Let's talk about the GOOD for a change

Everyday I wake up to a disturbing piece of realization.
It's like there was no respite for a person like me in this plane of existence.

No matter where I decide to channel my mind into, I'll still find something to be frustrated about.
Not frustrated in a bad way, no, more like incredulous at just how bad and evil our ways have become with the passing of time.
The simple fact that nobody can actually say with a legit straight face that
'' Yeah, everything's going to be fine mate. No worries. ''
says a lot about the actual state of this planet.

Let's be honest, every morning we get bombarbed by bad news, drama, horrific stories, happenings of the unthinkable at every corner of society, and so on, that in the end it almost become a normal reality. There really isn't a lot of room for the true beauty of life in this modern era.
Kinda gets into a man's mind and soul, really.

And on top of it, I feel like most people in everyday life tend to have conversations about the same (meaningless) things over and over which really often turns around negativity or a close mimicked energy of it. And you can count me in.
Even though I flatter myself inside by thinking that, at least, I think and talk about the real sh-t and try to bring truth and awareness all around, I know that in the end it's all of the same.
Too much focus and energy towards negativity and so little on the other side of the spectrum.
But we are lucky AF, folks -
Because even with all the #ed up things in this broken reality that we all share, life itselfs still stand strong in the masterpiece of wonderfulness that it truly is.

For this specific reason, let's talk about the good for once.
Let's talk about what good is happening in our life right now (and even in the world in general).
What are the positive things that we don't take enough time to talk about and be grateful for?

Please bring forth stories, perspectives, realizations and such that could bring some warm to our heart.
I think we all need it as of now.

a reply to: St0rD

Let's be honest, every morning we get bombarbed by bad news, drama, horrific stories, happenings of the unthinkable at every corner of society, and so on, that in the end it almost become a normal reality. There really isn't a lot of room for the true beauty of life in this modern era.
Kinda gets into a man's mind and soul, really.

Thats by design. The more fearful you are about the world, the more you are willing to accept more police, military and especially the high cost of all the control freaks running things into the ground.

But, if you go to your window you don't see any of that happening outside.

Mine's about fear.

I've had a tough year. A very tough one, to be honest. And the thing that mostly came out of it is:
I have so much fear in my heart. Didn't even know it.
Then I chose to stick with this realization instead of letting it slide and, well, just f-cking face it.

To my great surprise, turns out it wasn't that bad in the end. Once you start to acknowledge your fears no matter what they might be, they start to lose some grip on you.
And that's exactly what happened to me.
There was a task at my job that I always had the urge to turn around and just walk away from it. Sometimes I did.
More often than I would like to admit,I guess. BUT this time I went the other way around and guess what, I just realize it feels so good to cope through it. Better than that, my skills at this particular task are much more more efficient than I thought they would be.

So yeah, clearly I was missing out on something.

I still believe the US is the land of opportunity. So I will just leave with one opportunity for you to investigate, it's called....


Bitcoin

a reply to: intrptr

That's by design that is for sure.
Still, I don't need the propaganda of any media to see something's wrong with people nowadays.

Doesn't change the fact though that nothing will ever come good of choices based solely on fear.
It's painful to watch so many people fall for it.

a reply to: St0rD

Doesn't change the fact though that nothing will ever come good of choices based solely on fear.
It's painful to watch so many people fall for it.

If you mean you feel sorrow for people thats sorta okay, to a point. The opposite of fear based emotion is calm and reason.

Try not to over react.

a reply to: St0rD

There's plenty of good out there but if bad news from down here is getting to much to handle just look to space and see what's going on up there , it puts our petty problems and divisions into some perspective.
For those interested in things related to space exploration there's never been a better time to be alive , so many missions and new discoveries happening daily to keep the sense of wonder alive and all available from the comfort of our own homes ,the Universe at your fingertips.

Dude, you say let's talk about the good and then spend most of your OP lamenting about the ponderous weight of existence. What's with that? You say a couple of times that this is a modern occurrence well the truth of that is this place is not called the Veil of Tears for nothing.

Look at Buddhism. A call to face up to suffering followed by maybe 500,000,000 people and it alone is the fourth largest religion on the planet behind these others. Hinduism is based on the concept of having to live a life as a result of bad things done in past lives. Christianity and Islam based on the concept of a fall from grace due to the intervention of some super villain who holds power over us. The Bible forecasts doom and gloom and even has one book Lamentations.

So talking about the ''good'' is nothing more than lollypops and moonbeams. Go out and DO some. That's the only good there is. Doing it.

Yin Yang.

If you want some Good, you're just gonna have to accept some Bad along with it.
That's just the way it is. Everything in the Universe maintains balance in some weird way or another.

I was caught in a rut of anxiety, depression, and worst, laziness.

