So, after what seemed to be a long belated burst out and a finally sincere view of the situations and my feelings about them (you can enjoy it here), the previous three weeks have been for me a rollercoaster of ups and downs, having fun with friends and chilling out or being dragged down by terrors and anxiety (this one lasted just the first week though), researching / exploring/ studying/ trying things and spending endless hours either hyperactively awake or sleeping to oblivion and non-existence. I expect my articles and my presence here to follow the same patterns too sometimes until I achieve the - oh, so desired - consistency and free from fears state of existence.
Even when I reach my desired state of mind, especially then, I will continue sharing both the ups and downs that got me there, by helping me understand what bothers me and what needs to be dealt with. I will do so in hopes that it will be a valuable insight and faith for other people too that believe they are alone, like I did until some time ago.
Parenthesis closed, somewhere between those extremes and especially from the second week and after, flashes of clear vision where hitting me and eventually I managed to get re-aligned and get to the point that I choose to allow only positive thoughts and expectations about what is going to come for me.
This doesn't mean that negative thoughts aren't coming anymore. They are, I am just consciously observing them and most of the times stopping them at their tracks - allowing them to be released after analyzing them and taking the information they have to offer.
Nor that I got teleported to a magical land where evil, stupidity or confusion don't exist and the world is a paradise, I am still in this troubled one. But I am exploring it, discovering or re-discovering the beauty and the greatness that also exist in it and I am starting to connect with the people that are on the same page with me. They are getting more and more each day.
More will come on these thoughts of mine on what is going to be the other side of my previous article ( On Life, Mass Manipulation, Love, Society & Humanity, My Dark Thoughts & Feelings, A Call for Action ), aka "The Light That Never Goes Out" or something around those lines. The procedure is not completed yet in order to write it. This will take a while more because it will need a lot of work, study, exploring and action to be done, in order to be more than just talk and thoughts sharing. So I am prefacing it with this one, along with some photos and moments from my activities and getaways during the last weeks.
Am I opening too much? Yes, I am. But I've thought about it (again and again and again) and that's what I want. I just want you to know who I am. I am fully aware and I have no problem at all with the fact that some couldn't give a dime about it. So, let me rephrase it. I want you who want to know who I am to do so. And I want to give the possibility to people to find their own personal flashes or more of who they are through experiencing my process of finding out who I am.
Important note for my articles
The songs that I include, their video clips and their lyrics are adding to the meaning and the sensation of what I am writing about.
The suggested way of reading my articles is that when you meet a song you open the video and watch it (if it has a video clip of course, elsewise just listen to it. If needed, read the lyrics too before you continue with the rest of the article.
Let's go!
Some of the key-notes and key-thoughts on my journey's next steps
WHAT. DO. I. WANT.? Find it out and take action for it.
WHAT. DO. YOU. WANT.?
I'm a person with a really intense need to satisfy both the things I want and the ones that the people around me want. I try to understand what they want and feel through empathy and talking to them, asking questions and truly listening, but sometimes I fail. Either because they are holding back and not opening/ don't know themselves what they want or how to express it, or because some of my fears and terrors get in the way and poison the well of information or feedback they are giving me. I want to work on this subject and become truly able to understand both my needs and the others' clearly and act respectively. I just want to know who you are too.
Goal: free myself from the terror of the opinion and/ or not acceptance and abandonment from others.
Some people around me keep telling me that I have chaos in me and that I should change. I don't want to change. I love my chaos. My goal is not to get rid of it, but rather to learn to "swim" in its currents. Go to all the wonderful and magical places it can take me. Learn to harness it sometimes? Yes. Be productive, effective and successful? Free myself from distractions when I want to be productive? Yes and yes. Change it at its core? Hell no!
The same goes with my "Overanalyzing" tendencies. Yes, I am overanalyzing it. It's a part of me and it's not a bad thing if it doesn't paralyze me.
Some of my last weeks' moments
Action: Forest Patrolling with the RescueGR team
For the last two years I am volunteering in a rescue organization (Rescue GR) in my city and part of our actions is forest patrolling on the most dangerous days for fires. I'm happy to know that I can do my part on protecting what I love and I strongly recommend to anyone that would like to do the same to research for such organizations in your areas too!
Here are some photos of the last one I participated!
Black is the night on the mountains! 😅
Thinking: Freaking out with the situation in Afghanistan and eastern countries
Not long after the fires in my country and in other places worldwide, the Afghanistan issue came to top up the madness. I can't start expressing how I feel about these things happening and all the underlying interests and worldwide strategies that led to it and keep sustaining it.
