Be your own master (Part I)

While we sit inside of our homes, we are totally ignorant of the other fraction of the world who are not very privileged like us. Where the other fraction struggles for a single meal every day, we complain about the luxuries our lives are missing. It is so easy to be self-occupied and not feel responsible for others when our wants and needs are never ending and there’s no control over it. But we must learn to manage it. If managing it can provide someone a meal for a day, isn’t it worth it? I believe that as a human it is our duty to care of others who has no one, I guess that’s what makes us humans. Animals fight for territory and hold grudges and so do we. What is that ‘distinctiveness’ which makes us different from animals? We have a higher functioning brain than them which should be our advantage but we are exploiting it to exploit others and everything around us. There is a greater need than ever before to bring a change for our own betterment, to right all the wrongs.

Starting by being responsible for the things that we do even if it’s good or bad. We caused it, we own it. If it did anything wrong then it becomes our duty to make it right. Owning up to a fault is a very hard thing to do but once learned it becomes really easy. To own up to something we need to be ‘aware’ that we are the originator of it. The main daunting task starts here ‘being aware’.

We think that our eyes are open so we are aware or we are conscious. But are we really? Merely opening eyes means being aware? Just being present somewhere means being conscious? If so, then there wouldn’t be any fuss in the world. Humans would be happy and very well sorted. There wouldn’t be any unhappiness and mental illness. But that’s not the story. It’s the total contradictory to an ideal.

To bring a change in the world, in others, it’s prerequisite to bring a change in oneself.  It always start from inside and then moves towards outside. Because what we do is a mere reflection of who we are. So first the work needs to be done on yourself. Ask yourself who are you? What makes you, 'you'? We are often under the influence of other people because we live around and with people. And people have a tendency to intentionally or unintentionally influence others. So you need to know yourself truly and always be aware of who you are and not fall prey of anyone’s influence. 

 

Everyone has their own distinct identity, made up of different types of believes, values, likes, dislikes and many more. Find your own and write it down so that you never forget any of it. While writing it down be totally true to yourself, do not be self-critical, and do not be under any influence. No one else is going to read that so no need to sugar coat and make yourself look desirable and approvable. Wherever you find there is a flaw or there’s something you don’t like and is not right, just change it. Humans are capable of enormous change. Once you put your mind and effort to do something, you will be able to do it. So fix whatever you don’t like into something you like and grow the love for yourself. But always make sure that you are not rigid, that you are always open to change with the demand. Always be open to what others are saying, process it, analyse it and then act on it. Don’t think that you know yourself and there's no need to hear anything from others. You should always be open to feedback, know what others think of you, and know how you are putting yourself into the world. You might be all sorted about yourself and know yourself the best and accomplished the level 1. But how you are acting/behaving is level 2.