How We Are Protected By Light

Freedom comes at a cost

All the time

Nothing comes free I guess

Not just when it comes to money

Prices have to be paid

Sacrifices have to be made

Hard work has to be put it

The world is hard

And I'm no bard

To see that the price of light

Is to constantly fight

Yet at other times we should just let go

Let things flow

At other times we have to battle

The things that aren't natural, or in sync within us

Some are caught in an eternal struggle between light and dark

And I keep on praying, for that lonely tiny spark

To hit my mind, although it unfortunately hits a few

Just for that distant hope, of living life anew

We fight or die

We sacrifice or lose

We let go or suffer

Let go, to let the angels have you protected, buffered

Why Despite Everything, It's Still A Beautiful World

Today was crappy

It always had been for some time

I've been walking alone 

I try to make friends, but everyone looks at me with that look

As though I don't belong there

Or maybe it's just me

Who can't make friends

Sometimes wishing life would end

Can't hold a conversation for that long

Even if I did, I'd be talking irrelevant things

Maybe one shouldn't even seek out friends

Maybe some people were meant to be alone

Because sometimes even when we try

We don't know what to say

Or how to say it

Everyone making small talk

I usually talk deep

Bringing discomfort to those around me

People think I'm crazy

And stupid

And lame and idiotic

But despite all of that

Despite the fact I'm currently alone

This world had always been beautiful
And it will continue to be so
Despite all the sorrows
Beauty never dies
It's there
Waiting to be witnessed
We have to keep our eyes wide awake
To all the pleasures and beauties the Earth has in store
It never fades
The only thing that would fade, is your perception
So stay awake, and embrace the brighter side of the world

Why ISIS Does Not Fathom Peace

ISIS brings spirits a demise

To see how dark the world can get

Removing composure from eyes

To see how some minds can be set

They fight for something they believe in

Not knowing the joke is on them

Thinking they're doing Islam a favor

When they're really just destroying it

If only one could talk sense to them

Tell them that what they're doing is wrong

Yet that would be totally foolish

As they won't stop singing war songs

They're not willing to open their minds

Millions of Muslims don't condone their actions

They feel so completely and direly bad

It seems that there's nothing modest Muslims can do

To a world gone so sad and mad

We'll never know for sure

What the driving force really is

Some videos and reports say

That it's a result of the power hungry leaders

Who are performing intricate black magic

To brainwash and whitewash young minds

Yet we'll never know for sure

The answers aren't clear

Everything about ISIS is a blur

And so hearts are filled with fear

Truly the joke was on them

Yet they see it not

People just want to get on with their lives

Yet some people would kill for power

And that's why they fight and strive

And even if we stood atop a high tower

Calling them to stop, it seems that they won't

And so the world descends into a whirl of chaos

Although saints and heralds would call for love

Those whose hearts and spirits that are made of

Purity and simplicity, ISIS would heed them not

For surely some minds get so strained, they begin to rot

From all the poverty, yet that will never justify

Why so many have to tragically die

If only there's something we can do

To inspire upon such regions the meaning of peace

Yet it all seems fruitless, and down a cycle we go

And the end to all this, is something we'll never know

Surely all we need, is a positive and enlightened change

To somehow throw ourselves into a newer reality and age

Where peace, love and empathy into our hearts is filled

Where people all over can live happily, and not have to be killed

We Are Capable Of Infinite Patience And Strength

The hardships go on, all through the days

Emotions flow all the time, left to right

We try to find purpose, then all seems to fade

Fade before the sorrows which life has filled us in

And then we search for answers, although the answers were simple

Usually the complex answers don't carry meaning

We seek the omens of those who lived before

To hear what they said, to better improve our lives

Although the answer always lay within, in our core

And surely, all of us will have the chance to soar

For even within Hell, one has the chance for redemption

For God always gives a chance, but why?

Because hope never dies

It's lit as a fire that rests in us

It keeps us alive with every passing day

It exists in the words that we always say

And surely there was a power when one prays

To be able to shun all the darkness far away

For within us all exists a persistence so supreme

It battles through everything, no matter what

And surely such a gift, which surely has no measure or length

Exists within that infinite capacity within us all, for patience and strength

Armageddon

The world's a breeze

We try to take it with ease

Yet the darkness within does release

And we may never know the meaning of peace

From the depths of Earth we ask for more

More of serenity, yet there are wars

Which go on and on until we all die

And then all children and women do cry

And so the misery goes on, and even God above

May very well weep, witnessing a world devoid of love

Yet still it goes on, never will we know harmony

Even though the one main prize is that of tranquility

Soon enough the Armageddon will consume us all

And from there will God give his final call

And surely, the only way for all of this to end

Is to make the entirety of humanity, our dearest friend

Why Thinking About Politics/The World Is Pointless

Worrying about the world's affairs is completely useless. It's all for nothing really. We go about worrying about every little political aspect of the world, and no matter what we do, nothing will really happen. The agenda of the world is not for us to choose. Not to be a pessimist, but as the world (seems) to be descending towards chaos, all we can really do is try to enjoy life itself. 

We can go about thinking about every little thing. "Oh My God, ISIS is going to screw up the world." "For heaven's sake, the situation between Russia and USA is getting worse by the day." We can sit alone at night, wondering how it'll all play out, that's true. But, can we sit around wondering what we can do about it? No. Basically, if one doesn't have that needed power, there's no need to think about anything beyond one's control. If one keeps doing that, he'll only lead himself to further negative thinking. And honestly, I've had my share of negative thinking. And after all the assumptions and realizations I've had about the world, I really don't care anymore. It's not the idea of being nihilistic, but rather of acceptance. 

