On Pressure

Every day we face pressure. From our friends, family co-workers, and worst of all, from ourselves. We pressure ourselves to do things that we really do not need to do. We feel the need to relieve that pressure by either appeasing the pressure maker or ignoring it. Both of these do not work, because it does not fix the root of the problem. Step one is to identify the root of the problem. Step two is to make a plan to fix the root cause of the problem. Step three is to execute and commit to the plan. Step four is to re-evaluate.

 If one does not know the root cause of the problem, pressure will overwhelm oneself, since there is no direction, purpose, or motivation. It's like being lost and not caring to find a way out. If one knows the root cause of the problem but does not have a plan, then one is procrastinating the inevitable, either the pressure maker will win every time, and not only is there no purpose, but self-esteem will be affected since the feeling of hopelessness will come about. If one knows the root cause, and has a plan, but does not execute, then that is a sign of weakness. It is a sign of a lack of confidence, non assertiveness. All that is required to execute is the right motivator and a clear view of the purpose and direction one must take. The last step will reinforce the process and make it stronger each time it is repeated.

 The only thing it takes is doing it once.

On Stress

I have always believed that stress is something that is brought on by yourself. In a world of perfect synchronous accountability, it is easy to see your own mistakes and shortcomings and deal with them in such a manner that will benefit you. But we all know that this is not the case and that very few people, not including myself can deal with stress in a non-self-destructive way. I do try though. Having said that, many years later since I started my philosophy, I still believe that stress is self-inflicted, because we come from a destructive nature and a need to feel sorry for ourselves. We like to become the victim for that short point in time and over confidently imply that everything only happens to us and for no apparent reason.

 Since putting it that way sounds pretty weird, I guess that it is kinda silly to overreact to simply day-to-day items that should have absolutely no effect on our self-esteem and other aspects of our life, let alone becoming a bad day.

 Anger management partnered with stress management can be the ultimate fuck-it-all tool. Not that we have no care for the world, but that those things that matter not, will not be given time to mess up our day. Again, the common denominator for controlling anger, stress, and self is procrastination. Handling angry matters later will not be effective, and will chain events into stressful scenarios, mess up your day by making you angry, and so on and so forth.

 It's a cycle, eh.

On Trust

In the midst of the current situation, I would like to believe that there is still some good left in people; and that not everyone has a special agenda of their own and is willing to stab people in the back in order to get ahead. I learned long ago that by having eyes in the back of your head, you would realize how much one means to people, and that no matter who it is, family, so-called friends, co-workers, and even those from the religious community, will if given a chance, fuck you over.

 This current situation I am in, requires that I take risks, and that no matter how much suspicion, doubt, or reluctance exists, I remain calm and keep driving. How can I, if having survived many years practicing the art of removing the concept of trust in my life, expect others to trust me? I do not, yet it seems that this minor detail will entail a great deal of mis-perspective, and unleash a chain of events that in later years manifest itself in great disappointment and a complete waste of time.

 Trust is something many take for granted, and others give in abundance without concern for consequence, yet there must be some balance as to how much and where this trust is placed. I am still adamant about this whole trust concept, as I believe it to be an illusion, a mask, and a form of control, yet I feel that there must be a balance to where it is no longer trust, but something else, defined similarly, but will not destroy you when it is violated.

 Until then, I continue to play my odds and hopefully one day I will have the answer.