My life was going nowhere, and I felt like I was drowning in fear. I have a baby to look after, out of the two parents, I'm the responsible one, I'm the "adult" mentally. My shoulders felt heavy and when my only true supporter in life, my papa died, I thought about signing my son over to my parents and driving off a bridge, or just driving until I ran out of gas and died of exposure or starvation wherever I landed.

Something happened I don't know why but I"m glad it did. I got angry, but instead of getting angry at the world, I got angry at myself for just accepting defeat. I started putting in the effort to do what I needed to do for myself, my son and his father, and our family as a unit.

I got a great job, I've held for almost 3 years now, and in February I will be eligible to have my education paid for through my job, so I can get my first real degree and have the freedom to work anywhere in the country.

I fixed my credit, it's no longer poor, it's not great, but it's good enough to qualify for an FHA loan so we can have our own place to be responsible for instead of living next to free in the house I grew up in. "Renting" from my parents.

I bought all new interior doors for my parents old house, and we painted the interior in the hopes that it will look more habitable when we leave than when we moved into it, so maybe they can sell it when we do move.

I learned how to cook, well I knew how to cook but we had been eating fast food twice a day every day for the last 9 years. So I learned how to say no to the fast-food, and take the time out of my day to actually cook a meal, saves money and health.

Money was such a big part of the stress and anxiety in my life, I've always wanted to be able to depend on myself financially, and for a long time I hadn't been able to. Now I nearly can. Instead of letting the lack of money ruin my hopes, I changed my entire mindset and went out in the search of honest money and good way I could make it.

Things are just looking up for us and I couldn't be happier. Sure things aren't perfect, sure I'm still looking for a job that pays twice what I currently make ( I suspect I need the degree first) . But they are okay for a change and I like that.

-Alee

originally posted by: St0rD
For this specific reason, let's talk about the good for once.
Let's talk about what good is happening in our life right now (and even in the world in general).
What are the positive things that we don't take enough time to talk about and be grateful for?

Please bring forth stories, perspectives, realizations and such that could bring some warm to our heart.
I think we all need it as of now.

about six months ago i moved to a totally new place with my husband, far from friends and family, and then he immediately had to leave for work and be completely gone for months with very limited contact. i'd already been in a place like you are for a while, dwelling on all the terrible things in the world, feeling powerless, hopeless, helpless to change anything or feel any different.

after a couple months i was in a bad state, anxious, depressed, drinking too much, feeling bad every day. i started seeing a therapist and trying to get back in a different, constructive mindset and see a way to think differently about things. then i saw a doctor and started on a mild anti-anxiety drug. i started working on cutting back on drinking and then stopping. i started working on going outside more, going on walks. i started working on eating healthier, and doing more creative things, and actively seeking out things that i enjoyed and that made me happy. when i started to feel excessively anxious or angry or sad, i tried to figure out why, and if there was a thing i was focusing on too much, or a way i was thinking about something that might not be helpful or constructive.

and little by little i gained ground in all these areas, with some definite backsliding and pushing forward again, and persisted, and worked to try and feel better. i haven't changed the world, but i'm changing how i handle the world, and i feel better now than i have in a long time.

i wish the same for you.

perhaps a smile is what is needed..

Who Knows? The Farmer's Son: Fortune or Misfortune?

One day in late summer, an old farmer was working in his field with his old sick horse. The farmer felt compassion for the horse and desired to lift its burden. So he left his horse loose to go the mountains and live out the rest of its life.

Soon after, neighbors from the nearby village visited, offering their condolences and said, "What a shame. Now your only horse is gone. How unfortunate you are!. You must be very sad. How will you live, work the land, and prosper?" The farmer replied: "Who knows? We shall see".

Two days later the old horse came back now rejuvenated after meandering in the mountainsides while eating the wild grasses. He came back with twelve new younger and healthy horses which followed the old horse into the corral.

Word got out in the village of the old farmer's good fortune and it wasn't long before people stopped by to congratulate the farmer on his good luck. "How fortunate you are!" they exclaimed. You must be very happy!" Again, the farmer softly said, "Who knows? We shall see."

At daybreak on the next morning, the farmer's only son set off to attempt to train the new wild horses, but the farmer's son was thrown to the ground and broke his leg.

One by one villagers arrived during the day to bemoan the farmer's latest misfortune. "Oh, what a tragedy! Your son won't be able to help you farm with a broken leg. You'll have to do all the work yourself, How will you survive? You must be very sad". they said. Calmly going about his usual business the farmer answered, "Who knows? We shall see"

Several days later a war broke out. The Emperor's men arrived in the village demanding that young men come with them to be conscripted into the Emperor's army. As it happened the farmer's son was deemed unfit because of his broken leg. "What very good fortune you have!!" the villagers exclaimed as their own young sons were marched away. "You must be very happy." "Who knows? We shall see!", replied the old farmer as he headed off to work his field alone.

