So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give them peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.
~ Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild
I bring up this concept of complacency because of what is going on in the first quarter of 2021. Many have embraced being injected by the COVID-19 vaccine in order to be protected from the threat that caused the whole world to shut down in 2020, except for Sweden. A lot of people who have been conditioned to live in isolation, wear masks that technically were designed to prevent sick people from spreading viruses, and to stay six feet apart, are now attempting to resume a life they had before the fear of this virus that has magically also got rid of the common flu and pneumonia.
It’s normal for the desire to return back to a life that is normal, or shall I dare to say a new normal? Until the day comes when we break out of this condition to constantly keep in a state of masking when healthy, staying ultra-clean, and fearing to cause people we love to get infected by COVID-19 and potentially die, we will either stay in a constant state of fear or this false, conditioned state of complacency. It may not appear so, but we are indeed in a precarious position as we’ve moved into tier 3, with many people under the assumption that getting vaccinated with this experimental, mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, will keep them safe, and life can get “back on track.” I am not saying you cannot stay safe, but I do recommend staying vigilant and to question things when you feel that gnawing sense in the recesses of your mind, that’s nudging you to feel that something isn’t right even if it appears it is.
When has it ever been right to censor information or ideologies that go against the mainstream narrative? I believe that we all have a right to hear different streams of thoughts and to trust each person to make their own decisions. The power to make decisions and to trust what feels right personally is essential to living a life worth fighting for.
The same goes for your health and well-being. Complacency and choosing to just keep living life, by keeping busy with work, providing for your family, caring for loved ones, while not taking care of yourself, is dangerous. Recognizing that your emotions, thoughts, actions, diet, and how you treat yourself and others can come at a cost.
It’s human nature to maintain the status quo and not fix something unless a crisis wreaks havoc. This can take the form of a financial crisis, mental or health crisis, and even an internal, spiritual crisis. Just know that to choose wellness, to embrace new experiences, and even challenges, invigorate the soul and make life memorable. However, the fact that people behave this way, is not because they choose to, but because they haven’t learned four critical lessons when growing up.
The first important life lesson that every person should learn, but somehow has been conveniently left out in their education, is the ability to communicate with another person. Just think of how many arguments, and wars, could’ve been avoided if we just learned to listen and hear what another person’s needs were, and was able to negotiate properly and effectively.
Then second life lesson is how to raise children and create a loving and supportive family unit.
The third lesson is how to take care of one’s finances and learn to save, invest, become financially free, and be able to give back to the community.
The fourth, and last lesson, is to connect with your body, trust your intuition, and take care of your health.
If any of these four life lessons need some attention, then being complacent with your life needs to take a back seat. To master these four life lessons will not only empower you, it will allow you to live a life full of abundance and endless possibilities. Don’t settle for the middle; shoot for the stars. Your future self, your loved ones, and the world need each and every one of you to think critically and be your true, authentic selves.