Have you ever looked at a mirror and asked yourself a question "Who am I?" What part of me is here because I want it to be and what is here because I inherited it, learned it from my surroundings or am copying it from others without realizing. I had a busy week and have not been on steemit for a couple of days, a lot of things happened and a lot them challenged my zen and my philosophy of happiness. They survived, I am happy and kicking or at least I am trying to and that stands for something too. There will always be ups and downs and the only thing that matters is how we deal with them. It is easy to be happy when everything is going fine and dandy, it is easy to talk about positivity when you do not have any problems to face. Our mindset gets a run for its money when not everything is going as perfect as we would want it to go. My friend lost her husband, he died of a stroke and I helped her and her children move to a new house. My father went to an open heart surgery and is still in the hospital and to top it all off, my best friend just phoned me and informed me that her daughter age 15 tried to kill herself and is now in hospital. Hurray. Did someone say that some planet was in retrograde or something? Yeah, I love when that s*it gets in retrograde...

You could blame your parents, you could even blame the world we live in and the media that bombards you with all the negativity. Maybe your teachers were bad and your childhood friend who said that mean thing to you when he did and it scarred you for life. But you know what? Those are excuses, always have been and always will be. Yes, you can not control everything to the extent that you would want to and maybe some bad things did happen to you but you are the one who decides how much power is going to be in those things and how much will you hold in your hands. You are you. You are everything that is you. You are your thoughts and your actions, you are even your taking of responsibility for you and your life. I know it is easier to blame others. I know it is easier to resent and sit with your hands crossed saying how life is just not fair but what good does that bring you? Are you happy with that kind of mindset? Are you satisfied?

If you are not satisfied with where you are, leave, you are not a tree. Get up and leave. If you are not satisfied with who you are, change. Yes, that is possible and highly probable but only if you decide it to be. When you are stuck in your old patterns of denial or even worse, acceptance of your flaws with no wish or will for change, you will remain like that. Do not whine. Either change your situation for better or keep it the way it is and shut up. Do not whine about it.

I have my ups and downs when it comes to whiners. Sometimes I can deal with them better and listen to them for hours and sometimes I can not. Maybe my patience varies depending on the Moon phase, my menstrual cycle or it depends solely on the amount of caffeine and chocolate running through my systems. I am not certain which of it is, but it does not matter anyway. I have good days and bad days when it comes to dealing with people, just like everyone else. There was a time when stupidity was something that I could not deal with, it irritated me enormously but nowadays whining and weakness are my triggers.

There lies a great strength and power in you, it is not even hidden. You can reach it whenever you want and use it. There is no big secret or conspiracy, you are capable enough to be all that you want to be. You have it in you. We all do. The question is, are you BRAVE enough to use it. It is easier to look at life instead of living it. It is easier to sit on your couch and whine instead of getting up and actually doing something but you CAN do it. It is all about you and your attitude. If you convince yourself that you are incapable and that you are unable to change your life then you will not change it. It is simple as that. It is ONLY up to you.

You will get scared sometimes, that is normal. We all get scared when facing change, those are just your stubborn synapses informing you that you are in a new situation. Unknown is always scary but that scary part is over as soon as it becomes known and stops being new and unfamiliar. Sometimes there is nothing to fear but the fear itself but Zig Ziglar explained the feeling of fear the best:

No one can live your life for you and no one can make your decisions for you, not your parents, not your friends and definitely not the media. If you want your life to be different, live it differently. If you want your thoughts to change, think in a different way. If and when that does not work, change it again. This is trial and error type of thing and there is no guarantee that you will magically be a new person tomorrow. You will not. Life is about learning and personal growth, strive to be better, you already are perfect. You are perfect at this moment and for this moment because everything that you have experienced has led you here. You are perfect. That just does not have anything to do with your happiness. Your perfection is in your ability to be aware that you are not perfect when comparing yourself to others but by comparing your today you with your yesterday you.

When I talk to people who are facing great challenges in their lives and dealing with big problems and see positivity in them, my heart expands and my faith in humanity is restored. Some of the people I know are experiencing some great troubles but they are still keeping their smiles on, they are showing strength, power and courage. I am proud of them and I am proud of you whenever you put a smile on your face. You are made of stardust kid, do you know that? Do you know that you are a divine being capable of amazing things and that you have it in you to be the best possible version of yourself you could be? You do. You do have all that it takes. Take responsibility, take control of your life and smile no matter what. See, hear, taste, touch, smell and feel the greatness of this world. There is still so much that you can do. You are the one who is setting the limits, no one else. You are good enough and you are capable enough. You are loved.