Okay, ISIS is messing things up. What are we going to do? Stand up atop a pedestal of fate and shout out to them, "Hey! What?! Please, chill out. There's no need for world conquest. People just want to get on with their lives." Unfortunately, the world is losing understanding more by the day. So trying to use understanding is like trying to construct an artistic masterpiece with no tools. I say, let it slide. 

Maybe the only thing we can so is hold on to prayer. And in prayer, one needs to learn to perform action as well. Prayer is action; or, prayer is words based on action. We just carry on through this breeze of life, knowing that maybe the dream of people like Bob Marley will play out. I don't know. The main problems that are caused by the world, and in my own life, is that sometimes we take things too seriously. When that happens, people develop these over exaggerated dreams about the future, thinking that they know exactly what the world needs. And thus is the case with ISIS. 

Trying to solve the world's problems is like trying to build a hotel by the use of only your hands. We need other people to do the job. Basically thinking about how the world is or isn't going to end or go to disaster, is pointless. Who knows? Maybe just our presence, of being happy, relaxed, and optimistic, will somehow alter the divine structure of the Earth's magnetic field to the world's favor. And for people who are wondering about what the hell that means, there are many, many sources of knowledge and information, pointing out to the fact that we are all, somehow and in some way, connected. 

People who assumed that they were able to solve the world's problems, decided that they needed to construct a Utopian world, where everyone always lives in peace. Unfortunately, the dark side to such an equation would be that all those who don't abide by the rules of such a 'Utopian' system would die in the most gruesome ways possible. Everything goes on completely well in such a world, and everyone appears as an angel, until someone breaks a single rule. And then everyone turns into a non relenting demons. 

Politics keep changing. It's like a grocery store. Everyday, there is a new batch of vegetables. One day things may going to complete disaster, and the next, the leaders get along like in fairy tales.

It's not being selfish to not care about the world. It's being realistic. It's being normal. Just care about how you can achieve a better life. It's not apathy. Again, it's acceptance. For so many nights of my life, I wondered how I can solve things. But all that was really happening, was that I was thinking while staring at the ceiling at night. Life is too short to be dreaming of doing things we can't do. 

Even though love is the only solution to everything, evil will always exist. Even though the entire world was filled with love, it takes one evil man to mess everything up. And although we all wanted a world filled with love, everyone who preaches love ends up shot in an alley way. So just spread love in whatever ways you can, but don't go out trying to change things. Just love your family and friends, and that's all that really matters. 

In short, the evil in the world will never be eradicated. It has existed since the dawn of mankind, and before it. So all we can learn to do is deal with it. We carry on, doing whatever good we can, and whatever we can't do, we throw out the window. Keeping a filter in the brain is important. Throw out the garbage, and keep in the needful. Keep what we can actually use. Throw out what is out of our control. 

Of course, we can raise awareness. We can let people know what's going on. But we can't make judgments about what the world needs. If we have this idea of how the world should be, there will always be at least one person who would throw what we said in the trash. On the other hand, we can be politicians, and try to pull strings here and there. But being a politician is a long process which needs to meet certain standards. Not everyone can be a politician, and thus, not everyone can alter things. Basically, being negative is dreaming about doing and achieving things which can't be done. Who knows? Maybe we can do it. But, that'll only happen on a small scale. Usually, negativity comes upon someone who dreams of being in world he isn't in. And, when he/she tries to achieve that wanted world, and ends up failing a kazillion times, that leads to further negativity. Being positive is realizing one's limits. We should go out and experience the world. We can't go on thinking about how it should be. We should live it. 

How To Conquer OCD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can be conquered. I personally have. For a very long time, it had ruined my life. And when I say that, I really mean it. But as time passed, I've learned to gain a complete grip on it. Before I say how I did it, I want to share what I believe OCD is.

I believe that OCD is nothing more than a control mechanism. All it means is that our brains are moving so fast and wildly, that some part of the brain needs to control it, through some mechanism. When all the parts of our brain are shooting so rapidly in thousands of places, without us being prepared for such movement, the brain starts to develop 'what-if' statements to place such activity in a cage. I have come to learn that, despite conventional belief, that OCD is there to PROTECT us. I have a major feeling that if the OCD was just taken away from us, we'd probably be diagnosed with schizophrenia.

There were several articles I read a while back that stated that: OCD and schizophrenia have very similar brain activity. If you want you can Google "Similarities between OCD and Schizophrenia", and you'll find so many websites pointing to the same fact. Now, I know it's hard to believe this at first, but it makes so much sense to me. OCD is just the brain's way of protecting us from having no control of our brains, leading to schizophrenic/psychotic episodes. Think about it. Whenever we give in to the compulsion, we get this feeling of relaxation within our brains. It's this sudden feeling of relief. Why is that though? Why? Is it because initially our brains were swaying around in a schizo-like manner, and then it needed some sort of control mechanism to calm it down? Who knows?! Maybe OCD was there to protect us! But even though there is that possibility, that doesn't change the fact that OCD still SUCKS, BIG TIME!

It is true that Psychiatrists and Psychologists are men and women of good hearts, and are willing to do what it takes to help you. But at the end of the day, they don't have first hand experience. One needs to go into the mind of an OCD sufferer to truly understand what it means. It seems that OCD almost takes away one's free will! There are so many things we wish to do in life, but it always takes such things away from us. And from such misery, we drown further and further down into a completely voided life. I know it's hard, and that it drains all the life in you. However, there are ways to deal with it. There is no such thing as a cure or 'full remedy'. But there are ways to deal with it. All over the planet, everyone seems to be dealing with this one little thing, or one big thing, that they just can't get rid of. To you, it's OCD, but to them, it's something else. Everyone has their personal curse. Yet we were made not only to survive, but to learn how to cope.

