Sometimes, as feeling human beings, we feel a significant sadness weighing in our chest, inexplicably. It certainly seems as though some are more prone to this sadness than others, and when frequently visited by it, the clarity of peace is obscured, leading us to dull ourselves.
Although it’s okay to feel sad, when it becomes intense and cumbersome, there are ways to work with yourself in order to overcome the heavy feelings. Continue reading “Conquering the Great Big Sadness”
Hey there, it’s your inner victim speaking, and I was just wondering if we could have a quick word. It’ll only take a moment! I have something I need to get off my chest! Oh, you… You mean you didn’t know you had an inner victim? Funny thing about that, I’ve been kind of living here the past couple decades…
You should probably listen to what he has to say. I mean, whether you wanted to or not, you’ve been subconsciously listening to his whispers all this time. Oh yeah, everyone has an inner victim. Continue reading “Victim Vacancy”
When I perceived a customer being rude to me at work, I used to immediately rant to my co-workers about the alleged wrongdoer. “All I asked them was ‘how’s your day?’ and they gave me such an annoyed look and just replied, ‘Coffee.’ Sorry to bother you by doing my job at the restaurant you just voluntarily walked into!” Sometimes, the customer continued to be rude, and it was a long saga of dealing with them time and time again throughout their dining experience. Other times, though–and what turned out to be most times–, really nothing else “bad” would happen that would justify venting about; maybe the customer would be short with me again, but I’d be foolish to expect–at this point–that every single person in the world is over the top with niceties, and to continue to get bent out of shape over meaningless interactions.
There’s this scene in the Lion King, more than halfway through the movie, where Rafiki and Simba are speaking, and Rafiki randomly whacks Simba upside the head with his stick, and Simba asks, “What was that for?” Rafiki replies, “It doesn’t matter! It’s in the past! …Oh yes, the past can hurt, but the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.”
As a kid, this scene didn’t necessarily speak to me. I considered it “the nighttime scene with the monkey” between all the big action; it wasn’t until I remember my dad quoting it to me during my childhood that I ever considered what Rafiki was saying. As an adult, I see that Rafiki’s message touches on something we all tend to forget.
Do you love yourself?
I should probably give you a moment to reflect on this question. No one’s watching, so take as long as you need. Do you love yourself? Do you love who you are emotionally, spiritually, physically? Do you love waking up in the morning being you, do you love the actions you take throughout the day, the way you handle the issues in your life, the way you experience your life?
I often think to myself, If something isn’t working out for you, either change the situation or change your perspective. Let’s say, for example, that I’m a person who loathes my job. I work at a meaningless part-time job, and I begin to resent my work. Every day I show up, I anticipate all the horrible inconveniences I will have to deal with. I know my boss will be in a bad mood, I know the customers will treat me like garbage, and I know that the work I do will have no effect on anyone’s lives. No one will look back on this day and think, “Wow, the way that cashier said, ‘Your total is $4.22’ was really inspiring to me.” So I go into work and–just as I knew would happen–I have a lousy day.
I’ve been an alumni for about three months now (sorry, I just love saying it so much. I paid my dues and now I’m going to brag about it for the rest of my life. If I’m clever, I can finesse it so I won’t have to do anything noteworthy anymore and just coast off the success of graduating). In my three months of alumni-ship, I’ve thought a lot about self-motivation and keeping yourself in check post-college.
Slanted Spines 