To start changing our mindset, we need to recognize and feel our emotions, and accept and acknowledge where we are without blaming ourselves or someone else. Seeking help from professionals, friends, family, and other helpful sources can promote problem solving, alleviate discomfort, or encourage our motivation. Instead of underlining what we do not have or what we cannot do, we can practice gratitude for what we do have and pursue goals that are attainable, and acknowledge the progress and success we have made. Participating in activities that bring us joy and fulfillment, like hobbies, sports, art, or volunteering can also improve our mood and overall well-being. By challenging our negative thoughts and beliefs, and replacing them with positive thoughts and beliefs, we can maintain a positive mindset and attitude. Strategies like meditation and mindfulness can assist us in managing stress and anxiety and build our mental and emotional resilience.
Taking these steps allows us to take control of our health. We can identify our strengths and our capabilities and we can pursue our interests and goals. And we can tackle challenges and barriers and learn from our experiences and failures. We can form meaningful relationships with people who have similar values and vision. And we can create positive change in ourselves, for others, and in the world. We can lead a life worth living.
This clicked for me, so I began to analyze the people around me, which included my close friends, partner, and family. From a young age, especially post school, I have not believed in the concept of friendship, and there was a gradual beginning to that belief. I became increasingly lonely because of the disparities between myself and the people around me, despite understanding the fact that we are inherently different from others. It is difficult to maintain relationships with others when you feel different.
Intimate friendships can be difficult because they can constitute a support network, companionship and a common experience. Experiencing feelings of isolation and disconnectedness can happen even when surrounded by other people, sometimes it is a feeling of we don't fit in or belong. Feeling this way, I can recall plenty of occasions when experienced this with my ex-girlfriend, and it resonated with me. I eventually had to come to the conclusion that I couldn't find someone that cared for and would love me unless I started working on being a better person myself. This meant pushing myself, intentionally going the direction of least resistance, and willing to face critics and opposition to conformity. I relied on my not caring about what others thought, to see the value in the opportunity to self-develop and grow. Why? Because living in this world is a victory in itself; it's justified itself in so many ways. Although the world is not fair depending on your place of birth, or living, there is a reason for everything.
It doesn't matter if you're born in the first world or third world or if you're rich or poor, what we are all ultimately seeking is the same thing we are all searching for dopamine, that's right, dopamine- the chemical that floods our brain when we feel pleasure- when we accomplish something, receive a compliment, a smile or enjoy a nice meal. Dopamine is the reason we want to experience the things that we enjoy. It's what gives us purpose in life. It is what keeps us alive. The strange thing is that dopamine is unlimited. And true, not only the rich and privileged can have access to it. Dopamine is within us all, waiting to be unleashed it is the feeling of accomplishment when you work really hard to achieve a goal, that feeling you get when you are with your loved ones, the satisfaction of making a positive difference in someone else's life. Simply, it's the little moments that bring us joy, that support why we are here.
It may not be a nice thing to hear, but with that in mind, you have two choices: to continue to try and move forward or give up everything. But, if you decide to leave everything behind, you would end everything. You're no longer moving in any direction, or possibly the last step is the hardest; you will either look around and try to survive on your own, or die at a young age with no hope of returning. Unfortunately, this is a fact of life!
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The Path of Self-Discovery: Navigating Life's Complexities
SpiritualThis book is a memoir about the author's intimate experience of growth and self-discovery, including their experience of growing up in Tunisia and the uneasy personal realities that surrounded it. The book describes the author's experience moving fr...