Since OCD is a control mechanism, how do we deal with it? WE GO OUT OF CONTROL! And when I say that, I don't mean that we literally go crazy and start breaking the first thing we see. No. What I mean is that we do things in an extravagant manner. When in the car, listen to very loud music. When you walk around, keep your eyes alert, scanning everything and maintaining wild eyes. When we jog, instead of running at a low pace, run as fast as hell. When you go out with friends, go to places you've never been before. Expand you experiences. If you have a punching bag at home, punch it and punch it until you feel your knuckles go numb. If OCD is there to control our brains from not going crazy, then go crazy one bout at a time. OCD is your friend. It's telling you, "John Doe, I know that I suck. But if you measure the lesser of two evils, I am there to protect you." So if you'd ever want to relieve yourself from OCD, you have to exceed the limits of the things you do. It's not about going crazy and wild all the time. It's only about letting your mind free, by doing new things everyday, and exceeding the limits in the things you do, even though you do so only in certain hours of the day.

So basically the solution is this: Find HEALTHY ways to go out of control. You can't go out of control by causing emotional harm to those you love. If you paint: Go into a room, get a large poster, and go wild by throwing random colors on the poster. A long time ago, in the days of barbarity, people used to use this excess energy in the mind to run away from and hunt animals. Who knows? Maybe if we were back in those times, we would've been pretty decent hunters! But that doesn't change the fact that we live in an era with excess technology and relaxation from the dangers of beasts. Thus, we have to find channels, or methods, with which to allow this wild side within us to be expressed.

At the end of the day, we can't put all our hopes on the traditional methods to treat OCD. We need to find our own ways, because everyone is different. What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. Every single day, we learn new ways to cope. It's not easy at all. Sometimes with OCD, you begin to feel as though everything is a dream of some sort, because when the suffering gets so immense, our grip on reality somewhat lessens. Finding new ways to cope is a personal thing. Each OCD sufferer has to find his own techniques that would give him that grip on OCD. I wish I could say I found a cure, but I haven't. I believe OCD is far too complex to be dealt with by a certain antidote. Who knows, maybe you can use OCD to your advantage. Since we are SO persistent in fulfilling those compulsions, we can use that quality of persistence on something else productive. Although, it doesn't change the fact that it totally sucks. The way I dealt with it, is by trying to push the limits of everything. I don't mean breaking the law or harming others. I mean doing NORMAL things extravagantly, because the more you allow life experiences to be embraced, the more neural connections we would form. And when that happens, our brains reprogram themselves. 

The method I gave of 'going crazy one small bout at a time' is merely a philosophy. And I believe that philosophies define the core root of our psyching. If we are able to change our philosophy on life, then we can also change the working of our mind. Who knows? Maybe the 'philosophy' I mentioned above may not work for you. Maybe you'd need to find another one. The one that works for you may be hard to find (which means that nothing is certain. Although, you must learn to deal with uncertainty!). Sometimes you can find the right philosophy in a great book, or from a life experience. We have to keep seeking for that peace we crave. It takes a lot of hard work, but in the end, if you stick to your plan, it'll work out. 

How To Deal With ISIS Ideology

The only thing we can do in such times, is remain strong; stronger than we can ever imagine. Especially with this ISIS ordeal, and whatever is going on between USA and Russia. I have no idea how things will play out. Yet truth and light always prevail. It's like a cycle. Darkness comes, then light does. And it goes on to repeat again and again. Although, if we face this darkness together, we can see this through. 

What drives ISIS? They just want to destroy. It's simple. When they endure so much poverty, the only thing left to hold on to is religion. And when they do that, they grip on to it more and more firmly, holding it to be beyond ultimate truth, thus forming clans and cults in order to spread their realm of influence. Sometimes when people don't have anything, instead of building, they want to destroy, and that is the case of ISIS. The actions necessary aren't exclusive to destroying ISIS physically. The Middle East needs an ideological revolution. In other words:

The Middle East needs TONS of schools of thought on Islam. 

People ARE what they think. And thoughts come from books. You probably have at LEAST read 10 books, or 20, ranging from several different topics. However, in the case of ISIS members, all of their thoughts come from a single holy book! And even more than that, all the other books they read are BASED on that holy book, the Koran. There needs to be variance in the thoughts that are introduced to Middle Eastern culture. Although unfortunately, the Bible and the Torah are banned over there, and there is unbelievable censorship of just about any topic critical of Islam. The only way for minds to flourish is by being introduced to newer thoughts everyday.

Here's the problem though. All the thoughts being introduced about Islam stem from the religious figures and leaders. And those leaders get their thoughts from particular university and scholarly sources. And the narrow of focus goes narrower and narrower. Until we reach the Muftis, whose word about the constructs of Islam are considered to be fully true. Besides them, we ought to think of Al Azhar University, which writes most of the books in children's educational system. Unless we go back to such roots, and convince them to reiterate their religious discourse, as President Sisi of Egypt suggests, then the Arab world will never progress.

It's simple. The only way to see clear into reality, is to allow thoughts from different sources reach the mind of the future generation of the Middle East. And thankfully, this is what the internet is doing. Although to many of the high religious leaders, they consider the internet to be a very evil place; as it is, in a certain way, raising doubts in future Muslim generations, regarding to non good ideas spread about Islam. Yet even though it may be painful to them, it may be necessary. The world can't be going down the same road forever.

