Like everyone, you think you are rational, but you are not. Rationality is not a power you are born with but one you acquire through training and practice.
Our responses to situations believe it or not are quite peculiar to the unraveling of who we really are and often we realize how strong we are or how mature we are by the simple reaction we portray towards people but most especially towards every situation we face in our lives.
Rationality is the ability to counteract these emotional effects, to think instead of react, to open your mind to what is really happening, as opposed to what you are feeling. It does not come naturally; it is a power we must cultivate, but in doing so we realize our greatest potential.
Believe it or not, as humans we face a strong desire to want to look desirable & acceptable to other people. We spend most of our time trying to please other people and at times we may not even recognize it but we do things just so we can be liked. We go beyond our means and realities by way of living in the fantasies and fetishes built around us & comfort ourselves by saying it is for us but really who are we trying to fool?
We act irrational in so many things and find comfort in making 'excuses' and choosing to be comfortable and not be confrontational about our actions.
To this day, we humans remain highly susceptible to the moods and emotions of those around us, compelling all kinds of behavior on our part—unconsciously imitating others, wanting what they have, getting swept up in viral feelings of anger or outrage. We imagine we’re acting of our own free will, unaware of how deeply our susceptibility to the emotions of others in the group is affecting what we do and how we respond.
We go to school to earn academic achievements for ourselves but at the back of our minds am sure we say: "The efforts of my parents/investors/guardians should not succumb" thus my point we do things for the sake of other people as well.
There are vast examples I could give of how we so often do things for the sake of people and not ever for ourselves most times.
Dressing up for instance you find, it is pushed by the gratification one gets from the commentaries of people.
It then comes down to this:
Who are you living for?
What are you living for?
Who exactly are you?
Take some time today and ask yourself this and many more questions regarding yourself and the actions you convey either for yourself or for people around you.
It has to be about you before it becomes about everyone else or anyone else and I can tell you confidently there is no selfish act in being your own cheerleader and standing firmly in what you believe in - not arrogantly but assertively.
Let me just ask you this how do you think I will be of use to my daughter if I do not even know myself?
If I can not even stand up for what I believe in or merely just be who I am.
Before her there was me
Before me there was them
Before you there was them
And before them there were others
It has always been about another before you
And so before anyone else let it be about YOU - get to know you - your weaknesses & your strengths ...
Self Knowledge Is The Key To Unlocking Many Things! Therefore Strive To Know Yourself!
In primary school we were taught about writing compositions that contained the basic stuff that we may think now were nothing but just words used to formulate sentences, but have you ever asked yourself why you were taught the easy graspable stuff first before getting into anything else - before venturing into the hard things?
Really look and ask yourself why you were taught the easy stuff, for instance the composition: Myself.
Believe it or not in everything, there are lessons for everyone to note and learn from. As for myself I interpret the 'Myself' composition as an indicator that "Self Knowledge Is Key" and that one has to know them self before they invite anyone else into their bubble and I highlight again INVITE!
Not to seem contradicting but in as much as we need one another, why then do we allow other people to define us?
Why do we allow people to have & leave that negative imprint in our lives? Why are we so dependent on the good things people always have to say about us to make ourselves feel better!?
Seems to me like the desperation to fit in, to want to be worshiped as a good person, to want to be socially acceptable is the root of the negative ways in which we then end up sometimes taking the criticism and the actions done to us, in the manner not to build us but to destroy us even more.
It is simple: Human nature is stronger than any individual, than any institution or technological invention. It ends up shaping what we create to reflect itself and its primitive roots. It moves us around like pawns.
We are so desperate and busy trying to fit in society. We are all trying so hard to be socially acceptable in a world that we are meant to stand out & portray our gifts for the betterment of our own and those around us. We are all wrapped up in something so much that we forget to embark on a journey of self knowledge.
We were all born with different gifts, gifts we are supposed to unravel but believe you me they will not be if we keep on dimming our lights in order to make other people feel comfortable, and I mean comfortable by taking the way they treat us as beat downs for us to not stand up taller and stronger, not only that but by also looking through the lenses of society in order to deem ourselves ethical and worthy.
Instead of you lashing out at the criticism, or responding rudely, how about you take some deep breathes and calm yourself and simply take another course of responding, Instead of you thinking of doing the acceptable, how about you think out side of the box? How about for once you stand for what you believe in, not arrogantly but confidently.
The world will not offer you what you want on a silver platter, you have to work for what you want and not let people push you around. You should not be desperate and for as long as you have the opportunities to redeem yourself, you are not desperate to prove any point to any one but yourself! And so before its too late work on unveiling the butterfly you are, from the caterpillar you are restricting yourself to.
Shackle yourself free from the chains that weigh you down and be nothing but yourself for there is truth and simplicity in just knowing who you are and what you bring to any table you sit at.
I know who I am and I am inviting you to know who you are too!
All it takes is losing the fear of being judged and wanting to be acceptable, It takes a lot really but what it actually takes is you!
Rationality is then what you will value the most and that which will serve as your guide.
- Robert Greene - Laws of Human Nature
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