The Castle
Everyone has beliefs, but unfortunately not everyone spends the time to examine their beliefs for validity or usefulness. I like to think of beliefs as windows in a thick-walled castle. You see, an infinite universe exists outside the castle, but you can’t see it all, you can only peek through the windows. And your beliefs are those windows that allow you to see what possibilities exist in the outside universe.
The problem is that we do not realize we are merely peeking and believe that all we see is all there is. And then we live our lives, make choices, and go our own ways based on these limiting beliefs, without realizing that a whole world exists outside our field of vision.
My Very Own Windows
I could argue there are no correct beliefs per se, there are only beliefs that empower us. The infinite nature of this universe means that anything is possible (correct) if you look at it, any belief can manifest if you hold it enough. Then, it seems of prime importance to notice our beliefs, examine them, and then attack the limiting ones.
Here are some of the major limiting beliefs I carry around – which I probably share with many of you – and possible retorts that make sense:
Work/Studying Is Boring
There has to be fun ways to work/study which I haven’t tried. I can optimize my work/study environment. I can ask for a change in my work conditions. I can try different jobs on the side.
Life Is Hard
(I like to think I got rid of this one, but I sometimes act as if it is true)
There is no proof to this. My life was easy at some point of time. If you do what you are capable of doing, life will be easy. If you know what you want, life is easy. Some people have succeeded with a relaxed attitude.
People Don’t Change
(Again, in the I Like To Think I Got Rid Of It camp)
It’s impossible that people don’t change. 🙂 I have seen people who have changed.
The Place I Live Determines The Capacity For My Success
I have seen people succeed everywhere. Different places have different rules for success.
I bet if I think harder I can come up with more “holes” in those beliefs, but there is no need to for now. A seed of suspicion is now firmly planted.
I think this can be a useful exercise… Why not try it? It doesn’t take much time.
A perfect ecosystem relies on the intricate balance of its components, meaning that these components have relationships among themselves that affect their existence/nonexistence but all contribute to the maintenance of the system. It stands to reason that there could be a similar system among humans, a human ecosystem if you will…
Hmm, but something about this analogy doesn’t sit well in my mind. Humans are conscious beings, unlike animals, whose nonconscious nature drives the system. How would it work for humans? Is there a set of actions that determines a particular result? Are there rules of this system that determine the optimal way to act for humans? Could humans consciously break the system somehow?
Could there be a global consciousness? A collective that lies underneath the surface. Could it be that this consciousness serves those who aim to expand it in a “if you help me, I’ll help you” kind of way? Could it be that when you aim to expand the human consciousness, you become so integral that the universe itself “goes out of its way” to secure your needs, physical and emotional.
Could this simply be God? Religion tells us that if we aim to improve the earth we live in, we will be rewarded by God.
The connections that exist between humans are obvious on some levels, mostly in the usual daily interactions that has to happen for life to go on. But I think there is an underlying connection or force that controls the results everybody gets in their lives.
When I see the world around me I think that we absolutely have to be connected, parts of bigger whole, our destinies tied to each other somehow, But there is no logical proof and that’s what drives me crazy. Maybe we should try to surrender ourselves to this idea and check the outcomes we receive in our lives…
I have been overweight ever since I can remember, the last time I weighed normal was probably back when I was an infant. (And yep, there are pictures to prove it, woohoo) You see, I was born a little underweight and my parents overcompensated and fed me quite well. I’ve come to own responsibility for my body since then.
So I keep reading and hearing about how I should accept myself with all my flaws, accept my body and the way I look. First, I believe that losing weight is not only about the way one looks, it is more importantly about one’s health. Therefore, each time I heard such a statement, the same question arose in my head…
How do I accept something, when I’m in fact trying to improve it?
And that question applied to anything I wanted to improve, not only weight. Doesn’t accepting mean settling? Resting on one’s laurels? How do I get motivated to change something I came to terms with? Isn’t that laziness in disguise?
Those are all wrong questions, because they are based on wrong definitions of the word “Acceptance.” Acceptance is not about liking your situation, no, it’s not about hating it either, it has a different meaning altogether…
One of the basic prerequisites of a good plan is knowledge of the current situation, because it enables you to make a clearheaded, realistic plan. A problem I often face when the current situation is “less than optimal” is denial; I cannot seem to acknowledge the simple truths behind whatever I’m going through.
Well, acceptance is the ultimate form of acknowledgement. It is a lack of attachment (positive or negative emotions). It frees the mind to think and plan. Acceptance is not a roadblock to growth, it is a requirement.
