Have you ever had a vision of the future by which you measure every decision in your life? For the environmentalist, it could be our planet’s future health which dictates whether you choose the fresh plastic spoon or the recycled potato spoon with which to enjoy that delicious miso-soup. Or, for the Matthew McConaughey fans, it could be the image of your future self which spurs you on each morning and encourages you to take the Greenlights. For me, I occasionally indulge myself in a funny little hypothetical: what if I were to become President of the United States of America. Granted, I have quite a few years before I could even qualify age-wise to run for President, but I still find myself judging certain decisions by the simple question of: would this hurt/benefit me in a bid for Presidency? As has been evident in recent years, running for President invites the entire world to perform a deep dive into every facet and decision in your life. So, asking this question is like asking, “would I make this decision while everyone is watching?” It adds a layer of accountability, which, I believe, is healthy in decision making. However, I’ve come to realize that such an intense question and lofty hypothetical can be stifling. Instead of putting myself in a position to make difficult decisions (I’m talking business and significant life stuff, not what-am-I-gonna-eat type decisions; those are easy), I’ve tended to avoid such decisions and action because of my irrational fear of incorrectly answering a purely entertaining hypothetical question. Thinking about it now, it’s absurd. One area where this absurdity has been indulged for too long has been communication. Instead of sharing my thoughts on the current state of society, on politics, on morality, I’ve opted for silence. Instead of freely speaking my mind, I’ve sat in a corner, afraid of offending others or misrepresenting myself. Instead of pursuing relationships, I’ve isolated myself in a bubble of my own self-reliance, keeping others out under the phony guise of “self-preservation”.
So, here’s to popping bubbles, misrepresenting myself, and sharing my thoughts as loudly as possible!
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