Yet such a change may never happen. Why? Because change is the scariest thing to the East. Certainty is the one thing keeping them in the realm of sanity and comfort. The whole mindset of a chaos theorist is extremely hard for someone raised in a type of surrounding that would breed destructive cults such as Boko Haram and ISIS. It's ALL they know. It's like trying to rewrite mathematical equations to their minds. It takes a lot of work. Yet if we'd offer ISIS members solutions with the mindset of understanding, it won't work; because they have lost understanding. The only way for things to change, is for voices WITHIN the tribe of the East, speak out from the top of their lungs. 

No matter how much people in the West try to solve such issues, their efforts won't really work. It's because conspiracy theorists will keep claiming that there is some sort of plot behind the media and the thoughts it introduces. The opposing voice has to come from within the tribe. People from the East need to speak up against this darkness. Yet even though they'd wish to, and I'm sure that many do, they won't. Why? Because they are completely terrified. They are fully petrified. It's because the fear factor is extremely strong when it comes to being critical of Islam. And thus the cycle continues. The only way to break it, as I said, is for voices within the tribe speak up.

War is inevitable. Maybe throughout the course of human history, when peace goes on for long enough, the 'beast' inside keeps trying to resurface through that time of peace. And then, it just comes out. And when that happens, it becomes contagious. One person spreading hate reflects upon someone else, and the epidemic of fury has its way of spreading like wildfire. Maybe if the Earth is between heaven and hell (if they exist), then it's just a mixture of both.

Sometimes it seems as though reason is impossible. No matter what, humans will trigger some sort of chaos; be it externally or internally. In the case of ISIS, for example, they are just BRINGING the demons inside, and throwing them straight towards all others around them. There is just too much mayhem, especially int he Middle East. Is there a  real, solid solution to all this? I don't know; probably not. I have come to the conclusion that the only way for peace to be between people, is for it to start from one self. Maybe we need some sort of herald to stand atop the highest building, and shout out peace slogans to the world. But then again, people would call him crazy.  

Let us hope the world won't descend further into chaos. Surely I do. It seems as though the world is spiraling down towards an oh so darkened road. Yet I can't just say, "Hey, stop!" Wars have been fought since the dawn of mankind. So basically, someone can't just be some sort of hero all on his own. We'd need assistance from others. Maybe we need mass awareness in the name of love. I know that may sound corny, but maybe love is the only way.

There are so many of us humans on the planet, more than there ever was. I saw this video on TED saying that literally "THE EARTH IS FULL!". I really do love my fellow mankind. It's not that I lost faith in humanity. However, if there are that many of us on the planet, and if we choose not to coexist, then complete disaster would happen. 

I mean, what can I do? Can I just walk the streets with a banner trying to instill love into our hearts? Surely, there are MANY of us who want nothing more than for love to spread among us all. But the Devil is a smart being. He wants us separated. He wants us to remain subservient to his all powerful need for war. We don't really have to call him the "Devil with horns", we can just refer to him in a symbolic way: The darkness that exists inside us. It's normal to have darkness inside us. We are humans of both light and dark. That's what makes us human. What's not human, is to purposefully express the darkness, turning it into something which can lead to chaos. 

What Powers Does Decision-Making Have?

Decision making is what separates us from success. Usually when I can't make the right decisions, I go into this sense of misery. It's because I can't see where I'm going. We commit our lives to making a difference in the world, but it all starts with changing ourselves, as Gandhi said. Making a decision is what brings us towards our aspirations. The word 'decide' means to cut off everything in our lives that doesn't please us or make us happy. It means to sever everything in our lives which brings us grief and sorrow. I'm not the happiest man alive, yet I decided to change, and that's the main reason I started this blog. This blog is mainly to document my personal road towards thinking positive. It's a long path, and although it's hard, it's not impossible. 

There are so many things in our lives which bring us down. And no matter how much we try to shake them off, we can't. Such things stick to us as though they were a permanent marking on our spirits. We drown further into misery, and we try to get that very needed sense of joy. Deciding is what allows us to pull our selves out of that misery. It is what cuts off everything in our lives that brings us depression, sorrow, etc. It's not easy. And it's definitely not easy growing up in a world where everyone is succeeding and we're not. Yet as Thomas Edison said, with each failure discarded, there's another step towards success. We learn from our failures. Simply put, we fail. And God knows I've failed.

I believe that decision making is so much more than what seems. It doesn't only have to do with the major decisions in life. I believe that in EVERY moment we make a decision. In a single moment we can choose to act or to remain still. Within another moment we can choose to think negatively, or positively. In the next moment we can choose remember the miseries of life, or the joys of it. Sometimes, even though we know we have so much blessings in life, we focus on the negatives, almost involuntarily. This applies to me, and maybe to you. I don't know. All I do know, is that in every moment, there is a decision. There is life on the one hand, and death on the other. There is work on the one hand, or sitting idle and still on the other. There is cherishing life on the one hand, and wishing for death on the other. When we make a decision for life, what happens? We immediately cut off death. It's that simple. Decision cuts off everything we don't want by choosing the things we do want.

Yet much of the times we refuse to make that needed decision. Decisions are scary to make. I bet that in the structures of the brain, the part that makes decisions is linked to the part that signals fear. Sometimes we need to make major life decisions which are vital to our well-being, but the fear remains so strong. There are times when people put off making a needed decision for a VERY long time, until they reach a point when they have no choice but to decide. Deciding was never choosing, it was always cutting off. Decision shapes our destiny. Thus, if we don't decide and cut off everything that's unwanted, we won't find our fate and purpose in this life. I'm starting to learn all of this more and more, day by day. If we aren't able to learn and grow, we aren't in the flow of life. Growing means living. And a part of growing involves deciding what we really want to do in life.

