Awakening

I realized lately that I have a bad attitude based on a majority of the people in this society. Most of the people I come into contact with spend a majority of their time watching T.V., talking on the phone with no real aim, text messaging, shopping for really expensive stylish things, obsessing over having the latest whatever, or sleeping. These same people complain a lot. They complain they have no time and that they don't know what they want to do with their lives. They complain that there's nothing to do when the electricity goes out, that they're freezing their butts off when their stylish clothes don't keep them warm at all, that their feet hurt from the heeled boots and shoes they wear all the time, and that they're broke - yet they won't get a job and they won't spend their money (sometimes borrowed money) on things that matter, like healthy food. Yeah. They complain that they're hungry or tired all the time, yet they don't see that what they eat on a daily basis has almost no nutritional value and is usually more expensive because it comes in single-serving packages, which create more garbage than a single person should reasonably produce.

Most people seem so germophobic that it's pretty much backfiring on themselves and the environment. They own an insane amount of clothing and towels because they don't think they can wear something more than once nor wipe clean water off their bodies and reuse the towel after it's dry - dude, that's a lot of laundry. They use the most toxic chemicals in large quantities to clean with that cost so much - vinegar and lemon juice are so awesome for cleaning and freshening the air...and they're cheap and non-toxic! The word "reusable" is almost unheard of. Everything seems to be disposable and so many people seem to be drawn into it. How about washable cleaning cloths, reusable containers, lunch boxes, ceramic dishes, silverware, a Brita for purified water? What a waste of money and resources! Oh, and in contrast these people don't clean up after themselves. They litter, leave crumbs or garbage where they've just eaten or made food, leave dirt trails when they could've wiped their feet or removed their shoes. They also don't seem to know what creates mildew - they only know how to kill it. Try letting things dry properly, people.

I go to school with people who live this way, and their work ethic is usually analogous to their living habits. Their efforts in school consist of going to class and maybe being on time, scrambling at the last minute to get an assignment done because it wasn't important enough to start early. They don't even think about doing extracurricular work, nor attending any clubs or events relating to their major or industry. Yet they think they're somehow going to make it big. And if they don't make it big, they think it's the school's fault or bad luck. Get off your butt and want this, people! If you don't want it badly enough to do it in your free time, why are you bothering? I could see this as lack of competition though and know that working my butt off the way that I am is going to pretty much guarantee success in my industry. I just find it so hard to watch others waste time and money.

*sigh*

I feel so alone. I feel like the worst person in the world for letting these things get to me, letting them literally ruin my morning, afternoon, evening...day, and for harboring something that could turn into resentment toward a lot of people I don't even know. I feel like I have this "greater than thou" attitude brewing that I don't want. I am not better than others, I know that. I just don't understand the logic in living the way they do. I'm on an entirely different plane. I think a lot of it comes from spending the past couple years and especially the past six months working on myself and my life, busting my butt for betterment. I realized there were ways I could live healthier and remove the irritants that were bothering my sinuses and skin. I realized I could save a ton of money while eating more simply/healthily, making my own skin-friendly laundry detergent, and owning reusable things. I also realized that there were a lot of things around me that just plain didn't matter in the long run even if the pressure from the media argued otherwise. What matters most is my health, my spirituality, my family, and what I can contribute to the world. I also realized that when I am unhappy about something, I need to find a solution and take action and that's the end of it. If I don't know something, I look for the answer. What's the use in complaining? If I tell others about a problem, it's because I think they might be able to help me solve it.

*sigh*

It seems that the more I better myself, the more I am tested to tolerate those who haven't bothered or don't see the point. This is most difficult, and I wonder if it's a problem I'll be able to overcome. I certainly hope so because this frustration cannot be good for my soul. The way others choose to live their lives is not my load to bear, even if I have to share their space and sometimes walk in their wake. Please God, help me to let go.