Don't Get Lost in the Noise

Sometimes it's easy to lose ourselves in the onslaught of advice and opinions, news and facts that surround us.  We listen to what other people say should be important to us, and often, without thinking, we accept that as truth.  But the only person who can decide what is important, who can tell you whether the choices you've made are the right ones or the wrong ones--is you.  And it's important to remember that, because the world is full of people who will tell you you're wrong, or seek to dissuade you from your path, or try to force their ideas of how things in life "should be" onto you.  But as we're learning more and more with science--each of us is unique.  Each of us has experiences that shape our views in life.  And only we know what is truly best for us.

That said, ...don't be afraid to doubt yourself.  Don't turn away from ideas or advice that you disagree with.  Often there are reasons why we feel as we do, and if we aren't willing to challenge our beliefs and our choices, we can't really know if we were right or wrong with the choices we made.  Facing our own choices can be scary, as can facing our own beliefs.  But often doing so can lead to revelations that strengthen us.

For example, there is course that I think I am going to sign up for that starts today that states that we as people need a purpose in life.  I'm not certain I agree with that premise, and I expect I am going to fight my way through the course seeking to challenge its basic tenets.  But I also want to know why this professor believes that having purpose in our lives is important, because I know that a lot of people in life ascribe to that ideology.  So, clearly the philosophy behind it is important as it has shaped our communal vision of "right choices" in the world today.  And understanding that, even if I'm not sure I agree with it, is important for my own personal growth.  It allows me to better understand where we are at in the world--how we got here, and why this idea is so prevalent.

I am hoping that there will be scientific studies that back up this course's assertions, and that perhaps by understanding those, I might better improve my own journey through life.

And who knows?  Maybe I'll even change my mind.

In the end, though, the choice will be mine, and I will have made it by becoming more informed rather than simply going with my gut feeling (and fears) that it's just wrong.  I will have confronted others' views and sought to understand them.

And perhaps in having done so, I won't be bothered by the noise on that issue if it comes up again.  I'll have considered it, and weighed it, and made my own decision.

And that's what I mean by not getting lost in the noise.  If it's important to you, find your answer--challenge your beliefs so that they might be tempered and strengthened, and so that you won't get swept away with the currents when you inevitably have to contend with the tides of others' thoughts and opinions.  That way you can find your own truth in life.