However, some things are really hard to cut off. Some things seem too vital for our survival, and even though those things are bringing us down, we choose to cling on to them. Unless we let go of the things that wear our bodies and spirits into weakness, we can never go strong. Life's handing you so much lemons, but we want to make orange juice. I know that sounds stupid, but that's the way I see it. We can't make a wooden table out of paper. We have to locate those natural resources inside of us, figure out what they are, and put them into action. And throughout the process of acting, we make decisions, thousands of them.

Everyday we make COUNTLESS decisions. Am I going to work for the next three hours, or am I going to sit back and watch two movies? Am I going to eat a load of chocolate bars, or a salad? Am I going to sit on my bed all day long reminiscing on miserable memories, or am I going to go out for a walk? Am I going to take a shower for three hours to forget life, or am I going to face the world, regardless of how hard it is?

It always comes in choices of two. Choose and decide. That's all we need to do. Decide to cut off the unwanted. We should know, that throughout the day, we make more decisions than we think. Yet are they the right ones?

We have to be conscious of our decisions. Despite the fact that we make so many decisions in a single day, sometimes we aren't aware that we made them. Sometimes, we 'just do things'. I believe it's important to be aware of every little decision we make through some sort of meta cognition (To think about our own thoughts). Keep a mind that is fully awake all the time, always busy, and constantly alert to all the little decisions you make. When the mind is aware of all such decisions, we can begin to prosper, as we have taken the right steps and decisions towards building our lives. 

There are times I feel as though I'm in some sort of hypnosis, and that my decisions just play out for themselves. In such times, it's as though I seem to make every wrong decision, and due to that, I descend further into sadness. Such times aren't really often anymore, as I feel I'm snapping out of it. But usually when such times arise, I realize that when one has a negative mindset, his decisions also change. Moreover, not only do they change, they also seem to be involuntary. For example, I'd give into vice after vice without even being aware that I'm doing them. Whenever something wrong in my life would happen, I'd give into vices again. One such vice in cigarette smoking. I've cut back a lot so far. I may even quit soon. But the one thing I've learnt is that as soon as I started to be aware of my decisions, I got closer and closer towards being the positive person I've always wanted to be. And it wasn't only about being aware of the decisions, it's also about making them in the first place!

What Can Rid Us Of Inaction And Idleness?

The Mindset Of Someone Who Places Himself In Inaction:

The world is descending in darkness. Whenever one puts on the TV, all he sees is mayhem. There's no escaping evil, even though thousands of heralds stand atop a mountain and shout truths to the world. 

I used to sit behind the TV, and drown further into the hypnosis of that screen, as it threw disaster after disaster straight towards my eyes. All the while that was happening, I was sitting down, thinking I was doing something, when I wasn't. It's something about learning something, without the element of actual change in our own personal lives, that brings us sorrow; That drives us mad.

Nothing will ever change without truth, yet nobody wants it. And for that reason, everyone goes into a state of nihilism. Nobody cares about anything anymore. It's as though the Devil is on his throne laughing at all of us. He probably already succeeded the throne of God. Although, it's funny that in a world that is filled with darkness, there is still always that deep sense of hope. It's tiny and small, yet it still exists. It's called redemption. Everyone is seeking redemption nowadays. But how can that happen, if everyone else around that person seeks darkness.

Sometimes I walk the streets alone at night around my house, thinking and pondering. Other times I run, while listening to music. I run faster and faster. It's as though I'm running away from something which I can't seem to understand. Maybe it's darkness. Maybe it's the Devil. I don't know. It may be all the stress in my life accumulating over the years, trying to wear me down. There are times when I run so fast, that when I stop, I am barely able to catch my breath. I stop and place my hands on my knees, bowing, staring at the street. I then look up and see a street lamp. I begin to wonder how even an artificial form of light can still shun out some darkness in the world.

Other times I would lay alone at night on bed, staring at the ceiling. And things get darker. Maybe the solution to this is to constantly be in a state of working, to always have the mind busy. It seems that the curse of the world befalls everyone who are placed in inaction. The moment we pause and cease to work, the curse of life befalls us. Yet despite this, sometimes I would have long nights. I wouldn't be able to sleep, and staring at the ceiling, I feel as though my life were going nowhere. But that's the problem again. Keeping ourselves busy is extremely hard, but it's the only way. There are times when we really, really want to get things done, but we just don't, and procrastinate more and more. We delay further and further, with this mad hope inside us that everything will turn out fine. And then we begin to fear the future and mourn the past. The present is all there ever was. Action is all that ever counted. Yet still, sometimes, without realizing it, I fall into a trance at night, staring at the ceiling. 

All of this still happens to me, just not as much. Who knows? Maybe it will get worse again later. But lately, it seems that things are getting better. I'm learning to cope.

This was never about being negative. Sometimes it seems that negativity is the only way. Some people really do try to be positive, but they just can't. Is it a curse? I'm not sure. Maybe it's some sort of hex, or evil wish coming from someone who hates or despises you. It may all be from envy or ill wishes from others. Who knows? All that doesn't matter. I realized that the only thing that mattered, was to get better, no matter what the cost. It was either that, or darkness would have increased and increased. I had to learn to maintain a balance in my mind. We all should do that. I believe that there are seven senses in humans. Five of them we already know. The sixth sense is intuition. And then seventh sense is balance. At least, that's what I think. And then in the end, it all comes down to action; which in turn brings change.

And Then Action Comes In:

The solution is all simple. It has always been simple. Although, it was never easy. If one doesn't choose to make changes, then nothing will change. We want things to change, right? If we want things to change, we need to make changes in our lives. It's that simple. That's the greatest truth.

