Hm. Let's bring various perspectives throughout our walks in life so far. Since Mike is older in terms of age, he has a middle-leg up based on more experience and wisdom in life than I, or most of us. But where I am now, I can truly turn back and share my knowledge and wisdom with the brothers.
The reason why we started the coined term "PE journey" was because PE is actually a journey. It's a journey from where you started the consideration of the enhancement to the day you actually stop, which is when you're dead. In the PE journey, we always discussed that the entire process contains discipline, the journey itself must be a slow and steady-paced marathon, and we need to be aware of all conditions that exist within the journey to safeguard ourselves while we gain the benefits along the way. So, where am I going with all of this rambling?
We create our own life journeys. For some, their families and societal influences dictate their life journeys for them. For most of us, we selected our choices and stuck by them. In your case, you chose the path, stayed the course, paid the prices, and will be obtaining the benefit of a credential you've worked hard for. That is the discipline you've created for yourself. That's the observable and measurable strength you've recorded for the past 4 years. For those who pursued the professional career path through educational institutions, around 25% of them did not make it to the very end. Just like PE, most started, but not all will sustain the daily drive and discipline until the very end of the first year, which we know will generate proper results. This is the first leg of the reality we create for ourselves.
But don't just think that reality travels in a linear fashion. Reality is a crazy web of complexity in an observable 3D space, but it goes as far as 4D, 5D, or even 6D intradimensional spaces. If you want to go further into this, we can. But we've got to put a plug on this craziness about reality. Along the way, the reality we created may "deviate". In your case, your arts degree may open new venues to other things closely related to the arts. Think about those without an arts degree, who are artistic in nature, and have opened businesses with stylish art products. Those who have arts degrees tend to oversee the production, the quality control, and even perform promotional activities through designed platforms. So, if you're thinking you'll be creating something with your own hands, you're not too far from your original reality. It may have just branched off. Just like PE, we have our base routines, based expectations, base exercises, but things tend to branch off from person to person. It's never the same.
For me, where I started and where I am now, I'm completely way off course. My paths for my reality criss-crossed at so many intervals that I believe I'm looking back at an intricated mesh of complexity. At every node of my journey, be personal or professional life, things changed rapidly. Don't think that your educational career path was the only hard path. Going forward, your professional and personal life will intertwine, and the complexity will be even harder. You're still single, my brother. When you have that woman behind you, with kids among the mix, your life will be even more mysterious to handle than you can ever imagine.
So, what are the valuable points for me to offer to the younger brothers? Here are some things from the older ones that have constantly gone through hell, hitting so many walls, backlashes, negativities, and limits:
- Stay positive. What you encounter is merely a bump on the road at high speed. If you freak out, you will spiral out of control very fast.
- Recall what happened, use the outcome as a reference, and stay far away from the past decisions that got you into the predicament.
- Know that you are not alone. It can be your family, friends, or even strangers who will offer a helping hand. It may not be financial, it may not be physical assistance, but the spiritual, emotional, and psychological elements are always there. Just like the brothers here in the community.
- Stay away from the toxic zone. Unless you're into S&M, yeah, don't repeat the incident that led you into those toxic zones.
- Express your voices. This is where the prideful ones fall. They bottle things up for years, and *BOOM*! There they go, right into the news. There are social media warriors that bitch about everything, but there are those who seriously reach out to find resolutions. This is a community for it. There are many walks of life here, and they can offer their perspectives. The more popular platforms tend to have track-minded responses, where flamewars and inconsiderate outbursts are used to defend their egos every time they're bruised. Just be mindful of where you're posting.
- Strengthen your resolve with determination. Once you know you're in an unfavorable condition, time to find a way out. Pull out the proverbial power shovel, and DIG!! Do not let societal influences, comments, or the negative part of life bury you under an avalanche of nonsense. Keep digging until you see daylight, and walk away from the disaster zone.
- Keep your head up, walk forward, and never look back at the lost luggage. What you lost, it's lost. Why work harder and waste more time and money to get back what you've lost when you can move forward, work harder, and gain back two or more times what you've lost? Most of the older ones in the community can probably testify to this. The more you feel regret at what you lost, the baggage continues to linger at the back of your head, sours your moods, and taints your life in dark, negative emotions. You will continue to lose. Shed off that baggage and move on. BUT NEVER FORGET the losses!! That is your wisdom you must build on so you don't make the same mistakes.
So, where's your reality at now? Down in the dump? Buried? Drowned? Trapped in a tightly wrapped web ball of confusion?
Where do you want to be at? Set the first foundational step where all your life's
weight will heavily rely on as the first step forward. Once you can stand on that first strong foundational step, you can move forward with confidence. Nothing else matters. Every time an avalanche comes crashing through, build the next foundation step that you can rely on, step onto it, stand steadfast, and get that shovel handy. I lost count of how many solid steps I have to rely on during my life's journey so far. But I always dig through, unravel, and move forward without hesitation. This is the common reality. If you can't adopt the new branches of reality, you will fail. If you can't adapt to your new branches of reality, your future paths fail. Notice how MoS PE routines take on so much of the mentioned ideology?
