Open Mind Archives - Page 22 of 23

May 14, 2016November 19, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Choice

None of us ever has to do anything.

Of course there are many things we should do, even things we’re required to do. But we don’t have to do any of them.

So many of us get into patterns that make us feel like we don’t have any free will, but that is an illusion.

We all have responsibilities. We all have choices that, in our minds, are not really choices at all.

Each of us has a particular lifestyle. When we are faced with choices that, on their surface, seem inconsistent with our lifestyles, we tend to dismiss them out of hand. This attitude puts artificial boundaries on our lives that limit our experiences and close our minds.

April 16, 2016October 11, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Adventure

When we were children, we were constantly pushing our boundaries, learning what we can do, and then going beyond what we have done. This involves taking risks, trying new things and learning about the world. For a child, everything is an adventure and horizons are constantly expanding.

As we get older, it is easy to become jaded—life becomes routine and we lose our ability to see new things even when they are right in front of us. We begin to acquire commitments and responsibilities, and we tend toward living safer, more stable lives. But does that mean that we shouldn’t continue to take risks or do exciting things? Absolutely not.

Adventure and stability are not mutually exclusive.

January 23, 2016August 31, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Comfort

For the most part, humans are creatures of habit – we generally stick to what we are comfortable with. We make a circle of friends, get a job, and engage in a fairly established set of activities. This may be due to a variety of factors, including economic stability and convenience, but it may also be related to a desire to stay in our comfort zones.

There are some who thrive on trying new things, but even they know what they like and will retreat to trusted friends and familiar places when they need comfort.

There are dedicated homebodies and there are those who can talk to anyone and love new experiences. How long can you stay out of your comfort zone?

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November 14, 2015September 5, 2018 by Pete Wiley

Affectation

It’s very interesting to see how the lingo changes through the years and how phrases that are firmly associated with a certain subset of society (e.g. surfers, bikers, environmental scientists) explode into common usage.

For example, I started thinking about this entry and have since noticed that I use the word “dude” a lot.

It’s not intentional. I have no idea where it came from.

I’m not proud of it.

But is it in affectation? I can honestly say that I do not say the word “dude” to elicit any specific response or present myself in any particular light. But it begs the question, when is a figure of speech (or action or fashion statement) an affectation?

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September 5, 2015September 5, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Honesty

Who are you?

When you answer that question, are you being honest with yourself? With others?

Being true to yourself is a necessary first step on the journey to figuring out who you are. Honesty is the fuel for that personal journey. Honesty with ourselves and honesty in our interactions will contribute toward a life that is real and vastly more interesting and exciting than one that cuts corners or takes the easy way around.

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