“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man’s life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom.”
[Moral Decay (first published 1937)]”
― Albert Einstein, Out of My Later Years: The Scientist, Philosopher, and Man Portrayed Through His Own Words
The purpose of being in this world is what many of us do not think about. To some, sleeping, eating, working, having children and then dying is what we are here for. There are others who do not care about what they do or not do here, To them, there are here and that’s all that matters, the only thing they do know is that they are not going to leave the world alive. There are others who thinks because of the not so palatable experiences they have gone through in the hands of others and in the hand of “God” or the Creator, they need to avenge and therefore they use the period on earth as a period of destroying others and innocent people based on a warped ideology or religious doctrines. One of what is not expected to be your purpose here on earth is to only look after your own interests. YOU are not created to be alone or be so inner directed that you do not think of others. YOU are here because of others hence you are put in the midst of others and not created an island to yourself. In this world there is diversity in the people inhabiting the world and also diversity in the purposes they pursue while here. However, one main tool in developing a good self concept and improve your self esteem is in finding YOUR purpose for being here and developing good relationships that will help YOU in achieving that PURPOSE.
lose yourself in others
This means you must give more of your time, more of your actions and more of your talents to develop other people. By trying to help others, you will be helped in return and people will love you for that. As you struggle to better other people’s lives, you begin to gain confidence because you find out that you are working for them and able to see them developing. In order to lose yourself in other people, you must find yourself. If you do not find yourself how do you know what you are going to give to others? You need to create time for others and not be like others? You need to create time for others and not be full of yourself alone. A man that gives a rose to another retains the rose’s fragrance. In helping others, you may be leaving your interests uncared for but other people will be placed in your path to cater for you. As you lose yourself in other peoples’ activities-positively though-you find out that you get more enriched. As you get enriched and enhanced you become a better individual. Your self-concept becomes better developed, more positive and above all you are able to have a lot of satisfying relationships. Your ability to communicate also becomes enhanced because those you have touched will always like to be linked to you.
find your purpose in life and stick to it
You do not go through life with your eyes closed, you must have a purpose. We all have a purpose of being in this world. God that made us, made us for a purpose. Your purpose in life may be to help people or to make people happy. It may also be to be one who relieves people of their burdens. If you do not find your purpose, how will you relate to others? How will you enhance yourself? So in order to enhance yourself you must sit down and ask God what he wants you to do. You must ask him why he created you and placed you in any condition, environment or position in which you find yourself. The individual must struggle to know what he is expected to do in life because he is not created by chance. Every individual is created for a purpose and every individual must find that purpose to achieve. By achieving the purpose in life the individual becomes focused. He is able to develop his self- concept by carrying out his aims and functions in life. When this is done, the individual becomes fulfilled and actualized. By this we mean he is able to make use of all his potentials and the more self satisfied he becomes, the more positive his self- concept becomes and the more assured he turns out to be.
A positive self-concept helps the individual to initiate, maintain, develop and sustain good inter-personal relationship. When you find your purpose, critically examine it because your purpose is not supposed to harm others. This is not the only thing. When you find your real purpose; no matter how menial it is, you must do it well. As Martin Luther King (Junior) avers, “If you are a road sweeper, sweep it exceeding well so that anybody that passes will say that the person who sweeps this road is a master sweeper”. This is because you will be very happy doing what you are doing and because it is your purpose in life you will be outstanding and excellent in it. As a result of this, many people will respect you and accept you as a master of your trade. If, however, you have moved to the wrong way or you live your life in a purposeless manner, you will find out that you are not happy and also that you are not accepted or respected by other people. This reduces your self-esteem and gives you a negative self-concept.
SINCE YOU CANNOT BE ALONE ON EARTH, WHAT SHOULD BE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS?
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