Lessons I've Been Learning
The past couple years, I've been really wising up.
1.) Not every issue or obstacle has to be a battle. Its that age old attage (SP?) pick your battles wisely. I use to fight EVERYTHING. If someone came at me with a hint of opposition, I took it as a personal attack and would fight it to the bitter end. All it ended up doing was causing more problems or making things worse, if I just would have kept my mouth shut or backed off. I used to think that tactic of backing off, was just being weak or a pussy or something... but now i look back as it was effort wasted. Sometimes the hardest challenges in life are accepting your defeat and moving on, especially when you can still walk away with sum damn dignity.
2.) Planning for the future can be a real pain in the ass and sometimes seem like some real anal shit. I'm almost 30 and I realize I will never have a future, unless I come up with a game plan. I used to think all that shit my dad used to lecture with me; learn to save money, think ahead now and all that shit... was some of the most annoying lectures I'd ever heard. He is right, as always. haha
3.) My life has been a real blessing up to this point, even the hard times. But even my hard times can never match up to someone who's been threw some real shit. I've had a pretty easy life so far, i'm fortunate. Therefor I've learned that up to know, any stress i've ever dealt with...was all self-induced. I don't have to be stressed out, unless I allow myself to be. I came across this revelation on this deployment. Its all power of the mind really. I've always hated that hippy fuckin self-help type shit, but our mental power is some pretty strong shit, if we use it right. We have alot of potential, so why bog it down with unncessary shit.
4.) Complaining just gets old. I've grown to not only get sick of hearing people bitch and gripe, but I begin to wonder that when i bitch and moan, fuck...i must sound like those bitches. I gotta stop complaining about piddly shit.
5.) Being self-aware. I used to watch the news like everyday, especially keeping up on politics. Shit used to anger me so much. I would get so frustrated and overwhelmed with the worlds problems. Now that I've been out here, seen some shit and seen how the rest of the world operates. Its literally coming full circle. I used to be so caged up and the tv was my source of "world" view. What a narrow scope that is. Seeing the world, traveling not only opens you up... but really shows you how alot of stuff i saw before, was complete bullshit. The best way to view the world, is thru your own eyes..not someone else's experiences. I would be willing to bet that most people base 90% of their opinions and experiences off 2nd-hand information...not their own. How sad is that. And I'm not saying that I'm some holy fuckin Mr. Know-it-all. What i'm realizing is that my life is easier by relying on my own experiences and not being consumed with someone else's story. I turn the tv off.... its like weight lifted off my shoulders.
All in all, I've adapted alot in the past couple years and learned to easy off a bit. And some would say "well your just a welcome mat for the man to step all over you." Which might be true. But somethings you just can't change. Some problems and some obstacles are alot like "people"...you can't change them. If you can accept them, yet keep your convictions and learn from it..and move on to be a better human being... then how was that a failure? Thats how i see it.
And life seems to just get easier.
chris xsargex
1.) Not every issue or obstacle has to be a battle. Its that age old attage (SP?) pick your battles wisely. I use to fight EVERYTHING. If someone came at me with a hint of opposition, I took it as a personal attack and would fight it to the bitter end. All it ended up doing was causing more problems or making things worse, if I just would have kept my mouth shut or backed off. I used to think that tactic of backing off, was just being weak or a pussy or something... but now i look back as it was effort wasted. Sometimes the hardest challenges in life are accepting your defeat and moving on, especially when you can still walk away with sum damn dignity.
2.) Planning for the future can be a real pain in the ass and sometimes seem like some real anal shit. I'm almost 30 and I realize I will never have a future, unless I come up with a game plan. I used to think all that shit my dad used to lecture with me; learn to save money, think ahead now and all that shit... was some of the most annoying lectures I'd ever heard. He is right, as always. haha
3.) My life has been a real blessing up to this point, even the hard times. But even my hard times can never match up to someone who's been threw some real shit. I've had a pretty easy life so far, i'm fortunate. Therefor I've learned that up to know, any stress i've ever dealt with...was all self-induced. I don't have to be stressed out, unless I allow myself to be. I came across this revelation on this deployment. Its all power of the mind really. I've always hated that hippy fuckin self-help type shit, but our mental power is some pretty strong shit, if we use it right. We have alot of potential, so why bog it down with unncessary shit.
4.) Complaining just gets old. I've grown to not only get sick of hearing people bitch and gripe, but I begin to wonder that when i bitch and moan, fuck...i must sound like those bitches. I gotta stop complaining about piddly shit.
5.) Being self-aware. I used to watch the news like everyday, especially keeping up on politics. Shit used to anger me so much. I would get so frustrated and overwhelmed with the worlds problems. Now that I've been out here, seen some shit and seen how the rest of the world operates. Its literally coming full circle. I used to be so caged up and the tv was my source of "world" view. What a narrow scope that is. Seeing the world, traveling not only opens you up... but really shows you how alot of stuff i saw before, was complete bullshit. The best way to view the world, is thru your own eyes..not someone else's experiences. I would be willing to bet that most people base 90% of their opinions and experiences off 2nd-hand information...not their own. How sad is that. And I'm not saying that I'm some holy fuckin Mr. Know-it-all. What i'm realizing is that my life is easier by relying on my own experiences and not being consumed with someone else's story. I turn the tv off.... its like weight lifted off my shoulders.
All in all, I've adapted alot in the past couple years and learned to easy off a bit. And some would say "well your just a welcome mat for the man to step all over you." Which might be true. But somethings you just can't change. Some problems and some obstacles are alot like "people"...you can't change them. If you can accept them, yet keep your convictions and learn from it..and move on to be a better human being... then how was that a failure? Thats how i see it.
And life seems to just get easier.
chris xsargex