Search for Success?

Everybody is being pulled in different directions. It’s weird to run into an old friend that you haven’t seen in years and see how dramatically different your once similar lives have turned out. No one seems to be where they want to be just yet but it seems that everybody is on an endless chase to try and find complete happiness.

Everybody has a different idea of what it means to be successful. To some its money; spending almost every waking second of their lives at a meaningless job they dislike, just for the pay cheque. They strive for the material gains and live day to day chasing the idea of wealth, becoming a slave to everything they own.

To others, the idea of success is in their social image, which guides them to seek education. Being able to say that you have a degree or masters, or PHD even gives people a feeling of accomplishment, while giving them a sense of security as well. Although this piece of paper may or may not benefit the individual, chances that that person will end up working a decent job or career they enjoy is increased exponentially.

Some people don’t even look at these social constructs of success, but instead live their lives day to day striving to find themselves beyond a social level. Life, love, relationships, and struggles all seem to be the majority of most people’s battles. No one I have talked to has yet seemed to have found themselves. It seems to me that everyone will continue to struggle, on an endless search, until they find themselves in their senior years of life.

Some of us need to give up the search, while still trying to live the best life we can, and enjoy every second of it. Or maybe this is just advice I need to convince to myself?

Emancipate Yourself from Mental Slavery

Listen to the thoughts race through your head. The ones that tell you what is right, what is wrong, how to dress, how to act, are any of those thoughts your own? Are any of them thoughts of freedom?

Bob Marley once said, “no one but ourselves can free our minds.”

In any lyrics to any song, this one has touched me the furthest. After realising what was being said I pondered the idea for a long time. The thing about this quote is that it is true beyond expression.

We all live our lives day to day dreading where our minds will take us. We are put into terrifying social situations that cause our mind to dread the anxiety involved with everyday life. These thoughts, torments, and common practices don’t have to be something normal if we can gain control over it.

We are who we tell ourselves we are. Even if we aren’t, it doesn’t matter because life is what you believe. My life is dramatically different from your life in more than just our physical bodies. Our interpretation of life, where to go, why things are the way they are, and our self identity in general will never even come close in comparison.

To leave you with that, ponder the quote from Bob Marley and try to find the truth behind it. Learn to let go of the worries, fears, and chains that your mind has tied to you because you are the only one who can free your own mind.