What is pulling you further and further away from the life you want?

Thread Content

There is a group of people who are highly disciplined, following a plan every day in an organized manner； They do not seek attention, considering themselves as the humblest grass, waiting for the day when life will bring forth flowers. They get up around 5 a.m. to work out, while you’re still sleeping ； Breakfast is served starting at 7 o’clock – it’s rich in protein, vitamins, starch, and fiber, providing a great start to the day. By the time they’re ready to begin their day’s work, you’re still sleeping ； They used the productive morning hours to complete one task after another; they even discovered new business opportunities and chances that could transform their lives. As lunchtime approached, they stretched to take a short break, and that’s when you finally got up. Their lunches are not extravagant, but they are nutritious; they eat selectively because they know exactly what they want. You, on the other hand, feel hungry as soon as you get up, wash your face quickly without even brushing your teeth, and then open the fridge to take out the fries and cola that you brought back after having fun with friends the previous night ； After their nap, they returned to work with renewed enthusiasm, and you too, having eaten and drunk your fill, sat down in front of the computer. Yes, your day has begun. When you return home at night, they also turn on their computers – perhaps to finish the work they couldn’t complete during the day, or maybe because they signed up for an online course a couple of days ago. You are still immersed in Dota at that time; the posts you make don’t yet gain much attention. You notice that Teacher Kong has posted something new on Weibo again. In the TV series, the male and female protagonists haven’t ended up together yet, and the villainous female character hasn’t received her due punishment. Finally, at 8 p.m., they stopped working; perhaps they went to one of the full bookshelves to pick out a book, or picked up their favorite musical instrument to practice, or maybe they went to bed. Of course, before going to bed they will think about what they have done that day, what they have gained, and what lessons they have learned. Finally, they reminded themselves once again of that dream buried deep in their hearts, and then went to sleep satisfied. At this moment, you are still waiting for an upgrade, still posting on forums, still browsing Weibo, still crying over the lead male and female characters – your day has only just begun to get interesting. In the latter part of the night, you began to feel sleepy; reluctantly, you turned off your computer. Your body was smelly, but you were too lazy to take a shower. You walked over to the messy bed, climbed into the dirty sheets, and took out your phone—yes, those who use claw phones can’t afford to be without one. You vaguely know that there is such a group of “them” around you, but you are unable to truly sense their presence. Until one day, you and “he/she” finally meet romantically—he/she is the boss, and you are just an ordinary employee ； He/she is the director, and you’re just a weak little clerk ； He/she travels to different countries, attends the university you long to attend, takes the photos you want to take, and leads the life you dream of living. He/she leads a carefree and fresh lifestyle, while you… yes, I know you hate that kind of lifestyle, but what does it matter? That’s the way it is; you’re the SB under that computer fluorescent light. If you don’t change soon! Finally, you made up your mind to turn over a new leaf. I bought motivational books and wealth-making guides online and placed them all by my bed. But you’re wrong again; those books give you a temporary boost of energy, but soon you’re back to your normal state. Because those best-selling second-rate self-help books are all trash; they cannot provide any nourishment for your soul. Reading such vulgar books is simply a waste of the reader’s time; it also shows that those who read such books are vulgar people as well. Let us who are intelligent refuse to read such vulgar books. After facing setbacks, I often view myself in a pessimistic light. That’s also wrong. If you keep focusing on your own shortcomings, then all you see is a version of yourself that is unpleasant, annoying, and extreme. Naturally, feelings of anxiety, tension, distress, and pessimism will arise in you, which leads to the feeling of not wanting to do something simply because you lack the motivation ； If you focus on the fact that what you earn from your work is care, attention, affection, affirmation, and respect from others, then what you will see are looks full of care, affection, appreciation, affirmation, and respect; and naturally, what you will experience are feelings of happiness, joy, contentment, and love ； If you think about happiness, you will be happy... Change your mindset, and you change your behavior and experiences; it’s that simple! To change oneself, one also needs a reference point, which is to observe the strengths of others more often. Too many people have developed the habit of focusing on others’ faults, using their own strengths to point out others’ weaknesses; such a mental attitude only leads to further decline, causing them to move backward rather than forward. If we can seriously learn from the strengths of others, we are progressing and changing ourselves.