I do not wish to expiate, but to live. My life is for itself and not for a spectacle. I much prefer that it should be of a lower strain, so it be genuine and equal, than that it should be glittering and unsteady. I wish it to be sound and sweet, and not to need diet and bleeding. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Think about the type of person you’d NEVER want to be 5 years from now. Write out your own personal recipe to prevent this from happening and commit to following it. “Thought is the seed of action.”
(Author: Harley Schreiber)
I’ve come dangerously close to becoming someone I’d rather not be. There’s a slippery slope when it comes to determining our identity, particularly as we get older and tend to try on different shades of personality in the quest to discover our true selves.
In this process, there seems to be a youthful inclination driven by the desire to please everyone. The modus operandi is to be a completely agreeable person, for the fear of limiting our connections and opportunities by getting in our own way. In actuality, we can be completely authentic, free as can be – so long as we dip the criticism in a bit of sugar.
When I first moved to Los Angeles I knew it would be a fun ride. I was in my early 20’s and thought it would be an entertaining and opportunistic place to be. I wasn’t wrong. I quickly took to the screenings, openings, fabulous parties, salons, celebrity culture and cutting-edge philosophy (see? dipping it in a bit of sugar!), adding myself to as many mailing lists as possible and going out every night of the week. Our group at one point even embraced a mantra of “Tuesday is the new Saturday.”
It was the ultimate lifestyle for a young, single, and upwardly mobile professional.
After a couple of years though, it all began to seep into my skin and I became lost. And I don’t mean by means of spray tan or peroxide. I stopped reading as much as I used to. I started noticing where my friends worked and what kinds of cars they drove. I didn’t become superficial, but I did become slightly jaded and highly critical of myself and others. I assimilated myself into a particular group of gals and guys about town – a rotating cast of characters on a never-ending and fabulous quest to mingle with the current cause célèbre.
It’s taken a few years, but I’ve come back around again. I think what happened is that I got my priorities in check. I realized that in order to be the best I can be in this life, I need to discover myself. And by doing that, I can develop and align my priorities in order to execute the best life ever. This is way more important than all that other stuff. But don’t get me wrong, I still love a good party.
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