Fading into Normality

Lately, by which I mean the last fortnight or so, I have succumbed to the trappings of easy street. Like many before me, I have fallen into the so called 'comfortable' life. The 'comfortable' life is a life where one might work a stable well paid nine to five job, eat the fruits of its labour, and take a vacation every now and then. It is epitomised by ideals such as education, career, marriage, children, material possessions, and finally, death.

Living a normal or 'comfortable' life only conforms to society's expectations. People are addicted to certainty. The trap is that it does not inspire risk taking or excellence.

Too many people I know are getting sucked in. This is where you may have a full time job, stable relationship, but no real happiness. Not much more going on in life except work and the daily grind. I see it in a lot of people aged between 25-60. Don't let that happen. Life is there to be enjoyed.

I, myself, must work to break through the 'comfortable' life. Ignoring tiredness by being constantly active. Ignoring vain status by doing the unconventional. Ignoring the normality of it all. After all, the best life I can live is the extraordinary.

Living only in subsistence is a violation of growth.

Greed or Prosperity

Across the spectre of time, individuals the world over have sought the splendour of riches and the comfort it brings. Wealth, or the pursuit thereof, is and has been the sole purpose of many people's existence. This transcending fixation of many has led to much striving and given birth to the ideals of capitalism.

Unlike what some may argue, money is not the root of all evil. Wealth is a prerequisite to satisfy our basic needs. In additional doses, it provides for certain luxuries in life. However, the preoccupation with wealth has led to greed. Greed is the motive behind the notion that happiness is a constant cycle of amassing 'a little bit more'. Greed is the reason why some of the world's wealthy live in extreme excess while the poor live in poverty and are malnutritioned. Greed is the reason why the most developed nations donate less than 0.7% of GDP to the most impoverished nations.

Wealth for united prosperity's sake is good. Greed, perhaps not.

Fallout

The collapse of Lehman Brothers sparked widespread fear amongst investors as Wall Street suffered its biggest one day loss since September 11. The failure of the last ditch effort to save one of the world's preeminent veritable financial institutions coupled with the shotgun sale of Merrill Lynch has caused great uncertainty. For now, the future of the world financial markets remains a mystery.

Questions over how far reaching this crisis will spread and which organisation is the next to go are unanswered and will continue to be raised. There is no doubt that the world as a whole is still loaded with debt. The process of unwinding this debt will take some time.

The consequences of the fallout from the contagion may well be immensely severe.

You Don't Know What It Feels Like Until You Experience It

On the courtyards of an antiquated majestic Catholic Church I sat and pondered. I drew my mind back to recent news I came across about a pastor I had respect for covering up a lie he lived. It was only then it struck me about the seriousness of the sexual abuse cases committed by clergy members. In that moment, I suddenly realised, to a small extent, the hurt the victims suffered.

After walking a short distance from the church I saw a contrast of scenes. In one corner was a man covered in worn out blankets sleeping in the bench of a hut. In the other, were a laughing couple driving by in a Mercedes convertible.

There are many cases where we as humans cannot empathise with one another. We may think we can and do, but the truth is, until you experience what the other person is going through, it is difficult to fully comprenhend each other's victories, trials, and tribulations.

The Big Picture

Small things are important; big things are important, if not more so. That is why it is important to have a 'Big Picture' focus.

The Big Picture is a simple concise overview of you. An overview of where you have been, where you are, where you are going. It includes what matters to you - your mission, your goals, your achievements, your concerns.

1. Decide who you are, your purpose and mission, your core beliefs and values.
2. Write down your goals and ideal future. Where do you want to be 5 years from now? Analyse your SWOT, concerns, challenges, conflicts, negative emotions, limiting decisions and costs and benefits for the main areas of your life you want to focus on.
3. Identify the actions you take to make your ideal future a reality (as well as the actions you have to avoid). Focus on the actions you need to take by applying the (Steps to Success). Create a supportive environment to help you including habits, tools, and advice.

The Big Picture serves as a reference point for any time, any moment - it can be referred to when you are feeling elevated, static, disillusioned. It is a motivational tool. It is an encouragement tool. It is a map for my life.

At present my Big Picture is:

• Just do 'Likable Communication'
• Useless not living confidently
• Why let little things or anything ever interfere with happiness?
• Serve God

Growth

Another day. Another realisation.

I am obsessed with growth.

I have always been.

That is why I love my economics, investments, statistics, and sport. I like observing how companies grow. I like forecasting the growth of a country’s GDP. I like understanding the growth of medical science.

Without growth you are essentially stuck. You don't learn anything. You are stuck in a comfort zone where you don't develop.

Growth is progress.


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The Olympic Games provide excellent examples of people growing. I heard one commentator say how he has seen this one athlete grow a lifetime over two days. It is incredible to watch not just the growth in physical ability of an athlete, but also the growth in mind and character. The Games provides these opportunities for athletes to step up and become the better person whilst in the process realising their dreams.

Growth is progress.

Lessons and Education

I have learnt a lot about myself, social groups, and people in general over the past few months. Through it all I have come to better understand myself and accept myself for who I am.

What I have learnt does not come through the conventional schooling system, but through other 'classes' of education. These can come in many forms and can include personal understanding, emotional intelligence, creativity, entrepreneurship, and religous studies. Despite the lack of teaching, these classes of education are as important, if not more so, than the standard intrinsic model of education.


Even though I have learnt many lessons, I am still susceptible to tough times. This is a human characteristic - we all are susceptible whether we like it or not.

In times like these, voicing our concerns and situation is emotionally beneficial. It clarifies who we are, what the situation is, and where we are going. We hear our raw emotions. We sense our real feelings. We see the clear difference there is between heart and mind.

I did just that two days ago and penned them down.

"Am I getting too obsessed with such small matters?
Is my heart that weak?
All I feel is this lingering sadness.
I push it to one side and it comes back."

It takes time. It takes resolve. To deal with these matters. Knowing yourself, voicing the problems, and developing solutions in due course helps.