I accept my body the way it is, and I will change it for the better…
Strange times I’m going through, as I’ve seemingly lost motivation to do almost anything, yet I did not harbor any negative feelings. I’m enjoying life in the simplest way, much like toddlers proudly walking around their parents legs. Yesterday it struck that I’m not doing anything towards my supposed goals… There has to be a way to combine both elements; having goals and pursuing them shouldn’t feel sad, right?
We all need periods in life where we are merely free spirits, flowing with the river, going wherever it leads us. I guess the more the resistance you produce against the flow of life the sadder we are. I’ve struggled against the flow for a while now, and I might have wasted my biggest free-spirit experience (university), but I’m still young 😉 and still have a long journey ahead.
The ultimate shift would be to somehow alter the course of said river, so that my whole life is spent free-spiriting, wow… that’s even too big for me to imagine.
I have changed my blog’s layout and name… yay, or whatever 😉
Don’t know what to do with my JB and Qwaider Planet’s listings, has any of you changed their blog name before?
I have a weird feeling that I need to write something, but I can’t think of anything substantial. Strange feeling to have, for sure. Here’s some stuff I’ve been up to…
TedxRamallah was a decent event. I definitely liked the initiative, and I wasn’t able to sit for the whole thing, but I thought the speakers I heard were either underprepared or rambling. Looking forward to next year’s event though.
A somewhat funny story: Oroub Suboh, the host of TedxRamallah wanted to introduce the bloggers and tweeps covering the event; she passed the mic around for everybody to introduce himself. There was Ali, Ola, and some others, and then Kinzie. I was like: “Who on earth is Kinzie? Strange name, a foreigner, maybe?” and after five minutes it struck me: Kinzi, my treasure! Too bad I didn’t get to meet her.
The best speaker in my opinion was a Brazilian filmmaker who spoke, among other things, about why she chose to become a filmmaker. She said that narratives change people’s perspectives better than cold facts. I thought that was very interesting. She said it was backed up by research, but my five minute search on Google scholar came up empty. 🙂
Okay, you got enough of my wisdom already, enjoy 🙂
ذو العقل يشقى في النعيم بعقله وأخو الجهالة بالشقاوة ينعم
Roughly translated, he who has a mind griefs in heaven, and he who hasn’t enjoys his mindlessness… Now, doesn’t that explain everything?
Letting go of the past is one of the hardest things to do in my opinion. I think the passage of time can heal mistakes, but what I’m talking about is getting rid of the past in a quick and efficient manner, or as some would put it, be present.
I would commit a mistake, a rather costly one, but definitely not life or death, and I can’t function for a while. It is expected, but why not be present at all times?
The irony is that it has happened a lot to me lately (I’m on an error streak, lol!) and I always have this mini-breakdown afterwards.
I think if one believes that everything happens for the best, he can get over the past quickly, that’s a useful belief to have. 😉
Who would still be working? What does that mean? Is it reasonable to ask such a question in the first place?
Tagged by Samar, thanks for that… 🙂
1. If you blog anonymously, are you happy doing this? If you aren’t anonymous, do you wish you started out anonymously, so that you could be anonymous now?
Some people think they know me, but in reality, I could be Clark Kent, writing thoughts under the pen name Ehab.
A couple of my close friends know about the blog but probably don’t read it. And that’s why they’ll never find out my secret identity when I reveal it to all of you.
2. Describe an incident that shows your inner stubborn side.
I like to think I’m not stubborn, but then everybody thinks that.
3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror?
I see a man I try to cheer up.
4. What is your favourite summer cold drink?
You can’t beat an ice-cold tingling jolt of Pepsi, you know that fizzy sensation of a newly opened bottle in the back of your throat, how do you beat that? How can anyone not like Pepsi, other than for health reasons?
5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?
Surf the internet mainly, read something, go out with my friends, your typical stuff.
6. Is there something that you still want to accomplish in your life?
Sure there is, this never stops. I’m still young, so yeah, there is plenty to accomplish in my life. I’m looking forward, actually.
7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the shy person, or always ditching?
I was the typical top-of-the-class guy.
8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment in your life, what would you see?
Can’t think of any right now.
9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog, or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people and events?
Check it here.
10. If you had the choice to sit down and read a book or talk on the phone, which would you do and why?
Do I have to answer read a book? That seems like the trendy answer right now ;), but I would say neither, I don’t have the mood to read books or talk on the phone anymore.
magnifying glass 