As time went on the broken leg healed but the son was left with a slight limp. Again the neighbors came to pay their condolences. "Oh what bad luck. Too bad for you"! But the old farmer simply replied; "Who knows? We shall see."

As it turned out the other young village boys had died in the war and the old farmer and his son were the only able bodied men capable of working the village lands. The old farmer became wealthy and was very generous to the villagers. They said: "Oh how fortunate we are, you must be very happy", to which the old farmer replied, "Who knows? We shall see!"

a reply to: gortex

Yeah right. Happens to me a lot.
I Will drive around the city with my mind heavy on some things, finally take a look at the sky, use my imagination to put some perspective into it and then go:
" Dang, you are so tiny, this universe is so overwhelmingly big and powerful, just f-cking chill man"

a reply to: muzzleflash

And I respect the weird balance of things. In fact, I've always used and enjoyed both side of the coin in my everyday life. Good and evil, gotta try them both to really know what you stand for.

The thing is it feels like the balance is being hijacked towards evil recently. I mean, just think about the genuine truth. Do you see it a lot all around you? Or is it more lies and deception?

So yeah, I'm sure the balance isn't quite at its best right now. We clearly need more good.

originally posted by: fiverx313



i started working on cutting back on drinking and then stopping. i started working on going outside more, going on walks. i started working on eating healthier, and doing more creative things, and actively seeking out things that i enjoyed and that made me happy. when i started to feel excessively anxious or angry or sad, i tried to figure out why, and if there was a thing i was focusing on too much, or a way i was thinking about something that might not be helpful or constructive.

and little by little i gained ground in all these areas, with some definite backsliding and pushing forward again, and persisted, and worked to try and feel better. i haven't changed the world, but i'm changing how i handle the world, and i feel better now than i have in a long time.

i wish the same for you.

Well I'm happy to hear it.
Turns out this is exactly what is going on in my life since last year. Especially in the last few months. You know, we always hear about how to change one's life through different perspectives, by doing the things you love and by choosing your thoughts and mindset at every moment. I guess they were rights.

Sometimes it's hard though, because change will often make people around us leave. There is also the fact that by wanting to change you will have to actually face your own demons.
But, in the end it's all worth it.

Thanks for sharing. I hope all things continue to go your way for a very long time.

originally posted by: St0rD
a reply to: muzzleflash

And I respect the weird balance of things. In fact, I've always used and enjoyed both side of the coin in my everyday life. Good and evil, gotta try them both to really know what you stand for.

The thing is it feels like the balance is being hijacked towards evil recently. I mean, just think about the genuine truth. Do you see it a lot all around you? Or is it more lies and deception?

So yeah, I'm sure the balance isn't quite at its best right now. We clearly need more good.

Why not refrain from labeling things (internal and external) good and bad - just note them as the reality of the moment.

a reply to: FyreByrd

Because I firmly believe we have been given the capacity to do so. Discern good from evil. Something even animals cannot do. I know some people believe it is a religious fairy tale -
good and evil. Well, I don't.

I have experienced both and they lead to complete opposite roads.
One lead to destruction. Another to salvation.

And I guess it just help me cope with things. Feeling in my guts what seem right and then make a decision accordingly.

a reply to: NerdGoddess

WOW!

Those are some awesome changes you've made!

I see threads like this an I don't "get it". If all I did was read headlines on forums or the news you'd think the world was a #-hole and people are dysfunctional beyond belief. But in my real life I see none of that. No one at work or where I hang out is talking about anything other than normal everyday things.

How their kids are, how they saved and took out that dead tree that was worrying them cause it was gonna fall on "something", someone else did some overtime an finally got a couple of new tires so isn't freaking about their commute anymore. A friend was pretty proud that she managed to get other drivers to stop to let a bunch of crazed deer cross a road and there wasn't a bloodbath.

Another friend just took retirement despite it going to be rough an is working a part time job while taking care of two other family members, another oldster friend snagged a side job an despite being in her mid sixty's rides her bike 12 miles to go cut grass all day. It makes her happy. She was glowing, GLOWING as she said the riding mower was broke an she had to use a push mower, then pedal home.

Then I came home last night to the headlines here, trying to reconcile what I live and what I read. BTW the "pony story" took the cake. I'm thinking since only the shocking stuff makes the news we need to stop internalizing it and "go by what we see and experience" instead of how bad the aberrant "News" is.

a reply to: St0rD

Maybe the pendulum effect is a reasonable comparison?
That things swing back and forth in intensity but overall and through time it develops an average balance.

And only at any rare moment is it in actual balance, while 99% of the time it is swinging towards an extreme of one over the other.

I dunno, I'm not old enough to actually know definitively exactly what's going on here. I know what humans believe to a large extent but I'm not satisfied to make a full assessment and final conclusion about the metaphysics of the Universe in totality and our cosmic roles in life yet.