6.22.2011

6 Things You Must Do Before the Next End-of-the-World Scare


Ralph Waldo Emerson's guide to a life well-lived. You can buy this awesome piece of art here.
Theories about the apocalypse? We've probably heard them all. From the alignment of celestial objects to random predictions by know-it-alls with too much free time on their hands, we have envisioned how it's going to happen, how we are going to save ourselves (as if), and what we are going to do in our final moments.

And since we Two Difficult Girls are the ultimate advocates of the charmed life, we have listed these things you should do before you die, or at least before the next end-of-the-world scare. That one split second you're certain it's the end, when your whole life flashes before you, make sure it's worth watching. Because, really, nothing is more pointless than a life lived in mediocrity.

Go someplace where you don't know a single soul. –
Frightening? Yeah, a bit. No fun? Definitely not. They say the joy of travelling is not just in the things you see, the food you'll eat, the things you'll bring home or the culture you'll experience. More often than not, the fun lies in your companion. Okay, I will not contest the genius who said this, but I also dare argue that there's a certain thrill to a strange place, for the first time, alone. There's that feeling of being invincible that comes with anonymity. You have the absolute freedom to choose where you'll stay, what food you'll eat (sorry, food always comes to mind), or events you'll attend. Whenever you're about to do something stupid or out of character, do not silence the voice that says "What the! No one knows me here anyway". Chances are, no one really knows you and no one will remember! How many times will you actually have the chance to do that? :D
Conquer a fear. – Even something as trivial as fear of having peanut butter stick to the roof of your mouth (Arachibutyrophobia, had to google that one!) to something as seemingly insurmountable as fear of rejection, you must, by all means be bigger than your fear. Our fear oftentimes draws the line between what we are at present and what we want to be, and life is just too impatient to wait for us. I am not saying that the process is going to be easy (Tell me. How can you NOT be afraid of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth? How can you not tremble at the sight of number 13? It's called Triskaidekaphobia, by the way. Google = life saver), but the first step is always the hardest. It is an everyday battle, and every day you must win. Get yourself closer to your fear. Try to experience it as often as possible. Face it , each time with decreasing anxiety until you become desensitized and you're left wondering, " Why did I ever fear having freaking peanut butter stick to the roof of my mouth?". Yes people, I am the next big shot self-help author. :P
Pursue a passion. --We were not born to be a part of the assembly line. We refuse to be your soulless autobots. Each one of us is a dreamer, a great revelation waiting to happen. Each one of us possesses an imagination that when properly utilized, will give Mark Zuckerberg a run for his money. It could be as noble as creating a charity foundation to help other people, or it could be as simple as cross stitching. What matters is pursuing something with great fervor and enthusiasm. What matters is not letting it be buried under the trappings of adulthood. "But I'm too busy!" "I don't have the time!" It is so easy to blame school or work, but at the end of the day, are you really happy? Do you see yourself looking forward to doing it every day? Do you always, always give your best shot even if you're not being paid for it? Is it your childhood dream, exactly the way you imagined it? If the answer is no, then do everyone a favor and quit.
Quit. -- As easy as it may sound, this perhaps is one of the hardest to do on the list. Sometimes, a habit becomes almost second nature that it is really difficult to break (see also: smoking). Sometimes, situations become so familiar and comfortable that you do not want them to change (see also: that long overdue breakup with your boyfriend). Sometimes, other people's expectations get in the way (see also: shifting from Business Administration to Fine Arts). Quitting is never a sign of weakness. Quitting is drawing the boundary between what's unacceptable from what's not. It is learning to say no to things you are half-hearted to do. It is having the courage to shake the status quo, to start from scratch if you have to.
    Defy authorities. -- They are regulators; they are not God. They are there to impose rules for the sake of order and uniformity; they are not there to encroach upon your freedom as an individual. Just because they have the power does not mean that you always have to say yes. You can't discount the fact though that sometimes, there would be a certain price to pay, but looking back and realizing that you did not stand up for yourself is way more bitter.
    Say I love you and mean it. --I have read somewhere that if the world is ending in 5 minutes, all the phone booths would go haywire because all of us would be rushing and stuttering to tell our loved ones how much we love them for the last time (or for the first time if you're a stone). Hmmm, maybe the person who said this predicted the apocalypse too soon. Cell phones, anyone?
      But seriously, go give mom a call. Or write dad a letter. Say "I love you" and mean it. Stop sleeping around on the pretense of your jadedness that you will never actually find him. Think. Think hard. You actually have. That friend whom you share your ice cream pint with? Yes, that pretty stable, no-issues, always-there-for-you friend. The one who has seen you sick and unretouched and still love you for who you are. He is just waiting in silence. Say "I love you" and mean it. Three words could make all the difference.

      4 comments:

      1. Another great read from these two difficult girls. :)

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      2. Thanks Nay Fely! Infinite hearts hearts! :)

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      3. Just got a chance to check out your blog and to be honest... It totally rocked my socks :) Keep with it!

        Triskaidekaphobia... nice!... There is quite the dirth of 7 syllable words out there... It would be a shame to not include it in some kind of haiku format

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      4. Hi Tony! Thanks for taking the time to visit our blog. We'll try to come up with a haiku with tris..triskai.. um , that word soon. Stay tuned! :)

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