To Live a Happy and Healthy Life — Don’t Do What You’re Told
The footprints in the mud might not always show you the best path…
Good morning readers.
I’ve been working really hard on my writing lately - I hope it’s more engaging, enticing and valuable to you than ever.
I’ve been trying to emphasise to myself that this writing is not for me, it’s for you.
This isn’t a personal journal, it’s me sharing my thoughts with you - and I want it to be as easy to read as possible.
I’m trying to make it easier to read than to skip!
A couple of wins/breakthroughs for me this week:
I had an article published in a publication with 66k followers
Georgia and I have decided that the next step is for me to try to compile all my thought pieces into a self-improvement book — I hope that’s something you’d be interested in.
To Live a Happy and Healthy Life — Don’t Do What You’re Told
by Eren Candansayar
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If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my adult life, it’s to question everything.
My biggest breakthroughs in life have come by questioning things and taking my own path.
When you’re younger, you take everyone’s word as gospel — but here’s why you shouldn’t blindly do what you’re told.
THIS Is Supposed To Be Normal?
I drove through the valley (clubbing district) on my way home the other night — it was around 11pm.
On my brief drive I saw:
Drunk teenagers stumbling around
Slimy guys going into strip clubs
A crack deal going down
It reminded me of when I was younger and would go out drinking and into the slimy clubs.
I used to think:
I don’t really like clubbing but it’ll probably grow on me — everyone else likes it
One day, I looked around and realised how ridiculous it was. We’re breaking the bank to get cabs, enter clubs and ingest poisonous amounts of alcohol for an inconvenient night — and on top of that, waste the next day.
I have sober friends who would join us for the house party and then head home before the fuckery began — nothing good happens once you get in the cab to go out.
It got me thinking…
If they were wrong about this — what else were they wrong about?
“Normal”
Never take someone else’s opinion to be correct until you’ve applied your own conscious thought to it — especially a mass-opinion.
I’m guilty of feeling like I’m wrong and anyone with some confidence is right. If I do something and someone doesn’t agree, I feel like it must’ve been me that made a mistake.
When I feel like this, I try to remind myself that generally, the standard approach is wrong. There are plenty of normal things in the world that are totally ridiculous once you think about them.
I work in an Engineering office.
I get judged and ridiculed for:
Not drinking alcohol at work
Not eating the cake and chocolates provided at the office
Working on my writing at lunch
Skipping work events to go to workout, or see family and friends
Can you relate?
Why would they judge for that? These seem like positive things that require discipline and commitment.
Well, try this on for size…
The Australian Bureau Of Statistics (ABS) says the 67% of people in Australia are overweight or obese (ABS, 2018).
Now do you see?
Normal isn’t the best path, it’s just the path of least resistance.
Critical Thinking
You need to listen, apply your personal judgment, and decide what you think.
Trust your gut.
Don’t take the opinions of people you don’t respect, or don’t want to be like, over your own.
18 year old me didn’t understand why people went out — but he did it anyway.
He didn’t understand that his boss wasn’t always right — he always tore himself down based off other people’s feedback.
The truth is: young me was right in so many situations but he just didn’t have the belief in himself.
I wish I could go back and tell that poor little guy to trust his instincts — so here I am telling you to trust your instincts.
I hope you took something from that, this lesson is dear to me — it’s one of the things I struggle with the most.
I can give advice on what you should do, but the truth is I struggle too.
What’s the use of my struggle if I can’t share with you how I’m working to overcome it?
***
If you’ve got any questions, or just want to say hi, leave a comment or send me a message — I’d love to discuss further with you.
Sincerely,
Eren