Yet despite this, many people can't seem to realize this. It's all a part of nature, I guess. The forces of darkness consumes a man, and then he gives into vices. He smokes a pack of cigarettes a day. That man may begin to drink alcohol to forget everything. He may even stand atop a mountain and curse the skies. I know that sounds extreme, but that's what happens sometimes. People get fed up. Yet when one hits rock bottom, he has no choice but to get up. It's either that or moral suicide.

And then we begin to wonder where this rock bottom is. We can never really tell. Rock bottom is far below the point anyone can imagine. It goes lower and lower. Whenever we think we hit rock bottom, it can still go lower. Although, this curse of descending can and always will be broken. Sometimes there's some sort of spell of negativity cast upon people. Even though they want to wake up, they can't. The only thing that can heal this is time; A very long time. In then end, it all comes down to perseverance. And when we persevere enough, we'll realize that change isn't a choice. It becomes OBLIGATORY. It becomes VITAL to survival.

I guess it all depends on what we take in. I used to be a huge fan of Metal Music. The lyrics are just so, so negative! And me already being negative, that music just made things worse and worse. I know that many of us still love that music, and that's fine. But sometimes if one begins to dig himself into the lyrics, it begins to drive him further into the void, darkness and blight. Maybe we should find taste in new things. And that's what I'm starting to do; Listening to happy music. 

A great thing to know, is that even tiny, minute, minuscule changes, can make HUGE differences on the long run. When in the car, instead of putting Metal Music, I started to put Bob Marley. Instead of constantly watching news about the world, reminding us all of how corruption on Earth exists, I stopped watching it. It's always about what you take in. If we kept watching the news, wishing we could change some things, but can't, we'll get even more depressed. I guess all we can do is focus on the things we can actually change, and are in control of. 

Instead of always wondering what I could have been, and all of the high achievements I should be having, I started to focus on the simpler things. I started to focus on making my family happy, making people I love smile. Because in the end, when everything is taken away from us, the only thing that will be left behind are the people we love. We can't have everything we've ever dreamed of. That's not what life is. Life has its way of beating one to his knees to make him humble. And as Einstein said, only when we realize our limits, can we go beyond them. And when I mention this, I mean, REALLY realize our limits.

The inspiration of life exists in all of us. It is the driving force of our dreams. Going towards dreams is difficult, but worth it in the end. It is the one thing keeping our bodies intact. Although the dreams may seem impossible, we have to remember that only our minds defines what is impossible. The world is so much more than just our minds. Yet nothing can come into our lives unless we learn to be positive. Which brings us back to the main problem of many of us: negativity. Sometimes negativity is not in our control. It takes massive, enormous effort to go the other direction. Yet it all pays off in the end, all the effort. All of that effort, although it may seem fruitless in the beginning, will pay off; And in the end, that effort will turn into strength that will guide us through our days.

All in all...

The only way for our lives to change, is to make changes in our lives. That is the only truth worth having.

What That Burning Fire Within Us Is

If only there's some way, to ascend higher, to let go of all the pain in this world. There has to be a way to transcend reality. Although, that may never happen. It's like trying to erase what's in the mind. And that can't happen either. 

If only we can move forward. We all do, that's true. Yet there's always something that holds us back. It's like some sort of voice in our head that keeps telling us to try harder and harder, even though there's a big chance we won't succeed. Although we feel we won't succeed, we still try, and that's what makes us stronger. 

It's something about failing that makes us stronger. If we succeeded the first time we tried, then we wouldn't be human. If we succeeded the first time we tried, we wouldn't even be mentally ready for that success. And because of that, we keep pushing forward, as though there's a light at the end of the tunnel. And there is, I know it. We all know it. We sense it. It's hovering at the end of the tunnel. 

Sometimes we descend further and further down. It's like a downward spiral. Yet there's some sort of paradox to it. As we descend in one way, we ascend in another. When we descend in pain, we also ascend in strength. Humans are born very, very weak. It seems that anything would shake us. I guess it's all merely a test from God. 

The Devil's plan is to destroy one's life. His plan is to have us wandering through the nights with lost minds. And he'll never stop executing his plan. Regardless of whether he has horns and a face, the Devil can merely represent the darkness inside us. It can mean many things. And darkness seems to be winning these days. 

Yet hope, although sometimes delusional, is always there. It is the source of our greatest strength. Even at the gates of hell, hope is still there. Despite the fact hope can drive us mad sometimes, at least it keeps us alive. If hope never existed, then suicide rates would be far higher. We push on and push on, knowing that redemption shines bright. And in the end, we will reach it. Yet sometimes it seems that we'll never reach it, and then we give in. However, even with those thoughts of hopelessness, at least light still exists. Even if redemption isn't there, at least light exists. 

Light exists with every rising sun. It reminds us that every day we are reborn into a new world. With its shine and brightness, we become ready to face the world again, even though the days are in repeat, like Groundhog Day. We persevere and persevere, with bodies that may be worn and tired, feeling that strength building, and that fire within us burning strong. It will always burn strong, for it is the spirit of God inside us.

The Right Mindset For Exercising

Exercise helps us more than we know. It is much more than just losing weight and being physically healthy. It is, in my opinion, a form of catharsis and dynamic meditation. Yet many of us refuse to take that first step to exercise. It's a very hard step to take. Exercise seems like that last thing we'd ever do.

All over the net, people advise us to exercise. But many of us don't heed the advice. It is understandable. Sometimes negativity is too great, and we begin to feel, "Why should we? It's not like things are going to get any better." Well, that's not true. As I said before, it's impossible for there to be total darkness. There is always a light. Darkness and light need one another to survive. We begin to feel, sometimes, that improvement may not be the answer, as all hope is gone. And then we sink deeper into darkness and hopelessness. Yet when we hit rock bottom, really hit rock bottom, we snap out of our trances and say, "I really need to GET MYSELF TOGETHER!"

