World in Turmoil
The unrest in North Africa and the Middle East.
Earthquakes in Indonesia, New Zealand and Japan, the resulting tsunami and now the nuclear crisis in Japan.
2011 has gotten off to a very unsettled start.
It’s times like these that put things into perspective, or should anyway. We take so much for granted. Our safe cosy homes, friends and family near and far (whom we probably don’t see much of for whatever reason), food on our plates, clothes on our backs, all the clichés.
The things we love complaining about … our mundane jobs we reluctantly trudge to Monday to Friday, the over-crowded unreliable public transport we endure on a daily basis, the utter crap on television. The list goes on. First world problems, nothing life threatening.
Our comfortable lives can change in an instant, be it through natural disaster or human action. Everything we have and love can be taken away from us in a blink of an eye. What is the point to all of this?
There has been a restlessness within me for a while now, a feeling of “there has to be more to this”. Recent events have fuelled this sense of what is the point, does any of this really matter.
I spend an awful lot of time with people that don’t mean much to me, doing pointless things that, when you sit down and think about it, are a total waste of time. And this is happening week in and week out.
Stagnant is a good word to describe how I feel. It’s rare that I’m excited about anything anymore.
Over the last couple of months I have tried to eliminate superfluous activities and concentrate on the people I enjoy spending time with and engaging in things I find stimulating. Most of the time I have come away from those encounters on a high, in love with life with a sense of “I can take on the world”. This is what I want/need to do more of.
It’s so easy to get drawn into going out just for the sake of being out. Having a half-arsed night with people you’re not too fond of but hang out with because they’re available, spending large amounts of money and waking up with that empty feeling we all know so well, for what? Because sitting at home is dull? Because you need to fill some gaping hole in your life? To feel wanted and popular?
Sometimes we all need to take a harsh look at what really motivates our actions.
Like many people I know, I have destructive habits. The last 3 months have been the wake up call I’ve needed to look at my life, my actions, what motivates me and do something about it. It’s been difficult and will continue to be difficult as I overcome (and beat into submission) my addictions. Some are fairly obvious, but there are some more personal struggles going on as well.
The turmoil around the world echo’s the turmoil inside of me. It has me questioning what is important. I don’t have all the answers but some are becoming clearer.
I am important!
What makes me happy, what gets me excited, what inspires me is important.
