learn to swing from the trees, run on the ground and swim across rivers.
yes. I agree. We want more and more always. we never get satisfied. The best way to live your life is do what makes you happy at work. If you are happy at work, you will start becoming happy in your life as lots of people are unsatisfied at work in these days
Only doing what makes one happy I think leads to a blindness and limited skill as soon, we are not happy in learning more, we are only happy when occupied by entertainment.
Doing anything outside of the societal norms makes many people nervous. This is the problem with today's society.
People are too busy trying to fit the round peg into the round hole that they forgot to ask the important question: Why am I putting this damn peg in the hole?