The snare of self sufficiency

THE SNARE OF SELF SUFFICIENCY

“You were birthed into this world alone so you shall die alone”. I personally do not like the message that this statement conveys. So many people are walking around carrying such a deadly mentality.  Whenever someone disappoints you in life that’s the very first thing a lot of people tend to say. They might think that it may console them to know that they are better off alone, but all that they are doing is opening up a pathway to loneliness and resentment which ultimately gives birth to bitterness. A bitter heart will eat at you with every breath you take and will kill any opportunity to experience the joy that life brings. I clearly grabbed your attention with such harsh descriptions. The good news though is that you alone are the author of your own reality programme, so allow me to steer you into a bitter-FREE heart.

Yes it is vital that you are fully aware of your own strengths that do not solely rely on other people. Don’t allow yourself to be so dependent on people that you even allow yourself to be discouraged by negative perceptions that people have about you, that could hinder your self growth. Build a foundation that is firmed upon positivity and confidence. Bearing all that in mind be careful though that you don’t find yourself trapped in a snare of self sufficiency. There is a reason why we live in a world with vast personalities. A reason why each individual possesses a different and unique talent. Your talent is your gift to the world and other peoples talents are meant to serve you in return. We were all assigned with a purpose to fulfil on earth. That very purpose will not only bring you great joy but when utilised to the core will also bring forth joy to those around you. 

Think about the following for a moment.  Where would well established performers or musicians show case their talents and performances if musical arenas did not exist? Would you have known of the skills of an architecture if beautifully designed arenas were never created? Most importantly what good is a musician if there is no audience? All these people have individual talents but they are of NO use if they work in isolation. Our talents and skills serve no purpose if we keep them all to ourselves. They were given to us to share with the world and in turn serve as a tool to bring out the best in other peoples talents.

We live in a world where everyone is so consumed and absorbed about their own lives. A world where people are busy chasing after success of which they believe is solely based on wealth. A world that is self destructing all because we are allowing ourselves to be consumed by the temporary things of this world, and in the process never take time to reflect on our own personal growth.  We allow our characters to be defined by material things and as we attain more material possessions we hibernate in isolation. We set ourselves apart from others because of “social class”. Oh how we have it all wrong....

A country, province, city, town and even a community is not made up of tall buildings or landscapes. It is defined by its customs, traditions and cultures all of which are created by the citizens of the country or members of a community. We as people were created to make use of things for daily survival but we are trapped in a snare where we allow things to consume and define us. Your neighbour could be dying and calling out for help and you would not even notice because you are too busy being stressed about your own problems; without even being aware that isolation is what drove you into a pit of stress. The secret behind a joyful life is the ability to give with a cheerful heart and receive with a grateful heart. Just stop for a moment, stop all the running around and abolish that “I am better alone” mentality and take time to reflect on where you come from and where you are now. Do not base it on material possessions but on your character instead. Learn to nourish your self growth. Leave the baby milk behind because all babies ever do is wait to be served. Start serving others and feeding your spirit solids. Solids of contentment, gratitude, patience and compassion which give birth to peace and joy. When you have inner peace you see life through an entirely different spectrum. You learn to see the beauty and potential in others. You strive to be significant, not only for your own selfish gains but to help and empower those around you. 

I am not in any way saying you must forget your own goals in life and to never allow yourself to be driven by ambition. You are of no purpose to others if you do not look out for yourself. You are also of no purpose to others if all you ever think about is yourself. Humility goes a long way. Always remember to accompany your values with any valuables you attain in life.

***Stay Blessed***

Greatness originates within you

GREATNESS ORIGINATES WITHIN YOU

 You were destined for greatness simply because you were born. The challenge however comes when one has to be true to themselves and their own capabilities and character traits. I deem this as a challenge because many say it but fail to live with the idea of contentment. We claim to be content with our current, social and economic wellbeing yet we are always comparing and measuring our success with the next person. The moment you become true to yourself a new era in your life will commence. This will in turn create an easily accessible path for greatness because it all originates within you.

How do I overcome this challenge you ask? Introspection is the starting point merged with complete honesty with yourself.  You may think how can I lie to myself about what I want that seems highly impossible. Truth is many people are living in a facade without even knowing it. Thinking they know who they are and what they are all about but their identity is actually defined and based on other people’s opinion.  They then start to believe it because of the praise that they receive. Humans seek validation which we obtain from our peers and society.  In the midst of all the praise we lose essence of our true identity. This is because the biggest mistake we make as people is that as we begin to introspect with ourselves we fear the outcome.   We often find that who we are and what we stand for sometimes does not correlate with society’s idea of what measures a truly great individual and we begin to align our true identity with such narrow minded beliefs that we seek praise instead of seeking our true identity.  Only you can define your own identity according to your own values, beliefs and morals, which is why honesty is such an important part of introspection.

The mind is a very powerful tool if exercised correctly.  We are all familiar with the saying “if the mind can achieve it surely the body can also achieve it”, many know it but very few apply that simple principle and yes it is a simple principle. The tongue is very sharp and is highly influential and gives us authority to speak and command greatness into any situation in our lives, be it good or bad. It all starts with the mind because thoughts transform into habits and habits become a way of life and control your everyday lifestyle. We often fear deeming ourselves as being great because we automatically fear the challenges that come about as we travel the greatness journey. Challenges are inevitable as they are not designed to discourage our capabilities, but rather to indicate to us that we have greater strength to conquer all odds.  They teach us perseverance and test how well we actually believe in ourselves and in our own abilities.  Embrace them because they nourish your hunger to succeed even more. Once the mind has seen the end result the body can withstand all obstacles till the finish line. It will give you that added drive to actually stay at the top and in the process remain influential to those around you by being a success story.

Greatness is being above average and being exceptional at what you do. We were all destined for greatness but it all begins with you and how you renew your mind to tapping into your own greatness. It all begins with being true and defining your own identity so you can reach and take the greatness in you to exceptional heights. Remember to live each day as if your life depends on you leaving a legacy.