Check out Part Two of this essay here.
Everything popular is wrong.
Oscar Wilde
Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is uniquely your own.
Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is uniquely your own.
Bruce Lee
Normal is out. Weird is back.
If you've been following this blog since its inception, or have at least made it past the two quotes in the beginning, you're likely the type of person who isn't satisfied with merely existing. In fact, you're likely some sort of Awesomeness Hunter backslash philosopher who can't seem to shake the deep need to question the nature of the universe.
And if you aren't? Well, enjoy it! ignorance is bliss!
Many men have been driven to madness delving into the weird and wonderful world outside our narrow, peripheral lives. Slowly losing their minds spiralling down a whirlwind of pain and torturous contemplation about the meaning of the shape of a doorknob, or even the purpose of a doorknob, even the purpose of a door, or the shape of a door.. ahhhhh!
Fear not my fellow Philosophizing Awesomeness-Warrior, help is underway.
In the final part of this three part essay, ill discuss the Pursuit of Weirdness, and how it can help you achieve an awesome life. So put down the spoon, take your head out of the oven, and stop deep frying that teddy bear your cousin gave you last christmas, I don't care what that little purple leprechaun in your closet said, it wont give you wings!
Sorry, don't know where that came from..
In parts one and two of this series, we discussed the concepts of Autotelic living and Self Realization. This was, respectively, the living of one's life through engaging in activities that are fufilling in and of themselves, and the resulting level of self-realization. However, achieving this is impossible unless you, to use a horribly overused but goddamn appropriate cliche "think out of the box" (I know, I hate myself already).
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Normal is out. Weird is back.
If you've been following this blog since its inception, or have at least made it past the two quotes in the beginning, you're likely the type of person who isn't satisfied with merely existing. In fact, you're likely some sort of Awesomeness Hunter backslash philosopher who can't seem to shake the deep need to question the nature of the universe.
And if you aren't? Well, enjoy it! ignorance is bliss!
Many men have been driven to madness delving into the weird and wonderful world outside our narrow, peripheral lives. Slowly losing their minds spiralling down a whirlwind of pain and torturous contemplation about the meaning of the shape of a doorknob, or even the purpose of a doorknob, even the purpose of a door, or the shape of a door.. ahhhhh!
Fear not my fellow Philosophizing Awesomeness-Warrior, help is underway.
In the final part of this three part essay, ill discuss the Pursuit of Weirdness, and how it can help you achieve an awesome life. So put down the spoon, take your head out of the oven, and stop deep frying that teddy bear your cousin gave you last christmas, I don't care what that little purple leprechaun in your closet said, it wont give you wings!
Sorry, don't know where that came from..
The Pursuit of Weirdness
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Albert Einstein
BOOM! how about that eh? if Einsten said it, I might as well end this essay here, as anything else would seem rather futile.. however, just for fun, let me elaborate... What I mean is that you gotta start doing stuff differently if you want a different outcome! Want to get in shape? stop eating junk and being lazy and hit the gym! Want a better relationship with your family? Stop being a douchebag and call them for a change! Want to excel in your career? Stand out from the crowd, be different and pioneering!
The point is: Don't be a sheep. Make your own rules, and break out of the norm. Many will judge you, they'll say you're crazy, and weird. It may hurt. You know what I say?
Note: does anyone agree that this subtitle would make a great name for a band??
Yes, embrace your weirdness. If you've read this far, you are already accepting that you need to start thinking for yourself and step out of your comfort zone. I would like to take it one step further. Don't merely accept the weirdness. Embrace it. Wear it like a badge of honor. Welcome the hails of mockery.
What, welcome the hails of.. wtf?!
Yes, welcome them. Doing something weird like not caring what brand of clothing you wear, not conforming to the consumerist machine that our society is, eating breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast (btw, this is awesome! like being in some weird backward universe). Embracing small acts of weirdness will prepare you for the empty words of criticism you will inevitably face, like..
"God, you're NOT wearing Louis Vuitton!? It's like, the best bag ever, its totally worth paying the equivalent of being able to feed a small underdeveloped nation for a month"
"What do you mean you want to live out of a bag and travel the world, who do you think you are? Asshole!"
Exposing yourself to lower levels of resistance and animosity will inoculate you from fearing the greater challenges in life, the ones that will require insane amounts of courage and willpower to remain steadfast in the face of adversity.
Also, doing this will give you the ability to shortcut your way to Autotelic Living and Self-Realization. By thinking differently, you can circumnavigate the sea of bullshit and unnecessary experiences to do what it is YOU REALLY WANT TO DO..
Okay. So far I've given you a whole bunch of wishy washy, tree-hugging buddah talk. Its time for some realness. Here's my top practical tips for living an Autotelic Life, attaining Self-Realization, and of course, getting Weird.