For All Those Who Think Exercise Is Too Physically Demanding:

Exercising Just Once

Whenever someone begins to think of exercise, he/she sees a long, long road of physical pain ahead of them. He/she begins to think, "Oh my God, I'm going to have to wear my body down, lift endless weights, run marathons on a treadmill, for what? To get a healthier body? To feel better? Is the only way to feel better is that I have to exercise and strain my muscles and feet to failure?" We shouldn't look at it like that! All we have to do, is exercise JUST ONCE, and right after that exercise, we'll already feel better. Forget about the 'long road'. Forget about the future. If you feel awful, just say, "You know what? I don't care about the long road ahead. I'm just going to exercise once today, and see what happens from there."

The thing about us humans, is that whenever we think of developing a healthy habit, we directly imagine the sacrifices we're going to make. 

"Oh my God, I'm going to have to jog everyday."

"Oh my God, I'm going to have to go ALL the way to the Gym, and keep going there, in order to feel healthy."

This is not us being lazy. This is just our minds looking to far ahead, and then, before even starting, become uncommitted. I say, forget about being committed, and about all those imaginations. Just think about exercising just once. Just once. And then when we do it, your thoughts afterwards will immediately be different from before. We'll start to think, "Hey, that wasn't that bad. I already feel so much better." Hold on to that thought! Keep it with you for the next day, and then repeat the process. Don't think about LONG hours in the gym, or countless times running outside in the cold, just for the sake of having better health. Think of doing it just once, for the sake of feeling better in this current day. 

The Days To Come:

When the next day comes, we'll say, I'm going to exercise again, just once. Never imagine or predict a future ahead. Usually whenever people want to start going to the gym, they don't even start! Why? Because they're afraid of being committed, to have to keep going again and again. That's the wrong mindset. Many of us feel very awful a lot of the time. Life sometimes gets darker, and we really want things to get better, but everything that makes us feel better needs so much work. Whenever it comes to doing healthy things to boost physical and mental health, just think of doing it once today, then once tomorrow, and so on. All you need are those instant, tiny results. Why? Because those little results will boost our minds, and change our outlook on life, even though it's just a little. And from there, we'll plan to exercise once more tomorrow. And so forth. 

Exercise is a form of dynamic meditation. It is the best form of meditation, actually. It takes us out of our minds, even though for ten minutes a day. We NEED that. It doesn't really matter if you smoke or drink. It's okay to have vices while you exercise. You can't delete a habit and go to the next. You can ONLY replace habits. Don't say, "Oh my God, now I have to stop smoking to exercise." Don't worry about leaving any of such vices just yet. Those vices will NATURALLY leave you as you go deeper into exercise and eating healthy. You can't quit then find another method. You can only let the next habit slowly dissolve the previous one. 

Start small. Begin with aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is my favorite. Run laps around your neighborhood for the first exercise. Do this for two weeks. And gradually, you'll develop into more sophisticated forms of exercise. Remember, all we have to worry about, is doing it just once, to just start. Keep that mindset. Don't wander off into imagining a future full of sweat and physical agony. This is for your physical, mental and spiritual health. Who cares about looking like the perfect person?!

If we are able to follow through with this for JUST 21 days, we'll transform our lives. I read in a book by Robin Sharma, that if you maintain doing something for just 21 days, it will develop into a long-term habit. And then you wouldn't need to put any mental effort into getting up and exercising. You would just do it instinctively!

Exercising Is Exorcising As Well:

There's a saying from this metal band I used to listen to, back when my days were pretty dark. It's Parkway Drive. The vocalist shouts, "The Devil dances in idle minds!" When we carry bodies that are used to inaction, our minds being to think rapidly. Yet when it thinks rapidly, it begins to wear down because of the mental strain of having so many thoughts. And thus, we develop idle, still minds. When we exercise, we are able to move our whole bodies, so that the thinking part of our minds won't be used for the time we're exercising. It's as though thoughts are no longer there, even if for ten minutes (of the exercise). In other words, when the body is inactive, the mind thinks too much then wears down and becomes still; And when the body is active, the mind becomes relaxed, and will have much more space for peaceful and joyful thoughts.

Take the first step!

How Getting Busy Conquers Worry

Conquering worry is simple, but never easy.

So many people before us have always left the stepping stones to conquer worry. Worry has the ability not only to drive one's life into the ground, it also has the power to even disable you! Some people get so worried, that all positive energies are drained out of them, and then they don't even have the energy to get up in the morning. A lot of us usually complain that getting out of bed is pretty much the hardest thing of all. It's all because of a lethargy caused by incessant worry. The reason for that is, the night before we wake up, we ponder upon everything that could ruin our lives in the future. There is a solution to worry, simple yet difficult:

GET BUSY!

Getting busy is probably the cheapest yet most effective medicine to worry and misery. Worry and misery are very closely connected. When one worries, he becomes miserable, put simply. All of us always have those moments in our lives when we worry about EVERYTHING that can go wrong. The impact of such a thoughts cycle can have one's mind go on in circles and circles. The downward spiral of such a thinking pattern may even lead up to one's suicide. It's true! I know that sounds dramatic, but it is true. Sometimes worry gets so intense, that it sparks up our imagination towards everything that could possibly go wrong, which all may never happen. Worry has a simultaneous ability to appear both SO REAL, yet at the same time, to be a COMPLETE illusion! What is the solution to such a self-destructive emotion?

GET BUSY!

