Frivolously Important

Frivolously Important

©2016 Scott D. Wilson



“Life is far too important to ever take seriously.” –Oscar Wilde & me


I distinctly remember when these words first came to me.  I was in a church parking lot talking to a friend one evening when they came to my mind and I spoke them aloud to him.  I decided then and there that they would be part of my life motto.  It was a few months later that I found that Oscar Wilde had sort of beaten me to the punch; he had said “…life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about it.”  Time and the internet morphed his words and you will find the quote above attributed to him.


I will tell you why I think this statement is important.  First of all, it is paradoxical.  I have found that the most profound truths live in paradoxes.  Consider “Love you neighbour as yourself.”   That is a profound paradox concerning the balance between the selfish and the selfless.  Another paradox, the most valuable things in life are free:  life, family and friends.  Where you find a paradox you will likely find valuable wisdom.  My quote today is of equal significant.  This life is important.  It is deeply and extremely important and not to be treated lightly.  That is all the more reason not to kill it with seriousness.  The one thing that virtually everyone, including myself, takes too seriously is ourselves.


All our problems seem larger than life, everything we do seems all important.  Our successes and failures are all-consuming. We invest huge amounts of serious time and emotion into ourselves.  And when life upsets our apple cart we react as if the world itself was ending.  We fail to put our existence into perspective.  We fail to see ourselves as brief unique miracle in the vast timeline of human history.  We take for granted our very existence, forgetting the world before our birth and neglecting the reality after our inevitable death.


As we strive towards success in life let us remember the sacred preciousness of our lives and treat ourselves less seriously.  Imagine that you had a mission of utmost importance that required you to drive for several days across America from one coast to the next.  There would be long hours in the close quarters of a vehicle, and cramped nights in the dingy rooms of roadside motels. Would you choose serious and sombre companions or would you bring along some cheerful, light-hearted and humorous friends?  Your life from cradle to grave is the most important journey that you will ever take.  Keep it joyful.  Don’t take it too seriously.

Why are you here?

Why are you here?

©2015 Scott D. Wilson,P.Eng.

 

Seriously, why are you here?  What is the point of your travels in this outer spiral arm of a Galaxy we call the Milky Way?  Sure, you were born here but that is mere circumstance.  Why do continue this ongoing adventure?  Are you like singer in the old Peggy Lee song “Is that all there is?” who is just hanging in because they simply don’t want to face the final disappointment of death?  Do you breathe out of habit or do you savour every miraculous heartbeat and every taste of life-sustaining air?

I see so many, day in and day out, struggling with addictions, bad habits, weight, and so much more.  The common factor for so many of them is the need for motivation and the will to follow through.  I may be wrong but I see that a large part of their problem is that they lack meaningful purpose in their life.  They simply do not know why they are here.  It is as if they expect to wake up one day from this tired existence and start living their real lives – the lives they were meant to be living.  This may in fact be partially true.

I can see why the Eastern religions and mysticism seek ‘enlightenment’ and ‘awakening.’  Like Neo in ‘The Matrix’ they want to see reality as it truly is and realize that their true identity is not what they have accepted since birth.  They want to awaken and see their true selves and those of the people and creations around them.  This is a noble quest.  It sets a foundation and provides a perspective for all that we are and all that we do.  For until you begin to truly understand yourself and start to know why you are here then you will continually struggle with motivation and willpower for all other pursuits.

For example, if you do not have a core purpose for living then what does it matter if you are thin or fat, healthy or sick, sane or crazy, wise or foolish?  Finding a purpose for life is not purely a spiritual pursuit.  Atheists are not immune to the need for a purposeful existence.  The only difference is the basis for the rational understanding of their unique purpose.

You are a combination of a rather unique set of 3.2 billion base pairs of DNA.  Scientifically and spiritually, you shall not pass this way again.  Even a clone will technically not be you, as it would be constrained to experience a completely different time and set of circumstances.   You belong here… to this time and place.  Accept that the universe has placed you where and when you are.  Whether it be the forces of evolution and circumstance or by divine intent, you came to be here today.