1. Don´t focus on money: Stop thinking so much about what career will give you the most money or security. Both are overrated and more money usually comes with more spending on stuff you don’t need or really want, and security is often an illusion. Instead, think about what activities you like doing, and try to do them as much as possible. However, temper your desires with an ounce of realism and focus on the activity, not the goal. If you’re 50+ years old, and want to be a professional ballet dancer, its not gonna happen (sorry for the reality check grandpa). You’re focusing on an unrealistic goal when you should be focusing on very achievable activity. Just keep dancing as much as possible and you will be able to do it more and more. You may become a dance instructor for the elderly, bringing the joy of movement to those who so badly need it.
2. Skills + desire = Happy Happy: Leverage your pre-existing skills and combine them with your desires. Try to combine the two as much as possible. This is a factor that most often leads to self-realization. The fact is that doing what you are naturally good at is extremely rewarding and integral to your self worth. Its the trinity of combining what you're good at, what you like, and the best opportunities for doing the two in an area that is accessible to you.
3. Practice moderate minimalism: Things are great and we all need the essentials, as well as some fun non-essentials (I myself am guilty of owing an ipad although I don’t need it, but I love it!). Just avoid mindless consumerism. Be an intelligent consumer. Buy what you need, and buy quality. Buy it once, and buy it right. Care for these things, don’t just discard them when they’re used, give it to charity. Also, keep a mental inventory of the things you own. If it seems like an insurmountable task, you have too much stuff (I am planning to do this shortly and will write an article about it, my goal is to have 100 things or less). Also, it will allow you to gauge what you really use and dont. Things you dont use, sell, chuck, or give away. Getting rid of stuff will free up time in your life to acutally live life and do the things you want.
4. Outline your perfect lifestyle: Living with less and consuming less may seem like it sucks, but really, your perfect lifestyle often doesn’t require that much, when you find out exactly what it is you want in life. This requires a lot of time, you will need to sit and work on this. Be patient. Take small steps. Begin by working out your perfect day. This was great for me. It took me ages to discover myself and find out what life I wanted, and im still not sure I completely know, but discovering the path is half the journey.
5. Ok, Ok, Money CAN make you happy.. sort of: There's an exception to step 1. Money can indeed make you happy. However, don't bother earning more than $75,000 a year. Studies have consistently shown that there is a linear relationship between happiness and money, up to a point. The $75k point that is. More than this and things like job/work satisfaction, leisure time, relationships, and meaning to life become more important. And even though I preach about money not mattering, I admit, I would be pretty happy with $75,000 a year. So if you must focus on money, push it till $75k, then look elsewhere for your happiness fix.
6. Once again, breathe: When you are unsure of what to do, how to achieve this state of blissful contentment, or are sinking in the vortex of life, just breathe. Take a moment, close your eyes, and simply breathe in and out. Call it meditation, centering yourself, or whatever you like. Just be mindful of the moment and be grateful for your breath. Enjoy it, and savour the feeling. This will ground you and keep you away from destroying your path with over-thinking.
7. Balance living in the NOW with planning for the future: If you have a job that you hate but can't immediately get out of, try to think of every moment as being precious. Not everything in life is meant to be happy and shiny and pretty and easy. Otherwise there would be no life, not one worth living at least. Washing dishes sucks but our lives would suck even more without doing it. The whole point of putting yourself through the ordeal of washing stuff is so it can be enjoyed as something clean later on. So instead of complaining, enjoy the process. When washing, love it! Each dish is a symphony of bubbles and sensation! Try to accept and enjoy the "negative" side of things because after all, pleasure without pain is like night without day, Success without failure is like the body without a brain. Life only exists because of death. All that really matters is THIS MOMENT, but realize that the quality of this moment is amplified through planning for the future... Temper living in the moment with an ounce of forward thinking, and curb your future planning with the ability to embrace the glory of this very moment.
The End?
Don't you just love how that last subtitle opens up for a part four?
BOOM! how about that eh? if Einsten said it, I might as well end this essay here, as anything else would seem rather futile.. however, just for fun, let me elaborate... What I mean is that you gotta start doing stuff differently if you want a different outcome! Want to get in shape? stop eating junk and being lazy and hit the gym! Want a better relationship with your family? Stop being a douchebag and call them for a change! Want to excel in your career? Stand out from the crowd, be different and pioneering!
The point is: Don't be a sheep. Make your own rules, and break out of the norm. Many will judge you, they'll say you're crazy, and weird. It may hurt. You know what I say?
Embrace the weirdness
Note: does anyone agree that this subtitle would make a great name for a band??
Yes, embrace your weirdness. If you've read this far, you are already accepting that you need to start thinking for yourself and step out of your comfort zone. I would like to take it one step further. Don't merely accept the weirdness. Embrace it. Wear it like a badge of honor. Welcome the hails of mockery.
What, welcome the hails of.. wtf?!
Yes, welcome them. Doing something weird like not caring what brand of clothing you wear, not conforming to the consumerist machine that our society is, eating breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast (btw, this is awesome! like being in some weird backward universe). Embracing small acts of weirdness will prepare you for the empty words of criticism you will inevitably face, like..
