Existentialism

Stagnation is not an option

I would like to share with you where I am at this juncture, in the hopes that it will meet you where you are and lift you to a healthier frame of mind.

"We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." 

Aristotle.

Let us talk a little bit about existentialism.

In Victor E. Frankls' 'Man's Search For Meaning,' we are confronted with the following statement: "We should not be hesitant about challenging man with a potential meaning for him to fulfil. It is only thus that we evoke his will to meaning from his state of latency. I consider it a dangerous misconception of mental hygiene to assume that what man needs in the first place is equilibrium, or as it is called in biology, 'homeostasis,' i.e. a tensionless state. What man actually needs is not a tensionless state, but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task."

I am recently challenged to face a conflict within myself. At first there was self-pity and the question that usually follows this emotion;  why is the world such a cruel place? It turns out that life is not cruel, she just won't allow us to stay in a place that will keep us from our destiny. Hence the necessity for the striving, struggling, stretching, moulding, and pruning stages. Sure, we have a choice as to whether we face the storm or not, but I have come too far not to see this one through.

"Collective Individualism"
by
Kleoniki Vanos

Stephen R. Covey, in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," tells us that principles are like lighthouses in that they are an objective reality that governs human growth and happiness. "Principles are fundamental. The self-evident nature of principles is to simply consider that unfairness, deceit, baseness, uselessness, mediocrity, or degeneration are not a solid foundation for lasting happiness and success."

He goes on to discuss the following principles:

Fairness -


What can we say about this principle other than that it challenges us to see a situation from the viewpoint of each person and not just our own. It seeks the best solution, even if it hurts us. Ouch! but there it is.

Integrity and honesty -
The root of integrity is about doing the right thing, even when it's not acknowledged by others, or convenient for you. An individual with integrity is the antidote to self-interest.


Human Dignity -
In the US Declaration of Independence it sates the following, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

Service -
In helping others we help ourselves. There are many ways we can help others such as a smile, a listening ear, a hug, keeping an open mind and heart, not being judgemental, or if you don't have the skills to help someone you can direct them to someone who can.

Quality/Excellence -
Only when you understand what it feels like to fail and try again will you be able to cherish the moment when you achieve success, and to persevere and push through the failures will help you deliver higher quality of what you have set your mind to.

Potential/Growth - Personal growth is the ongoing process of understanding and developing oneself in order to achieve ones fullest potential.

Patience -
Persevering through the dry seasons will bring us great rewards and we will grow in the process.

Nurturance -
Learning to nurture yourself is one of the greatest things you can do, because you are learning to send love messages to yourself when no one is, committing to taking good care of yourself, setting healthy boundaries with others, becoming your own advocate, believing in yourself, and being compassionate with yourself.

Encouragement -
Encouragement is the gift of grace. It infuses courage into another person and gives them strength to look ahead and move forward.

So, dear reader, these gentle words I whisper in your ear, not to make you feel inadequate or overwhelmed by all the work that still needs to be done, but a reminder that we are all in this together.