Accepting your place within time and space will allow you to look clearly at yourself and ask what role are you suited to play in the portion that has been allotted to you.  What are your talents?  What are your passions and interests?  What makes you come alive?  If these things are taking a back seat in your life then I suggest that you look at your priorities.  Because if you are not doing the things that bring enjoyment, meaning and fulfillment to your life then you won’t find much motivation to do all the other things that would otherwise bring health and other benefits to your existence.

Do not look to others to find out why you exist.  Their truths and meanings may have no bearing on you whatsoever.  Look inside and learn.  Look outside and see the possibilities, not the limitations.  Trust that you have been provided with a rational mind that can discover your own unique reasonable purpose.  Do not accept the realities that others have provided for you; they can limit your ability to see and understand.  When you are confused by life allow yourself to be puzzled and to ask “Why?”  Allow for awe and wonder. 

If you are having difficulties finding some kind of motivation I suggest that you put aside that struggle for now and instead ask yourself “Who am I?” Quietly allow the infinite number of answers to come to you.  Some will resonate more than others.  Dwell on those for they will help you to discover who you are and why you are here.  It will be a process.  Just as one does not go one day from a classroom to the pilot seat of an aircraft so too will the learning about yourself take gentle time and patience.  

I encourage you to discover your own reason for your existence.  From that answer will spring the ability and motivation for so much more.  Howard Thurman put it so eloquently:

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” 

I ask again, “Why are you here?”  I have provided some perspective and advice for one to begin to find an answer to this question.  Now I lastly ask, are you brave enough to try? 

The Final Notch

The Final Notch

©Scott D. Wilson 2015

It should be clear to us all that success is not a destination but rather a choice and process.  In our journey of success there are moments that will forever mark our path. What follows here is some of my thoughts on such events.  I present them here to encourage those who strive for self-improvement.

In April 2013 I reached the last notch.  I was wearing 40 inch waist pants and they were tight. My leather belt was on its last notch. I vowed that I would not buy another belt or a larger pair of pants.

It was then an there that I returned to an application that I had discovered, LoseIt, with the intent to learn control of my food intake and improvement to my activity levels. I knew this was no diet. This was going to be a fundamental change to my relationship to food and exercise. I was no longer going to be a victim to my appetite. To those unfamiliar to such websites and applications, LoseIt.com is a company that helps people to count the calories in their food and to learn the energy burned by activity and exercise.

Fast forward to today. I have again reached the final notch. There are only 5 notch holes in my belt. They are about one inch apart. So I have moved 4 notches down or 4 inches. And the belt is getting loose. I am 'only' down 25 pounds. I am now below 20% body fat. I can run up 3 office flights of stairs without being winded. I fluctuate a bit but I am consistently down. I lost weight this past December. I eat whatever I desire as long as it meets my budget. To me, this is true freedom.

Do I want to lose another 20 pounds?  Yep, eventually. For now, I am happy to have a new problem. I guess I need a new belt soon and I need to replace some pants. I am keeping this belt though. It will serve as my dual reminder of hitting 'the last notch.'

Would I say my journey towards better health has been successful?  Yes, and the owners of LoseIt must believe this too because they have made me a moderator on their site so I can help others on their own journeys. It is my hope that all folks seeking to lose weight and improve their health will soon share my particular belt 'problem.'

Whether it is weight, health, fame, fotune or any noble goal it is important to reach that final notch. Whether starting out or nearing the destintion I hope that you have all reached your own 'last notch.'  I applaud you regardless of which 'last notch' it is!!!!

Encouragement for the Journey

Today's theme music is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvsmRuRp4cM (Life is a Highway - Rascal Flatts [cover])

And though I could come up with something pithy to say, someone already said it better than I probably could:

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!” ― Hunter S. Thompson 

So grab today by the horns, jump on it's back and ride it like your life depeneds on it... because it does! Whether it is weight loss or just a better life, make today count!

Cheers!