So in my psychology classes we review a lot of theories and how nature and nurture can affect how we become the people we are in life. Then along the way other relationships and experiences change us and shape us a little more. Then one day, as time goes by and we get older, we look back over our lives and realize we are not really anything like the person we started out to be. Some may change more than others, some may become better and some may become worse people over time. I find myself thinking about how much of the life cycle is a choice and how much is just…well…unconscious.
Do you have the same morals, values, beliefs and standards that you did when you were in your teens or early twenties? Did you want a spouse and kids and a nice little house and yard with a dog and a picket fence? Were these ideas put there by family and peers and cultivated from the area of the world where you were raised? Did you really want these things and believe them or were you just conditioned to think that way? These are questions I am asking myself and I want to hear the answers from others. I would love to hear it from all cultures and areas of the world….if you were to be extremely honest with yourself. Are you truly being your authentic self?
Also, I understand that some degree of influence in culture, family, religious belief….all of that and more are going to affect how each person views the world. Were you a minority in your school? Were you popular? Were you teased or did you just fade out in the crowd? Did you marry young or get pregnant in high school? Did you experience some kind of trauma? Did your parents divorce? Do you even know your parents? All of these things can affect how we respond to others in our every day lives. When you really start to think about it there are certain small moments that make a difference in every individuals life…good or bad. Maybe you had a teacher who said something encouraging to you in the the 4th grade and that moment changed your life. Maybe you had a summer love with a girl that broke your heart and you will never look at love quite the same. Maybe that summer love with that girl or that moment with that teacher did not affect them the way it did you. Maybe, they went on about their lives and never thought about you again.
Now think about your daily life now….how you interact with those around you, even strangers. There may be one single moment that you will do something kind for another human being and it may change their life from that point on. You may not think about that moment ever again but they will remember it forever. So pay attention to how you live, even in the little moments….because in the life cycle you are making ripples in the ocean of life. Those ripples can create beautiful waves or they can cause a horrible storm in the hearts and minds of others. Be conscious of the choices you make in your actions and words throughout your day. Be true to yourself and don’t live by the standards and expectations of others, do what makes you happy and feels right in your heart. Be a leader in your own life, not a follower.
With Happiness, Health, Love and Truth
Stacy
Life Unlimited 