4 Insights For A Better 2022, & Beyond
A New Philosophy For Life
2021 was a year of learning, as well as unlearning.
Many instances sprang upon me, like a Leopard does his prey, with complete stealth and surprise. And those instances were able to highlight significant constraints in how I perceived and went about my business in the world.
My biases, unhealthy attachments, procrastination, beliefs, and even work ethic for that matter, were all put under the spotlight in 2021 in various circumstances, for various reasons.
With the fluctuating light and darkness in being right or wrong, I was sick of the uncertainty.
And over the course of the last 13 months, the dual nature of this world has had me ride various waves of ups and downs. Some are more significant than others. An odd Tsunami here and there, too.
While some may find these waves turbulent and some may not, initially, I belonged to the former group.
Being driven to gain an improved and refined understanding of who I am, what drives human nature, and how can we minimize unnecessary suffering, I chose to search for the answers to my questions far and wide.
And with my experiences gained from the efforts invested to do so, I put forth four insights that have helped me gain clarity in perspective, and I hope they offer you much the same.
1. List Your Priorities, What You Can Control & What You Can Not
As we consume heaps of content through the plethora of means available, we tend to get overwhelmed with information and in the snap of a second, we lose ourselves to the narrative.
Being over-stimulated at all times through our day forces us to view the world through a lens coated with this knowledge. Implying every action we take must be guided by the same.
On making a list of what was in my control and what was not, I was offered a drastic shift in perspective. And after adding a list of my priorities right next to this, I was blown away.
In those three small lists, I found a means to take a step back in any situation and in any circumstance, anywhere.
On testing this approach in my own life, I found that once I’d written these lists down on paper, my ability to formulate such lists in my head enhanced.
Enough to the point where I am able to detach from any situation and consider my options to act.
Be it while looking into the future in a macro sense, or even in the micro sense i.e while looking at a challenging circumstance you find yourself in this very moment.
Essentially, reaching a point where you do not react to everything, but act in accordance with your own perspective, and not another.
Plus, being aware that my stay on Earth is short and that in the macro sense, nothing we humans do will last, no struggles will matter, no sufferings will be remembered- assures me that if one has the blessing of being able to experience, then they should be able to dictate the quality and contents of their experience, as well.
2. Explore the Anatomy of the Body, Brain, and Nature
Being the only constant substantial part of our lives, examining the physiology and anatomy of the body offers one the opportunity to gain an in-depth look into the mechanics of this dense pile of atoms.
Doing so, allows us to understand and connect to our body, a relationship that many lean to neglect. Dr. Andrew Huberman’s research, AthleanX, and KneesOverToesGuy are great places to start.
Understanding the workings of the brain, our CPU, is something that can go a long way in revealing the nuances associated with our behaviour.
On completing Chris Niebauer’s rivetting book, ‘No Self, No Problem’, I was presented with insights into the ins and outs of the human psyche.
Understanding Dr. Michael Gazzaniga’s work on split-brain patients along with Dr. V.S Ramachandran’s research on phantom limbs, and the left brain’s inclination to make up vague and incorrect interpretations of reality has led to an understanding of human behaviour like never before.
Since we assume ownership that it is ‘my brain’ and ‘my body’, equating them to ‘my Ferrari’ helps put things into context better.
Suppose you’re cruising on a highway in your Ferrari and somewhere along the way, it comes to a halt.
With seemingly no help around with no signal either, wouldn’t you prefer to possess at least a baseline knowledge of the inner workings of the car in order to attempt to understand, and possibly, fix the problem?
Coming across Benoit Mandelbrot’s work was the final piece of inspiration which propelled me into the direction of paying attention to the little details around me.
Mandelbrot’s coining of the term “fractal” in 1975 furnished a profound manner of appreciating anything organic. So much so, that after excluding every manmade object based on Euclidian geometry, everything else that remains, is essentially a fractal.
Establishing a connection with nature through an established language developed by this genius, a feat accomplished by no other, has bestowed me with a newfound sense of appreciation for the ‘external’ world.
Who knows, maybe it could do the same for you?
I’m perfectly aware that by throwing these names out, I don’t offer you much insight.
But I’m also aware that to truly grasp my reasoning for the same, you will have to do your own bit of reading, as I will not do justice in translating their work.
But, hey, anything for a change, right?
3. Be Honest to Yourself, About Yourself
Not too long ago, I was unable to comprehend what being empathetic truly meant. I always used to wonder, if the experiences I go through are completely different from what others encounter, how on Earth am I supposed to understand what they are going through?
Using that reasoning, I was very conveniently able to push aside investing in learning empathy. I even flipped through a couple of books on how to be empathetic, for the sake of it. But I guess I had to learn the hard way to cement this knowledge in my being.
When I choose to look at my own actions, behaviour, and consequences, I create a space that allows me to introspect. By preventing the frequent deception to make myself feel better, I put myself in a position to view my flaws and faults from a non-judgemental outlook.
Accepting that I’m a flawed individual who has been conditioned in a certain way, in a time where everyone strives for perfection, has been one of the hardest things for me to come to terms with.
“There is no sun without shadow, and it is essential to know the night.” — Albert Camus
But by learning that concealing these flaws, repressing my negative habits, and justifying my faults by playing the blame-game, doesn’t produce much except for misery on a later date, I find myself compelled to bask in all of my glory.
Be it good, or bad.
Because doing so, allows me to be more understanding with other people. I would love it if all my mistakes were forgiven and that someone would give me the chance to grow.
So why not do the same for everyone?
4. Keep Flowing
As we go on about our limited lives, the only constant one can definitely come across is change.
It has a say in every instance and shapes our world in every moment. The very fact that our world can have structures and phenomena that are inexplainable is all due to the fact that everything is in a constant state of flux.
We can conceptually understand this quite easily. But what are the implications of such an understanding experientially?
In my case, I have been the kind of individual who has always tried to hold on to everything pleasant in my life by tying it to a tether. Through this process, I have suffered a tremendous lot.
To the extent where I’ve alienated the people I love because I wanted to hold on and keep them to myself. My attachment bred my suffering, quite literally.
But, when I was honest enough with myself to accept this fact, a new door opened up for me.
One of acceptance.
One of peace.
And one where the constant ups and downs of the waves do not bother me.
Because those waves are me. And I am them.
By deciding to not have a vantage point from where I look at the world, I have fostered this brilliant opportunity to go with the flow of life.
Unimpeded and Unfettered.
Accepting the fact that nothing will remain the same offers me a sense of freedom to make the most of this moment to its fullest.
And by doing just that, I am able to keep flowing.
Like water.