Worry mainly has to do with the subconscious. It consists of all the thoughts in the subconscious which manifest as 'what-if' imaginations, all showing you the illusory path to your doom. That's what worry can be classified as: Your subconscious just trying to get a piece of your life. When worry goes to extreme lengths, it can also lead to certain forms of mental illness, specifically Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or any other disorder which falls under that category, for example, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Anxiety and worry are very closely related, and this is something Charles Linden often points out. (Charles Linden offers great advice to all those suffering from GAD, OCD or Panic Disorder. Google his name if you need to!) The moment we allow ourselves to sit down and begin to think, or allow thoughts to roam in our minds, worry automatically spawns. That is why we:

GET BUSY!

Getting busy heals our mind in a certain, unique way. I already said that worry has to do with the subconscious part of the mind. When we get busy, we allow ONLY the CONSCIOUS part of our mind to operate. This means that with only the conscious mind operating, we no longer give attention to the subconscious part of the mind. By doing that, we allow the subconscious part of the mind to have the rest IT NEEDS. If we constantly worry, or in other words, use all of our subconscious energy, we wear the subconscious down, allowing it no time to be able to heal. However, if we keep working and remain in a state of 'being busy', we use only the conscious part of our minds; thus, we allow the subconscious mind the rest that it deserves. OSHO, the great Indian philosopher mentioned: We need to be able to operate on the space in between thoughts. When we worry, we focus on certain thoughts which make us sad and mad. On the other hand, if we keep our minds and bodies in a state of action, we are allowed to work in the space BETWEEN thoughts. This allows our subconscious to rest. So this is the strange paradox of life we have to learn to accept:

When we remain busy throughout the WHOLE day, we are able to have a good night's sleep. By working throughout the whole day, we are able to attain that peace of mind we all deserve.

Most definitely, this is not easy at all. It requires extreme perseverance and strength to be able to carry this out: Working the whole day. But maybe this is an integral part of human nature. We can't attain peace of mind unless we work. Peace of mind never just comes on its own; it is earned! So basically, if there are duties that are needed to be taken care of throughout the day, make sure you don't put your head on the pillow of your bed, until you've completed them. If we do place our heads on the pillows before we get our tasks done, we won't be able to get sleep in the first place! To repeat:

Peace of mind is only gained after one has worked. There is no other way to earn it. 

All in all, we can learn that, getting busy conquers worry!

How Forgiving Others Heals Us

Forgiveness and Letting Go are the two things which allow one inner peace.

Whenever we reflect back on our lives with a grudge, every new day becomes a nightmare. We keep remembering all the times when someone has done us wrong, and then we go into a cycle of endless hatred. Hatred, although it may seem necessary sometimes, can lead to the demise of a soul and spirit. It is what drives us to the destructive ideas of vengeance and violence. Besides hatred, there is jealousy, envy, and wishing ill upon others. Although doing such things may bring you some sort of contentment, it still also brings darkness upon your emotion and desire to improve. The two things that could heal this are:

Forgiving And Letting Go:

There are some people who we are REALLY pissed off at. Sometimes we may even lay awake at night, holding this grudge towards them. The thought of that person never leaves us. Yet, we can always learn to let go. It is hard, that's true, but not impossible. Holding a grudge is like holding a knife at the back of your throat. There are some days when removing that knife seems impossible, and we continue to wish ill upon that person. But forgiving that person, no matter what he/she has done to you, is the only thing that will help you move forward. Not forgiving keeps you trapped in the same situation. Nothing will get better, nothing at all. Forgiving means saying to that person, "you know what? You destroyed my life. But that was before. Now, I am a new person. Because of you, I have been made stronger!"

Many times, the memory of that person or being never leaves us. He/she remains ingrained in our thoughts, and everything seems to shine their reflection. Yet that is mainly because we refuse to forgive. Forgiving is not only to ease the troubles of that person who has wronged us, but also to remove that pain from us ourselves! In my case, there were MANY people who have wronged me. And I myself have wronged others. And in those times in which I've wronged others, I did whatever I can to apologize. Sometimes we lose sight of what's right or wise and end up doing stupid things. And that is also the case with those people who have wronged you. Without forgiveness, everyone on Earth would be dead by now. That is true! Why? Because if everyone sought vengeance from all those who have wronged them, then blood would run free on the streets.

Forgiving is not only something which relates to deeper emotions. It can be related to the very small things in life. This could be related to when someone says sorry when he/she accidentally bumps into another on the street. If that person didn't say sorry, and gave him/her that evil look, then the other person would feel crappy for the rest of the day!

Forgiving is what allows the possibility of peace.

On the other hand, we have letting go. Letting go is basically the process when every nerve in our body just gives in to the surroundings. But that could never happen unless we forgive first. Holding grudges is what keeps our nervous system always alert, sometimes even thirsting for trouble. The moment we forgive, we are able to let go. And letting go is the most beautiful gift anyone can achieve. It means unloading one self from all the negativity existing within oneself. 

Sometimes the negativity in us goes on and on. It swirls in our minds like a never ending cycle. Although, when one forgives, he is able to let go. And when one lets go, he is able to face the world again, as a new person. Letting go basically means being born again into a newer human being. A human whereby you aren't limited by the negative emotion of hatred, in which you can go throughout your days, knowing you have conquered something. You have conquered the essence of your own spirit. 

There are other times when we just look at the night sky, and begin to wonder where everything went wrong. But that's mainly because we've been so hurt by people we've met, and we begin to feel as though we're descending while they're ascending. The key to this problem, is to not care! We have been given a life to live, regardless of all the hatred and darkness within us. It is possible to move beyond that point of grief and misery. Although, the greatest tool one may harness, is that of perseverance. What happens today may not happen tomorrow. The darkness of yesterday can be soothed the light of tomorrow's sun. 

Forgiving leads to letting go; And letting go leads to the healing of oneself.