The thing is that since I firstly heard about the wars in Middle East many years ago, there was always a confusion and foggy way of letting people know about it and always with the feeling that it is away from us, we should feel bad about it and chat over it as a part of the week's / month's news, at best participate in protests and petitions that have doubtful results and then forget about it and keep on keeping on.
Then the refugees issues started rising and so did fear, racism and division between the ones that "want to allow the terrorists to their country" and those who are "patriots and would clean the landscape". None of them is completely correct, simply because both are acting from the extremes without overall and critical thinking / specific course of actions. And of course there is no correct infrastructure at least to our country, nor the political will to sincerely help, accept and integrate the correct amount and kind of people for as long as needed in the right ways. And always, but always, the funds are the main reasons and motive for governments and many organizations to take any action. A fact that guarantees that no really good work is going to get done for these people, but just the work that is necessary to justify the funds given (best case scenario). And a tone of confusing people to their core, planting fear with no real knowledge, dividing & conquering once again.
I kept asking myself and other people whenever I had the chance to talk about it, how is it possible for people from all around the world to help these countries and people completely get their lives and lands back, free of foreign interests, exploiting strategies and authoritarian regimes. Some of the things I write here are parts from my comments in discussions in other articles on the subject.
There is no answer at the moment (except from going to fight with them, which the average western citizen can't and is not willing to do and it makes perfect sense). Unfortunately all current ways, both the ones that are being tried or the ones that would seem logical (for example worldwide major organizations taking real, sincere and swift action) are insufficient and/ or ineffective, or even end up bloody.
I think for us in the western world the first big step is to start getting as much educated and deeply comprehending the situations. Keep being consistently interested in finding solutions and not forget again about it (like the previous generations used to do - largely because they didn't understand what is going on and its magnitude in my opinion and also due to the sad thought that if it doesn't happen here it's ok).
This is not something that can be resolved in one day, but we shouldn't look at it anymore like it's none of our business or like there's nothing ever to be done.
In my reading and research I have found a great article here by @Pantera about it: Afghanistan Once Again Under the Taliban Rule
You can find in it valuable information and history facts on the subject. It's a really awful thing what happens with these countries and the invasiveness by the "big forces" and even more awful is the fact that for so many years people in the West could not have a grasp of what is going on, where, why and how they are connected. And the most important question, how can this be tolerated in the name of anything.
I really hope that we will collectively start learning the history and the facts as thoroughly as possible and start taking a stand against it with new ways that work.
I have also just found the following website explaining the Middle Eastern conflicts: Mapping and Explaining Middle Eastern Conflict
I haven't read it carefully yet because I want to complete the article and get some rest, but I will do so during the next days.
Fun Time: Kavala City, Tosca Beach
On the bright side of life, a friend of mine that lives in my country's capital came to visit my city and we decided to have a one-day excursion! We visited Kavala City, searched for a nice beach bar at the area and found out a great one with an awesome bay beach where we spent most of the day swimming, sunbathing and talking!
At the beginning the weather was a little moody and it seemed like it was going to rain, but after one hour the sun came out of the clouds and the day was amazing!
We didn't forget to return to the city and eat at a fantastic tavern just before "fainting" from the hunger! 😸
Some little birdies came to visit in our umbrella! I managed to take a photo of one of them! 🐦
Action: Pachamama Alliance Game Changer Enrollment and Start of studying & Awakening The Dreamer
Just at the period in my life that I started asking myself intensely again how can this world be better, how can we people that want positive evolution connect with each other and take peaceful and effective action, I came along the event "Game Changer Intensive 8-week" by The Pachamama Alliance. I have prefaced it in my somewhat of an article Last Call - Game Changer Intensive 8-week Online Course - Pachamama Alliance while registrations were still open and I will write more about it when the time is right. If you want to get acquainted with it you can watch their free mini course Awakening The Dreamer and subscribe to their newsletter and social media in order to be informed about future programs!
Fun Time: A children playground with my friends and their daughter
We wanted to meet with two very good friends of mine and their little girl and we wanted an open-space, not crowded place where she could play and we could watch her while having our coffees and food and chat!
After some consideration we ended at a very nice place outside town with a playground and a coffee-shop - restaurant - event organizing center!
As a bonus we got to admire the astonishing moon (two days before the full moon of August)!
And afterwards:
More Fun Time: Drinks at a local bar
To end the day, I went to meet two other friends for cocktails at a city bar! 😎
Relaxation time: The August Full Moon 🌕
The night of the full moon I wanted to go out too, but I was so exhausted by the previous days that I couldn't get myself out of the door! 😸 So I got myself out to the balcony instead to admire it and take photos to share with you!
