How do we define what we are? We have impulses, desires
and feelings within our environment that forms strong gravitational forces. These
forces influence our decision making and how we interpret the outcome.
Two extreme views:
1.
What we feel is what we are. The belief that our
nature is given to us; our emotions are our guide on the path of
self-discovery.
2.
We become what we want to be. Nothing is set in
stone, we are who we choose to be, a constant work in progress.
Fully understanding yourself is difficult. The intricate
journey that comes together in our present self is very difficult to express in
black and white ideologies. With that said, my philosophy is heavily weighted
towards crafting yourself into what you want to be.
Some points I take to heart from the opposing viewpoint
include:
·
Some behaviors are near impossible to alter
after passing a certain point.
·
Simply embracing life is more spontaneous.
My primary concerns:
·
The belief that our nature is provided puts
distance between us and the results of our actions. Removing the need to take
responsibility for your actions, because as long as it feels right, it must be.
·
With no direction there is no control of what
one becomes. I have little confidence in the general good of humanity. We are
not isolated and our choices affect those around us. If not for one’s self the
individual should be mindful of who they are becoming to those around them.
Can we change our
nature?
I believe that these Silent Forces that come from within
is our minds interpretation of a very complex assimilation of our complete past
and current environment. The part that we could gain some control over is the
interpretation - the area I refer to as your Inner Core’s 'Chamber of
Thoughts'.
Stop believing in your feelings. You might
be surprised to find how much of your nature started with a flip of a coin and
slowly grew into the pillars you hold them to be.
Most people treat this room as a black box, a magic Eight
Ball that has the supposed wisdom of their true self. This is because the
outcome can become fairly predictable even though the mechanism seems mysterious.
Complexity is, however, not a reason to shy away from self-discovery. Start by
firstly identifying the forces (observe inner responses to a wide range of
situations) and then methodically dissecting them into raw principles and
finding their potencial origins. By reflecting on them you are able to make adjustments
to your current foundation.
An effective strategy for reconditioning is ‘Black
Bagging’ (See previous post) unwanted thoughts as they form, declaring your new
view and quickly moving on.
This takes time and dedication; it is a slow disciplined
process that requires continuous introspection. The more time you spend in this
room the more you will develop a thought-driven lifestyle that will allow you a
deeper understanding and control over your nature. Take time to think, organize
and examine what happens around you. Making a specific alteration is heavily
dependent on how deep you allowed yourself to go down the opposing rabbit-hole and
how strongly you want to change.
The philosophy:
I am the result of
past choices and experiences, my character and emotions are a result and not
the origin of who I am. My life is my responsibility, even in areas influenced
by others; I solely take responsibility for who I am today as well as working
towards what I want to become.
1.
Change your thoughts, as they are the seeds that
form your nature.
2.
Change your actions. Make conscious changes to
align to new viewpoint.
3.
Allow the new actions to fall into predictable
behavioral patterns.
4.
When the new view is in harmony between what you
think, what you do and how you feel then you have successfully reconditioned
yourself.
The longer you continue on this path the easier it will
become. Do not get over confident in your ability to change. There is no easy removing
of the old ways - only creating new ones over them. Avoid triggers that can
pull you back e.g. fondly indulging memories that are in opposition to your current viewpoint.
The battle is in your mind and usually happens long
before you are faced with a choice.
What you dream you can think.
ReplyDeleteWhat you think you can say.
What you say you can do.
What you do becomes a habit when done repeatedly.
Conclusion:
You can become what you dream to be. It is all about choices that you make and need to make every day.
The next question that needs to be conciddered is the one of; Where does your will and streanth come from to do what you need to do?