I think change is a process, and I am at the beginning stages of this process. I am truly struggling, because I currently, only have a small idea of what my true ideals are, and what type of life I want to lead for my future. Part of me wants a traditional life with a family and such. The other part of me just wants to travel and get to know as many cultures as I possibly can until I'm finally am able to unite the world in my mind. I don't feel that in my lifetime, people will be at peace, and to be honest--it is most likely impossible.
As for things I stand for. I am to blame for my bitterness. I look at the life I have lead, and have realized that I am nothing but the problem. I love to shop, I enjoy fashion, I watch and buy albums from artists that just encourage young people to be vain and materialistic. I worry about my appearance constantly looking at myself in the mirror, wearing make-up and wanting to be "pretty". I worry about my weight. I buy gym memberships that I hardly ever use...then when I do get around to using it, I feel good....yet still think I could do better by maybe getting my "boobs done" or buying extra face cream to eliminate possible growing wrinkles.
As for society. I am wasteful. I take drives that aren't necessary. I drive to places that I don't even need to such as the grocery store. I could easily just buy what I need and walk the 2 blocks. Then, to make matters worse, I eat food that is not at all good for me. It is loaded with preservatives and only harming my body. I don't pay extra to buy organic, because I would rather save that money for something better like purchasing i-tunes music...or buying drinks for the weekend. I am the reason for this.
I have fallen into the trap, because now that I have lived such a good life. I have been blessed with all of these luxuries, and have only experienced abundance....I WANT MORE.
I can never be satisfied with the basics. I continually want more. When am I going to stop this? And what can I do to stop these behaviors, without being too extreme....but also, without just being complacent to how my actions affect the rest of the world??
Martina...
ReplyDeleteI think that understanding that you have these traits that you want to change are probably the first step. But, honestly, are you taking any steps to correct them? Those simple little things that you say you do can be changed... you just have to WANT to do it. You stated: "i have lived the good life and have been blessed with all of these luxuries and have only experience abundance, I WANT MORE." Have you sat and thought that maybe to most (the rest of the world) that abundance is actually an omen and not truthfully the "good life." Sometimes the simple things are what makes the world such a beautiful place. Maybe take a walk by yourself (to the grocery store perhaps) and really looka the beauty around you. Appreciate the tree that you passed and thank it for its presence in the world. Appreciate the breeze, the heat, the sun... Truly, isn't that just enough? I don't think stopping those behaviors is extreme at all. No one is asking you to live in a commune where you grow all of your food, you harvest your own energy and you make your own clothes. The Earth is just asking you for small baby steps... like Walk, instead of drive (ESPECIALLY if its two blocks), purchase from local growers, turn your computer off when you're not using it, shut the water off when you're brushing your teeth...How extreme is that? Maybe give yourself a little challenge and for a month save the money you would rather spend on purses, clothes, Itunes and such and return it to the Earth... buy organic or even donate it to a water purifying organization to help give clean water to the children that live in Africa or send $10... literally $10 to a foundation that purchases mosquito nets to those in Africa that are dying daily of malariya. Now, I think trying to save our Mother Earth and our neighbors is not extreme at all. What I find is extreme is that we want to support the multi-million dollar pop stars that could give half of their earnings to help the world end its hunger and still be rich off of just half but instead they would rather buy their Mercedes... or what I find is extreme is that we would rather buy the commercialized wardrobes that Vogue magazine instills in our chidren's minds is fashionable that are stiched by third world countries and pays them pennies, even half pennies to the dollar and those people can't even feed their families. So instead of thinking that just a few changes are extreme, sit back and ask yourself what the real definition of extreme is.
I love you with all of my heart and I hope that your new found epiphany will really start to change your traits... because you owe it to yourself and you owe it to our Earth... and honestly, those things will start to connect you to a healthy and different lifestyle, where that buldge you might want off will start to diminish and you're then saving money on those commercialized gyms!
Love you
Oh and p.s. I absolutely am supporting you... because I also am going through these changes as well.
ReplyDelete