"God, you're NOT wearing Louis Vuitton!? It's like, the best bag ever, its totally worth paying the equivalent of being able to feed a small underdeveloped nation for a month"
"What do you mean you want to live out of a bag and travel the world, who do you think you are? Asshole!"
Exposing yourself to lower levels of resistance and animosity will inoculate you from fearing the greater challenges in life, the ones that will require insane amounts of courage and willpower to remain steadfast in the face of adversity.
Also, doing this will give you the ability to shortcut your way to Autotelic Living and Self-Realization. By thinking differently, you can circumnavigate the sea of bullshit and unnecessary experiences to do what it is YOU REALLY WANT TO DO..
Eddie's wonderful guide to weirdness
1. Don´t focus on money: Stop thinking so much about what career will give you the most money or security. Both are overrated and more money usually comes with more spending on stuff you don’t need or really want, and security is often an illusion. Instead, think about what activities you like doing, and try to do them as much as possible. However, temper your desires with an ounce of realism and focus on the activity, not the goal. If you’re 50+ years old, and want to be a professional ballet dancer, its not gonna happen (sorry for the reality check grandpa). You’re focusing on an unrealistic goal when you should be focusing on very achievable activity. Just keep dancing as much as possible and you will be able to do it more and more. You may become a dance instructor for the elderly, bringing the joy of movement to those who so badly need it.
2. Skills + desire = Happy Happy: Leverage your pre-existing skills and combine them with your desires. Try to combine the two as much as possible. This is a factor that most often leads to self-realization. The fact is that doing what you are naturally good at is extremely rewarding and integral to your self worth. Its the trinity of combining what you're good at, what you like, and the best opportunities for doing the two in an area that is accessible to you.
3. Practice moderate minimalism: Things are great and we all need the essentials, as well as some fun non-essentials (I myself am guilty of owing an ipad although I don’t need it, but I love it!). Just avoid mindless consumerism. Be an intelligent consumer. Buy what you need, and buy quality. Buy it once, and buy it right. Care for these things, don’t just discard them when they’re used, give it to charity. Also, keep a mental inventory of the things you own. If it seems like an insurmountable task, you have too much stuff (I am planning to do this shortly and will write an article about it, my goal is to have 100 things or less). Also, it will allow you to gauge what you really use and dont. Things you dont use, sell, chuck, or give away. Getting rid of stuff will free up time in your life to acutally live life and do the things you want.
4. Outline your perfect lifestyle: Living with less and consuming less may seem like it sucks, but really, your perfect lifestyle often doesn’t require that much, when you find out exactly what it is you want in life. This requires a lot of time, you will need to sit and work on this. Be patient. Take small steps. Begin by working out your perfect day. This was great for me. It took me ages to discover myself and find out what life I wanted, and im still not sure I completely know, but discovering the path is half the journey.
5. Ok, Ok, Money CAN make you happy.. sort of: There's an exception to step 1. Money can indeed make you happy. However, don't bother earning more than $75,000 a year. Studies have consistently shown that there is a linear relationship between happiness and money, up to a point. The $75k point that is. More than this and things like job/work satisfaction, leisure time, relationships, and meaning to life become more important. And even though I preach about money not mattering, I admit, I would be pretty happy with $75,000 a year. So if you must focus on money, push it till $75k, then look elsewhere for your happiness fix.
6. Once again, breathe: When you are unsure of what to do, how to achieve this state of blissful contentment, or are sinking in the vortex of life, just breathe. Take a moment, close your eyes, and simply breathe in and out. Call it meditation, centering yourself, or whatever you like. Just be mindful of the moment and be grateful for your breath. Enjoy it, and savour the feeling. This will ground you and keep you away from destroying your path with over-thinking.
7. Balance living in the NOW with planning for the future: If you have a job that you hate but can't immediately get out of, try to think of every moment as being precious. Not everything in life is meant to be happy and shiny and pretty and easy. Otherwise there would be no life, not one worth living at least. Washing dishes sucks but our lives would suck even more without doing it. The whole point of putting yourself through the ordeal of washing stuff is so it can be enjoyed as something clean later on. So instead of complaining, enjoy the process. When washing, love it! Each dish is a symphony of bubbles and sensation! Try to accept and enjoy the "negative" side of things because after all, pleasure without pain is like night without day, Success without failure is like the body without a brain. Life only exists because of death. All that really matters is THIS MOMENT, but realize that the quality of this moment is amplified through planning for the future... Temper living in the moment with an ounce of forward thinking, and curb your future planning with the ability to embrace the glory of this very moment.
The End?
Don't you just love how that last subtitle opens up for a part four?
Anyway, for now, I hope you gained some value from these practical philosophies (or at least a laugh or two). If you did, please share them with others who may benefit from them.
And remember,
Practice baby steps.
Make small changes.
Reflect on your life.
And experience each moment.
One at a time.
And remember,
Practice baby steps.
Make small changes.
Reflect on your life.
And experience each moment.
One at a time.
