Smart, Self-Satisfied, Survival-Minded

Most of us end up being unwittingly more devoted and loyal

to a company or cause or spouse than we are to ourselves.

But in our life, we are the most important person/thing we

will ever have to dedicate ourselves to.

It's not your fault if you got off track

(or off on the wrong foot);

this world avoids teaching survival skills...

like being

feral and protective and relentless when it comes

to looking out for # 1. This world preaches codependency,

softness, work 'ethic' (though no such reciprocity nor guarantees

remain) and everything but self-preservation.

Well, when you're ready...or today, especially if you're not ready--

make a deep and meaningful commitment....a contract even....

to preserving the self.

That you will no longer think twice about driving all the way

across town, or burning the midnight oil, or sacrificing

when it's in regard to something you want for a change.

That the odds against you are insignificant, and

ridiculous stresses (or slings and arrows) are not worth

considering, let alone being troubled by.

That you will cause no harm to self, especially by

giving up.

Push, plan, train, work it, persevere;

This is your life, and it's worth fighting for.

If you lay down, there's no one else waiting in

the wings to take over for you.

That's cause for motivation, not upset.

***

Adaptation

There's not a person I know who hasn't made some comment
in the last year that could be paraphrased this succinctly;
"Life never really turns out like you think it will, does it?"

The common theme and the universal nature of this conclusion
doesn't have to be dark or depressing; it's a simple assessment
of shared human predicament. I have made a certain peace that
the dreams and plans I had will (mostly) not come true.

That doesn't mean defeat; I still forge ahead on some matters
while other, less realistic ones that have born fruit have been
slowly released. And I find new interests, new focus, new joys.

It's hard to balance between striving and fervently desiring,
and yet not being so married to ideas and notions that you
can't go on when expectations aren't met! Many people wrap
themselves up in a cloak of identity that revolves around a
job, a relationship, a place...and have extraordinarily tough times
coming to grips with a loss or change regarding them.

But, there are disappointments in every life, and most of us are
not going to be the next Oprah. Of course, in order to be the next
Oprah (which of course would be 'the first YOU',) you have to
believe in a dream 100%...as it should be. But there may come a
time where you have to face some cold hard truths--decide whether
you will rededicate of go a new path.

The business of life--filled with sickness, loss, death, drained finances,
setbacks, and betrayals--does not run on a smooth track. Some are
lucky, most are not. Hard work has shit to do with it; plenty of hard
working fools failed miserably.

I think those people that go on TV (celebrities, the wealthy, artists, etc.)
who give this big toothy grin about being so incredibly happy and fulfilled
and how everything in their life is perfect--I think they're full of shit.
I think they're either lying because they have an image to maintain, a
studio to please, they're trying to convince themselves, or something else
is wrong.

That, or, for that briefest of moments, while the cameras are rolling,
they're on a high, or in a good place the day of the interview, where
they really mean what they say. But it's just a blip on the radar. I don't
think I'm being cynical--I have just seen way too many people beaten
down and reduced to 'merely surviving' when all the bells and whistles stop.

As the man said: "Life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone."

It could all be over at any time, or our privilege could be eradicated
at any time. The key is to pick up the pieces and move forward with it.

Evolve or Die!

****************************************************

Thus Emerges the Hardcore Butterfly

Everyone has ulterior motives....

secrets....

can be controlled....

is after something....

has something they'll kill for....

is sick....

is broken....

can be used....

can be beaten....

can be bought....

can be broken.


Open yourself to the game.

When you make the rules yourself,

anything goes.

Burst forth

with a transformed soul

today.


"Do or Die"

opens up a whole new world

of possibilities.

*****************************

The Heart-- Like a Pecker-- is a Bad Lead to Follow

Seek a better balance between heart and mind!

Know your heart, but don't be ruled by it.

It's important to be informed about--
cognizant of-- emotions within, but to
refrain from being controlled by them.
And sugar-coating what you feel, attempting
to accommodate your sense of what is
'moral' doesn't help the processing.

Trying to maintain an attitude that is in
direct opposition to how things really are
can lead to cognitive dissonance!
Emotionally-led thinking, decisions made
with emotions, being swayed by conscience and
compassion are all paths to disaster.

Keep your emotions private--let others guess
what only you know.  Giving too much away
makes you vulnerable to the attacks of enemies--
and everyone who exists is a former enemy,
present enemy, or future enemy.

So that makes that easy to determine!
Exercise restraint and control to keep the
savages at bay.

There is great power in being an enigma
and constantly keeping them guessing.

Being a nice guy just isn't profitable.
*************************************************

3. Self-Interest

We're taught from early on that ego and
self-interest are bad things, and that we
are to share and allow others access to
what we have.


Nothing could be more wrong and more
self-destructive.


This is an attempt by the ruling people
and institutions to break the will of its
populace from early on...to inject the fear
of self-care so that we will all be nervously
working on adhering to the 'greater good.'


We are brain-washed by government, religion,
parents, schools, the police, and others to
submit to the will of others for all things.

-Don't worry for self.
-Don't seek for self.
-Be subservient.
-Be weak.
-Be willing to do without.
-Be afraid to speak up for self.


There is nothing wrong with being self-interested;
in fact, it is the only means of surviving that we
possess. But the individual who knows themselves and
is bold is a threat to the power structure.


Once you already have the money, you can be
allowed to keep the money. You're one of the network
then. But until you have it, those that already have it
don't want competition, and you are the enemy.

Self-interest is not a 4-letter-word. It is the key
to our survival. Embrace it utterly.