The people you look up to–are they really living the life that makes you look up to them? Or are they false idols? I know that in some scriptures, we are told not to have idols. But, the truth is that we all have people we look up to as inspiration. We may not worship them in a competitive way with the Divine, but there are people we admire and want to emulate in our own way. In today’s world of social media, I’m concerned that more people being admired are presenting false lives--what they talk about, show, and “live” are merely projections to gain followers and attention. It’s hard to know for sure if someone is actually walking the walk or just talking the talk without taking the time to really pay attention, but the signs will be there if you look close enough. I don’t think there's anything wrong with being inspired and motivated by others – there are plenty of people who inspire me with the impact they're making in the world, their innovations, and their creative ventures. And while I could be wrong, I’m pretty sure they are all living what has attracted me to them, not just pretending. I suppose there's a chance that a false idol could still provide the inspiration and motivation you need to continue pursuing your goals and dreams, but I think there’s more harm, frustration, and disappointment to be experienced than positive outcomes. JC |
I'm on a mission to help more people find and live their authentic life. Check out my Daily Notes where I write a short note each day about the connection of spirit, mind, body and money on the Pursuit of your authentic life.
A couple of weeks ago, I gave the sixth talk in the Keep Pursuing Series called “mind control.” It was a last-minute decision to host it in person. After May’s talk, I decided to still write the Keep Pursuing talks, but I’d perform them in my podcast studio and share the talks on YouTube and the AlignedLife podcast. At the last minute, I received some signs from the Universe that I should still give the talk in person, so I pivoted and got ready to talk in front of a group of people. The...
“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” - Jiddu Krishnamurti I don’t like to think of society as sick, but if I step back and look at many things today, perhaps there is a little sickness there. The amount of time spent on mobile devices. The obsession with social media. The physical health of the average American. The tribalness of the political landscape. The rise of mental health struggles, including a significant increase among the youth. The...
Often, it is through struggle that we learn and grow — or, rather, we have the opportunity to learn and grow through struggle. I’m not certain we all take advantage of this opportunity when it is presented to us. I don’t believe struggle is the only way to learn and grow, despite it being a great teacher. Before I go further, what exactly is “struggle?” One person’s struggle may be nothing to another, and one person’s nothing might be another’s struggle; it’s relative and subjective and not...