I Had a Realization for a Better Perspective Today
Today I am going to be completely transparent with you. I hesitate to write this because I don't want to seem like I'm whining or looking for sympathy. Really, however, I think you might learn a thing or two from my experience here. Maybe you'll be able to relate or maybe you won't but either way I think what I'm going to say about my realization to find a better perspective will make the most sense to you with a bit of background story. I already talked about a good part of my last years journey here in my first post: https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@patrick-g/less-than-h1-greater-than-how-i-broke-free-from-my-corporate-gig-less-than-h1-greater-than
This morning I woke up after only four hours of sleep. I went to bed at 3:30 am because I had stayed up to read articles on Steemit in and tried to read more of the Steemit White Paper. Which to be honest with you is a very tough read for me. It's just so uninteresting. Don't get me wrong I want to learn how to make money on Steemit but I don't want to read 44 pages to do it. I'm trying to read a few pages a day until I have it all read.
When I went to bed I was exhausted and fell asleep right away. But then I awoke four hours later and laid in bed for another hour when I decided to get up and get started with researching a Webinar idea that has been rattling around in my head the last 2 weeks for my Guitar Lessons business.
As I got up to make coffee and start to meditate a feeling of dread came over my whole body and mind. It was a feeling that this is it; I've reached the end of the road.
You see, two weeks ago I hit a deer on my way home from Ubering and I have not had any income coming in since then because my car was in the autobody shop getting fixed. Plus, I have had 3 other minor accidents with my car while Ubering in the last year and I've been Ubering because my Guitar Lesson business has not generated enough income to live on so I had to do something while I send out resumes to corporations and recruiters who for the most part never get back to you and if you call them they tell you they will call you.
Then a thought came to me!
The truth is, whatever my current situation is... (and I was feeling miserable, unhappy and stressed this morning over the prospects of perhaps becoming homeless) it’s NOT because of my current situation.
The truth is I was feeling like this because of how I was thinking about the situation.
I realized that for today at least, I needed to tell myself that things will get better and that SOMEHOW my vision for my dream life will still be achieved, This made me feel happier.
It’s not the external situation that’s causing my suffering. It’s my thoughts about the situation that is causing my suffering.
My thoughts are causing my suffering!
So I stopped and said my“declaration” out loud...the one I created a year ago when I left my corporate gig.
The bottom line is that emotionally resisting what is going on in my life and fighting it in my mind by saying it shouldn’t be this way, or saying this is wrong won’t help me to think and figure out what I need to do next to get to where I want to go in life. In fact, it has the opposite effect on me. It slows me down and makes me feel lethargic and unable to think.
So I decided to work on my market research in Facebook and Twitter for what struggles other guitar players may be experiencing. I did that and I also read and wrote for Steemit.
What had been bothering me up to that point was my thought about "what if" and later in the week if things don't go like I'd like them to then I'm not going to like to call my Landlord, My Mom, My brother etc....
But right now, I can do something about it. Right now, there's no emergency. Just concentrate on what will get me to my goal and lets just work and think on that thing. Nothing else. This helped free me to get going in my work and stopped my anxiety completely for today.
Tomorrow I suspect I will need to repeat the process. But I also think it will be easier tomorrow because I already have planned what I need to do next.
Attitude is EVERYTHING!
You've inspired me to write my story in my next article... the miracles of why I'm not homeless, and my kids aren't starving. I very nearly was. I came to where I am with what I could fit in my tiny Saturn. I kept focused on resolutions rather than problems, and now I live in a nice house in a good neighborhood. I have furniture and a job, when before I had nothing. That was less than a year ago.
The secret? Attitude, being where my gut takes me and noticing opportunities. Making do with what I've got, not complaining.
In the words of Diedrich Uchtdorf, "Be happy anyway!"
Have faith @patrick-g. +ve thoughts will generate +ve action! Steem on and opportunities will always given to those who are ready!
Thank you @pinklee , I will have faith. And thank you for your faith also. :)
it's not what happens to you, but how you respond! good that you realized that Patrick..
on another note, do you think it's necessary to read the white paper to be successful on steemit (from what you've been reading from it so far?)
Well said!
Thank you @cristi , I appreciate that.....
On your white paper question, yes, I think it is and I have also been reading the Kindle book called Steemit 101. I've picked up a few tricks in there also. :)
TL;DR Why this post has a #cn tag?
@abit, I answered this question yesterday. So that my friends in China will see my posts. I admire your software work here on Steemit and your writings for other Chinese developers here on Steemit. There's a guy here on Steemit named @vertashare that also does software development. Perhaps you and he might team up on a project for Steemit, :)
昨天我回答了這個問題。所以，我在中國的朋友會看到我的帖子。我很佩服你在這裡工作的軟件上Steemit和您的著作為其他中國開發商在這裡Steemit 。有一個關於Steemit命名@vertashare也做軟件開發這裡的傢伙。也許你和他可能對Steemit項目組隊， :)
Your friend can follow you, which is easier to find your contents (after that feature is available in the website).
Maybe you should look at this post it might give some perspective. There are real people here on steemit that are truly suffering and struggling but they get no support at all! I have up-voted your post and good luck:-)I try and support as much as possible. Here is the link this guy really needs it! https://steemit.com/support/@virtashare/why-this-post-is-good-for-my-self-esteemit-ashamed-but-postingit
Thank you @bitminter, I like your username. Support given and will definitely continue to support. Thank you for sharing @vertashare's post and predicament. I will give a reshare of his story also.
Hi! This post has a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 8.5 and reading ease of 71%. This puts the writing level on par with Leo Tolstoy and David Foster Wallace.