Questions, or Whining?

“Your complaints, your drama, your victim mentality, your whining, your blaming, and all of your excuses have NEVER gotten you even a single step closer to your goals or dreams. Let go of your nonsense. Let go of the delusion that you DESERVE better and go EARN it!”

-- Dr. Steve Maraboli, Behavioral Science, author, speaker

It seems like I keep answering the same questions concerning how miserable people think life is and how to go about correcting it. Parents don't raise kids to understand their life is in their hands. They grow up and make choices and decisions only to blame other people when their choices and decisions cause their life misery. Children, for the most part, are not raised to own their lives. If parents are on welfare, the child will probably be. If the parent is constantly miserable, the child will probably be. If the parent blames others for their circumstances, the child probably will too. This misery is probably passed down from generation to generation. It's like genetic misery.  Makes a family proud, doesn't it?

My advice is always the same.  If you don't want to embrace the life you have chosen for yourself, then you should change it.  Make better choices and decisions.  If the bad ones you've already made have put you in bad circumstances, go back and correct the choice or decision.  Will it be embarrassing?  Probably, you'll have to own it, but would you rather eat a little crow or continue living in misery?  No, really, it is your life and your choice.  You allowed this to happen.  People need to understand they are in the school of hard knocks, and how they handle the curriculum will determine if they graduate.  And, let's be clear, just because you've read the "owner's manual" for life, doesn't mean you know how to drive yourself through it.  I know people with doctorates who can't find their ass using both hands and a mirror.  It isn't always about how intelligent you are.  Sometimes it is all about how smart you are.

People don't need to grow up, they need to mature.  Take ownership of their lives and stop relying on the government or others to take care of them, unless their handicapped and, even then, I've seen those folks not let their infirmity hold them back from meaningful employment and full lives.  Stop buying into the "perpetually offended" mentality.  Stop whining about every little thing and find a way to be happy always.  The alternative sucks, but, if you've looked around, it seems many of folks already know this. 

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“The decision meant (losing an opportunity/ a lost opportunity) to create 200 jobs” What is the difference?

The past: We lost an opportunity. The present: We’re losing an opportunity. The future: We might lose an opportunity. Past, present, and future statements.

What is another way to say "I've got your back"?

I have your back. Just kidding. Try “I’m here for you” or “I have you covered.”

What is it called when you keep doing the same thing but expect a different result?

Confirmation… or, beating your head against a wall. It depends on how many times you keep doing the same thing before reality sets in.

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”

-- Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931), inventor, businessman

What does life mean without a legacy?

It is what it is. Perhaps it’s better not to dwell on it and start making a new legacy.

To what extent are 'normal' and 'mediocre' the same thing?

If one feels their normal is mediocre, then they’re exactly the same thing. Most people I know aim higher. Rise above mediocre and consider something greater than yourself. Either way, try to be happy always.

What is the word for something that is both good and bad at the same time? 

Brothel. Just saying.

How can I be turning 25 and still have no idea what I want to do in life? I have no drive and motivation to do school and find a career choice. I’m just so bored in life. 

Join the military. They love to motivate, school you, and send you out on your new career.

"It's not about being the best. It's about being better than you were yesterday."

-- Unknown 

What is important in life to live?

Happiness is the most important thing in life to live. Strive to live happy always!

How do you define an impossible dream in philosophy?

“If there is a good store of Virtue, then nothing is impossible.If nothing is impossible, then there are no limits.”
-- Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching (Chapter 59)

How do I value myself and what do I value myself for?

You already have value - you live. Do you have friends? If so, then you are rich. If you are happy, richer still. Each and every morning you are gifted a new day in paradise and another chance to excel in this life. That you are given this gift is proof of your value. What you do with this gift is a choice you must make.

You already have value. What do you value yourself for? Your value will not be determined by what you do for yourself but, rather, what you do selflessly for others. Be ethical, be selfless, make good choices, and mentor. There is no greater value that truth and love. Look into your own heart and determine why you are. Why you are, defines your value to yourself. Who and what you define your value to others.

Make good choices and be happy always.

“Remember your connection with the cosmos. Remember your connection with the infinity and that remembrance will give you the freedom.”

-- Amit Ray, author, spiritual master

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.