When Mind Over Matter Grows Cold

I stand amazed at the power of our human minds. A series of tightly coiled cells has the power to create, innovate, and collaborate with new ideas, concepts traditions, skills talents and abilities. Building, expanding and creating progress in a world that’s constantly moving forward. An elaborate machine so complex, not even the most brilliant psychologists, biologists, and medical professionals can truly diagnose everything within it. Countless neurons, and chemical pathways that meticulously define our thoughts, choices and actions, at impossible rates of speed.

Yet sadly, and unfortunately enough, that same organ that has the ability to create all these beautiful things, and solve questions that have no direct answer, can be self destructive in the same manner. The doubt, the fears, the lies and the controlling deceptions that tear dreams and aspirations apart, all are mangled in the same lobes of the brain. Fostered by the framework of a world where we would rather deny to truth, just to fabricate a self gratifying lie, that you are satisfied with your current state of being.

Unfortunately this has lead to a counter culture surrounded by the ideology that you are preordained to fight the struggles of life alone. The belief that you are better off to face your battles in isolation, because it would be a sign of weakness, and inability to search for help, to cry out in uncertainty, to be honest with yourself. The fact that you mask your true self because you fear acceptance, and would rather live for a faulty approval of a faked identity, than have people know the real you.

Being kept up at night with the inhibitions and plan to break out of the cycle, but then being languid and reserved when it comes to being put into action.

The world we find ourselves in seems hopeless, preconditioned, frustrated, and stagnant.

Why is this?

In countless movies, we hear that it is all mind over matter, and that the biggest enemy is our own doubts, and that we are only as good as we believe we are. This is the doctrine and plotline for nearly every D.C. and Marvel film, yet in our own lives, without fabricated explosions, and computer generated images we can’t seem to accept these reoccurring themes as truth. Captain America just truly doesn't understand someone's day to day battles.

Maybe it yields from the fact that we would rather formulate a false identity, to fit into a fake world, than we would of being found out for who we really are.

Sam Eldredge, in Killing Lions, so eloquently states “We cannot live beyond the way we see ourselves.” This meaning that we are restricted in our accomplishments and abilities, only by the barriers that we set up ourselves. That complex set of cells and tissues in your brains that can create endless possibilities and solve seemingly impossible questions, also can be the obstacle that prevents you from chasing those dreams. That ignorance and accusations create boundaries, and eliminate forwards progress in all means of progressive and humanistic communication. Our perceptions of the world around us and the self reflective identity we create will determine the person we become. The past experiences, and events are no longer a justification to stay in a current state of being, but rather should become incentive to not allow a previous state of circumstances determine what is possible. We are told step up, or step out, but rarely find ourselves confident enough to do so.

We live in society that doesn’t particularly approve of second chances. But this doesn't have to be the determining factor that undermines our successes. Yes we should step up, but we don't have to walk that journey alone. We have to surround ourselves with similar minds who find joy and satisfaction in intentional actions, who aren't phased by challenges but rather are invigorated by an open heart of adventure. Who have high expectations, maintain accountability, and only expect the best from you.

Our brains are brilliant machines, but sometimes we need support from like minded individuals to unlock the true potential we have woven inside the various lobes and vessels.

At the end of the day, what is going to dictate who you are?

The person who the world says you should be, or the person who you believe you were destined to be?

-Nick