The demands of being a good person can sometimes mean sacrificing your own happiness.
You may have been raised to be a good boy or girl; encouraged to be a good worker, to be a good parent; to be a good friend; to be a good citizen? And I'm not saying that this is wrong; what questioning the effects of this on our individual happiness and the impact on our country.
Are we becoming happier more fulfilled people by being "good" or are we just a group of people heading nowhere but where we're told?
If we continue to be good workers, will this ever allow us to achieve our full potential as human beings? If we continue to be good-parents, protecting our children when it is safe to empower them, will they grow to be all they can be? If we continued to be good friends, by sheltering our companions from the truth, will they ever get the information that is vital to their well-being? And if we continue to be good citizens who go along with what were told and are happy to leave the issues in the hands of the 'higher' authorities will we ever live alongside one another, full of love and accepting of our differences?
What does "good" mean anyway? In the "good old days," good literally meant, "good!" But today good often means "average" or "normal": about half-way between everything and nothing ? on the pivotal point between life and death? one thing miss judged and out of kilter and suddenly we're on the wrong side of life.
"Good" is also often about fitting in with the set of parameters set up by the people we associate with. This often involves giving pre-programmed responses to requests or behaving in an expected way ? like telling your children not to do something at your parents home when you would allow them to do it at home or staying behind an extra hour or two at work because of the targets set by the boss. But the issue goes deeper?
Being good, or average or normal, involves following the pack. Buying the food advertisers tell us is good for us, even when it is laced with sugar, salt and hydrogenated oils that we know are bad for us. Being normal involves taking drugs for minor illnesses when our bodies break down even when we know our body often takes longer to deal with the drugs side-effects than the initial symptoms. We believe what we are told in the press without bothering to question the validity of a statement and the motivation of the people telling us. Blindly we follow.
We call people strange and odd when they try to escape the pack. My son recently asked, 'Why do we have to be weird?' The question comes out of feeling different to others and for a moment it hit me with a tinge of sadness until I remembered why we are "weird":
We're weird because we follow our dreams. We're weird because we eat well, exercise regularly, hardly get ill and research as much as we can about things that affect our lives.
I ask you this: which is weirder ? following the pack of "good" even when it is killing you or doing what gives you life and hope?
Neil Millar, formally medically obese, caught up in the rat-race and suffering from depression would love to share his experiences with you in the hope they help you make your life better.
Go to his website now, sign-up for his free, fast-growing newsletter with Unstoppable Life, get a free e-book as a thank you for joining and discover other enlightening reading material.
To begin feeling that first spark of self-confidence within you,... Read More
Many ask me this question: "Did moving to Mexico make... Read More
"Hey everybody!" Hairdresser Lady called out. "It's The Happy Guy.""Don't... Read More
Everyone wants to be happy. When you decide to be... Read More
Right off the top: What is the difference between dating... Read More
Breaking the cycle is a term we have all heard.... Read More
We are living in an era, where relations' management is... Read More
Falling In Love with LifeThere is no feeling in the... Read More
Happiness is a state of mind, so your state of... Read More
Health and Happiness are the two things that most people... Read More
People's lives today are jam-packed with great projects, ideas, to-do... Read More
Don't Let Life Happen To You ... Read More
Most people look outside of themselves as the cause of... Read More
Of all the people who know me, no one would... Read More
Just when you think you know it all, some 17-month... Read More
1. Mend a quarrel Seek out a forgotten friend and... Read More
Witchcraft is a messy, expensive, time-consuming, and inefficient way to... Read More
This question and answer article was done by Gizelle River,... Read More
I have to be honest. I made the woman cashier... Read More
Jesus says in Matthew 13:25"But while men slept, his enemy... Read More
Here's a multiple choice question for you. Who is more... Read More
You have a purpose in life. You have a unique... Read More
Have you ever had an experience where everything you wanted... Read More
When people are asked, "How many of you are content... Read More
Though his racing speed is a maximum 6 feet per... Read More
Although many for us strive for happiness in our daily... Read More
I am sure it is safe to say that each... Read More
The most beautiful flowers, in conjunction with their design and... Read More
Over the course of my life's journey I have come... Read More
Why Are You Here?When I ask this question, I'm not... Read More
Happiness comes to a person when it is caused by... Read More
Well, doesn't that depend on what's causing you to be... Read More
From what you see around you in your daily lives,... Read More
You can be as happy as you want whenever you... Read More
You have a purpose in life. You have a unique... Read More
Did you know that there are gifts that will multiply... Read More
First of all, examine yourself outwardly.Look at your fingernails. Are... Read More
The quality of your life has a strong connection with... Read More
Couple issues such as spirituality and sexuality rank higher than... Read More
So many people overwork themselves literary in the quest for... Read More
Have you ever had an experience where everything you wanted... Read More
Like enough of the noise awready! Geesh, people?No, I'm not... Read More
Our use of body posture plays a key role in... Read More
We all have them. It has many faces. We carry... Read More
Looking for a way to stay positive in a negative... Read More
Just when you think you know it all, some 17-month... Read More
Perhaps the most sought after thing in the world is... Read More
Anger can make us feel good and enlivened for a... Read More
Are you living a balanced life?Many people are not. Their... Read More
You've heard the expression, "Just believe it and it will... Read More
Are You Chasing the Elusive Butterfly of Happiness?For many people... Read More
If there was ever a principle that was responsible for... Read More
Long-term success and happiness follows hand-in-hand with strength of character.As... Read More
What if I told you that you have the ability... Read More
"Don't you understand, everything in this life is meaningless," cautioned... Read More
Did you know that according to research, children laugh about... Read More
I have decided to declare 2004 as the YEAR OF... Read More
What is wisdom? But first, what are the conditions that... Read More
Why Are You Here?When I ask this question, I'm not... Read More
Does the expression "single and happy" sound like an oxymoron... Read More
One of the most important colors in advertising is the... Read More
You have the power to attract and repel anything in... Read More
A friend once said to me, "There is no meaning... Read More
What is happiness? The dictionary defines it as "a state... Read More
I have never lived anywhere else where when you walk... Read More
Groundedness is one of the most important components of a... Read More
Finding Happiness |