Our little kitties came to hang out with me for a while too! 😻
Work time: The third week I got a good portion of my productivity back!
It passed really quick with a series of working time, studying and errands for my family, along with a visit in my village for some days! I communicated with an expert friend of mine to find and order for them two PCs that would be perfect for their needs and in a very good price and set them up for them! Also I managed to finish the freakishly long-taking task of backing up everything from my previous smartphone and setting it up from the beginning to give it to my mother! That meant a shit-ton apps to re-download and set up and another shit-ton tabs in 2 different browsers to keep in my notes for future reference and actions! 🙀🤯 Anyway, all missions accomplished and I feel happy and fulfilled! 🌞😺
Also really tired, but with many things to do still for me and a great lust to do them!
Plans: My new article series
After some thought (approximately 20 seconds from the time I thought of it to the time I decided it and still wanting it three weeks after the initial thought 😅), I am declaring these articles that I speak about my feelings and my thoughts - a series! I will be calling it "The path to my true self and happiness" (or may change it eventually if I think of something that I like better) and will be linking them at the end of each new article.
I have also decided to start translating them in my mother tongue, Greek, so that I can share them with more people in my country and maybe, who knows, more Greek people may be motivated to join the Read Cash community and/ or star finding their true selves and happiness.
Solution thinking - Challenge overcoming mode on: Finding some focus music to listen to in order to manage being and staying concentrated
Have I told you that I have ADHD? I don't believe so. I have ADHD (Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder). I strongly disagree with the word "Disorder", but who am I to correct them? It's not an enormous problem since I found out about it at my 33 years, because along with the realization and the diagnosis I found ways to overcome the challenges and take advantage of the good traits (yes, there are many good traits too).
It was a major problem though for the years that I didn't know about it. It created and deeply established many of my great insecurities and big part of the lack of belief in myself and my abilities / potentials.
Anyway, that's a beast subject for another day (or days) and I thought that I would add this prologue to it here at the last moment because I wanted to share with you some great sounds music that I have found to help me stay on track when working.
Here they are, they work wonders (I suppose even for those who don't have ADD/ ADHD)!
ADHD Relief Music | Deep Focus Music for Studying | Study Music
ADHD Music - Focus Music for Better Concentration, Study Music for ADD
ADHD Music | Focus Music for Better Concentration, Study Music for ADD (it's not the same with the above, despite the same title)
ADHD Relief, Deep Focus Music with Pulsation, ADD Music for Concentration, ADHD Music
ADHD Music: Deep Focus Music for Better Concentration and Studying, ADD Music
Until I get bored of them or get distracted by a badass favorite band / artist of mine and listen to them instead! 😸
Like these ones I am listening to for the last couple of hours:
Audioslave - Revelations (Full Album)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (Full Album)
Bonus funny time: Finding some funny memes and series to watch
#MitsotakiGamiesai This one is an inside joke for my country! Our Prime Minister has successfully earned the wrath and disrespect of most people due to a great deal of bad politics in all subjects and a hashtag has started during the last weeks. I really can't find the correct way to translate it but its meaning is something between "Mitsotakis (the Prime Minister) go fuck yourself" and "you're an asshole".
This meme (by unknown artist unfortunately) is a fictional Chinese ideogram that looks like two people having sex doggy-style and it says "I don't know Chinese, but I assume it's talking about Mitsotakis"! 😹😹😹
Also, I started and finished watching a hilarious Greek animation series, Ouk an lavois para tou mi echontos (Translation: You can't take from the one who doesn't have)!
Unfortunately I couldn't find it with English subtitles, so this one will have value only to Greek readers or learners of our language! It was created many years ago, but until now it is still very relevant to the state of our country and people (sadly). But extremely funny and clever!
You can watch all the episodes here: Ouk an lavois para tou mi echontos - All the episodes
Closing Time
With some ending notes:
Faith is one of the words we need in our lives. Faith to ourselves and to attracting what's best for us.
Action is another one of them. Action to the direction of our goals, dreams and desires.
That's it for today, over and out! (Okay, I seriously have to work on my articles' closing skills, I know.. ) 😹😹😹
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"The path to my true self and happiness" Series Up until now
ep 0 (pilot 😛) : On Life, Mass Manipulation, Love, Society & Humanity, My Dark Thoughts & Feelings, A Call for Action
ep 1 : Vacation and re-alignment mode on - About last three weeks
Congratulations dear Good luck