Self Determination - Making The Most Out Of You
Breaking the mold of being a child is difficult. The mere
addition of years does not make that happen. The dependency many
adults choose, in fact, keeps them in a child-like mentality. If
the doctor makes our health decisions, an accountant our
financial ones, a minister our moral ones and a politician is
left to decide our rights, how is that different from a child
being told what to do by teachers and parents?
Substituting authority figures and shifting dependencies does
not equal maturity.
Childhood is necessarily filled with lots of dos and don'ts,
rights and wrongs, rewards and punishments. However, children
who are well disciplined are not necessarily self-motivated.
Tell children not to tattle and perhaps they won't - for a
while. Teach them ethical concepts of confidentiality and
loyalty by touching their inner sense of conscience, and
tattling is more likely to be removed from the personality.
Discipline a child who followed the neighborhood ringleader and
threw apples at passing cars, and perhaps, just maybe, he won't
throw apples again. By giving him self-confidence he will more
likely have the courage to turn from peer pressure. Tell a child
not to eat so many French fries and perhaps she won't - until
the next chance when you're not around. Teach her the logic
behind the value of natural foods and the damaging effects of
food processing and you have given her a life-long road map to
better health.
Growing up is about thinking - reasons, causes, consequences,
exercising conscience and the long-range view. Unfortunately, as
we distance ourselves from the natural world, in our comfortable
homes, air conditioned automobiles, and cushy jobs, we think
less and less as we become more and more dependent. We live in a
time when virtually every need can be met with barely getting
out of a chair. No hunting and gathering today. Nope,
refrigerators are full, and if they aren't we can drive to a
grocery. If we've incapacitated ourselves enough we can get the
nearest handicapped space and use a battery cart so we don't
even have to walk to do that. Back home we have every imaginable
modern appliance making life "easier." The television set is
there handy for more dumbing down and to give us a rest from
that grueling trip to the store and fast food stop on the way
home.
Our modern world of convenience is a health trap, both mentally
and physically. But we clamor for more convenience, more
leisure, less responsibility, more entertainment and less work.
We need the opposite, more work and activity for our physical
health and more control over our lives for our mental health.
We're like sheep begging to be led to the slaughter. The less we
take care of ourselves, the more we become dependent on others,
the more we put ourselves at their mercy. Will our best
interests be served by others or ourselves? Does history teach
us that when we surrender to others and trust that they will
look after us that that turns out to be the case? The rise and
fall of nations throughout time scream a resounding no! Will we
learn from history or repeat it?
Although it is difficult in modern, interdependent, complex
society, think of yourself as a sovereign. Claim your
inalienable rights or you have none. Ultimately you are the best
steward of your own welfare. By regaining control you move from
childhood and make life more interesting, exhilarating and
healthy.
Here are some ideas of what I mean:
1. Need a repair or home improvement? Try it yourself. Buy
"do-it-yourself" books and ask hardware and lumberyard clerks
how to do it. 2. Sew and mend your own clothes. 3. Plant a
garden. 4. Cut each other's hair. 5. Clean your own teeth. 6.
Home school your children. 7. Represent yourself in court. 8.
Write letters to right social wrongs. Express yourself after you
are fully informed. 9. Help solve the environmental crises -
plant trees, recycle, reduce, reuse and get active in protecting
common areas and resources. 10. Be as healthy, strong, and as
smart as you can be. You learn how to do it; don't try to hire
somebody else to. 11. Cook (actually, learn more about how to
uncook) your own meals. 12. Prepare your pet's food. 13. Study
the Constitution (when was the last time you read the contract
between your government and you?) and assert your rights. 14. Be
your own doctor. Study and explore ways to heal yourself and
develop your full health potential. 15. Learn to play an
instrument. Try it on your own without lessons. Always look for
opportunities to say, "I did it all by myself." 16. Challenge
"experts." If they imply you're too dumb to understand - fire
them. 17. Develop your own business - full or part-time. Make it
something you enjoy as much as a hobby. It doesn't have to be a
big moneymaker. It simply has to be yours. 18. Or, make your job
your own business by doing more than expected. Be creative and
always try to improve. Be a leader at work, not a follower. 19.
Bike, walk or roller blade to work. Free yourself from the
automobile as much as possible. The sunshine, fresh air and
exercise pay some health bonuses as well. 20. Write a book or an
article. Yes, you. Write about anything of interest, or about
which you are capable of researching. How about an
autobiography? You're the best expert on that. If you can get it
published, fine. If not, do it yourself. 21. Learn a new sport -
but don't take lessons. Watch, read and buy videos. Surprise
yourself and others with what you can do on your own. 22. Stop
buying. Necessities and some treats once in a while are fine.
But 50 pairs of high heels or 40 neckties? Say no to the
marketers. Make a stand with your dollars. Support companies of
conscience. Use your money in some way to improve our world. You
be the benefactor. You take control. Serve others; don't demand
that they serve you. 23. Take the attitude that if another flesh
and blood person can do it, so can you. It might take you longer
and you might not do it as well, but so what?
Get the idea?
Granted, you can't become totally self-sufficient, but every
step you make in that direction - the more you can thumb your
nose at "experts" and government dependence - the more life you
will have, the longer you will live it and the healthier you
will be. A population busy taking care of itself will value and
protect the freedom to do so. A population ignorant, dependent
and with their hands out to government invites despotism.
Don't let modern life smother you with its beguiling lure of
ease and comfort. Life is hard work if you do it right. The goal
of life is not some phantasmagoric end we might imagine (forever
elusive, incidentally), but the journey well traveled with you
at the helm.