I’ve never been much for this whole "spring and summer" enthusiasm—though I suppose I used to be, back when I was younger and more resilient—but lately, the entire concept just feels… repulsive, if I’m being honest. Now comes the inevitable seasonal shift where everyone starts obsessing over their tan, acting as if a deep bronze is some sort of ultimate achievement... personally, I’d much rather just throw a burlap sack over my head and retreat into a dark, air-conditioned cave😁 😂 God, people can be so incredibly tedious—honestly, I have zero patience left for the sun-worshippers, the tanning bed addicts, or those who act like a trip to the coast is a religious experience🙂 🤮 As for me, I’m constantly dealing with perspiration—it feels as though I’ve been placed directly onto a rotisserie spit—and frankly, this sweltering heat and the erratic weather patterns are simply intolerable. I truly, deeply despise this miserable summer
Noah Sanchez7 said:First off, you have to be responsible to yourself, because that’s how you end up being responsible to everyone else too..
How do you become responsible? The word itself gives you a hint, plus there are a few tricks.. If you tell yourself you’re going to do something—if you set that intention—then you actually have to follow through. If you don't, you’re just being an irresponsible idiot, mostly to yourself, but also to others. I mean, if you can't even trust your own word, why should anyone else? That’s pretty much the core of it..
One more thing... if you're always sticking your nose into everyone else's business, then when things get messy, just say: "I didn't smell anything!!".. and that's one way to stay out of the line of fire..
What is wisdom? I'm not sure.. maybe it's knowledge, responsibility, willpower, sincerity... all of those things, well-mixed together.. 😉
Well, thanks—really, thank you, Noah Sanchez7—for that explanation... you and your obsession with getting to the absolute essence of everything.😂 Hey, Noah Sanchez7—I’ll admit it, I am completely irresponsible.😍 I find myself in a state of profound self-doubt—honestly, I can’t even trust my own judgment lately.🙂 And then, predictably, everyone turns on me...
Nancy Thompson3 said:I guess you adapt to your environment, but maybe not by just blindly following whatever bullshit society tries to force on you. You have to find some kind of balance, using a little bit of wisdom, I suppose. As for responsibility, you should probably be responsible to the people around you.
But what exactly constitutes "wisdom"—and more importantly, how does one actually practice being "responsible"?
Alright, someone please walk me through this—what does it actually mean to be "adaptable"? To what exactly am I supposed to be adjusting... and more importantly, who or what am I held accountable to in all this?
Well, here I am, back on this thread again.😁 😁 People just aren't good—they're complete morons.😂 😂 Just felt the need to vent a little bit of my frustration toward the sheer stupidity of the human race—it’s honestly revolting... people are idiots, animals, manipulators, liars, hypocrites, selfishly obsessed with themselves, etc., etc... there. I feel slightly better now. I hate, hate, hate people...🙂 🎉 🎉
James Allen6 said:Of course you can change your mind. We aren't born with opinions; we just spend our lives absorbing whatever nonsense our parents feed us until it becomes our own. But maybe you can learn to think differently. After a while, those new perspectives might just stick. I suppose you could head to a local library or pick up a book on positive philosophy to study a bit... I guess everything can be learned. 🙂 😘
Alright then—if you're so confident, why don't you suggest a specific little handbook on this "positive thinking" and the ability to shift one's mindset? If it actually comes from you, I might just consider reading it...😍 Well, I’ll give you a recommendation: read *The Drama of the Gifted Child* by Alice Miller—just be prepared for a bit of an emotional stomach ache.😁
James Allen6 said:My therapist tells me that while we can't control our emotions, we can certainly change our mindset. I suppose that is a fundamental truth. So, whenever I am feeling particularly low, I try my best not to spiral into thoughts like, "Oh, I'm just miserable, this is how it always is, life is terrible, and everyone is awful." Instead, I attempt to tell myself, "Today is just a bad day, tomorrow is a fresh start. I feel sad right now, but this won't last forever." I try to practice that every single day. It isn't easy, but I guess we can only expect improvement from ourselves. 👍 And if we do that, I think other people will start to seem better to us too. 👍
See, I’ve always found that whole "power of positive thinking" thing a bit grating—to be honest, I wasn't even sure if changing one's mindset was actually possible. If you don't believe it, you're essentially stuck in a deadlock... but somehow, you always manage to remind me that there's another way to look at things.
neonmarlin56 said:Well, hey, you're still alive and kicking, right? So why even worry about it? You're gonna end up in the ground eventually whether you're a genius or a total airhead.😎
And look, if you were sitting there hoping someone would jump on you and enjoy making fun of your "lack of intellect," I can't really help you out with that—but maybe you should just start a whole new thread, something like: "I'm a complete dummy, so please, just mess with my head." Because honestly, what else is there to say?😕
And you're quite the character, 😍you really had me laughing there—as if I should just invite everyone to feast on my lack of intellect...😍 People always seem to find entertainment in those they deem "lesser"... it’s just the law of the jungle, isn't it? Survival of the fittest. My father used to explain it to me in very vivid terms... at least it made me realize he loved me in his own way.
James Allen6 said:I suppose this is how I see things. A person feels content with others only when they are truly at peace with themselves. When we find ourselves going through a rough patch, we tend to focus much more on how others behave. It’s because their actions can hurt us, or perhaps just reinforce those nagging doubts that we aren't quite good enough...
I used to approach everyone with a smile and total confidence. That worked out fine, I guess, but maybe it was unnecessary. It seems enough to be that way with the people who actually matter—your family, your close friends, or your partner.
As for everyone else, they either don't care, or they are far too preoccupied with their own struggles. Trying to help them might just end up weighing them down further, so it probably isn't worth spending your energy there. And one more thing—I think you should only offer advice if someone is in actual danger or if they specifically ask for it.
People are fundamentally good.
You always seem to find the silver lining in everything—it’s a lovely way to look at the world. You truly believe people are good; thank you for the frequent reminders of that perspective...
quietranger14 said:Don't be like that—you can't hold everyone to that standard. The ones you despise or can't stand? Someone else actually likes and respects them.. Besides, when you say "everyone," does that include you too?? 😕
well, you made me laugh again with that part about throwing up 😛 I guess I celebrated too early. The day was actually pleasant, but not for long..... I seem to be so sensitive lately that I can't believe how much things can hurt me on a daily basis.... it feels like stress is just waiting around the corner for me...... and then the depression grabs hold, then the nausea hits, and then that feeling that I'm going to 🤮 well, I just let it all out now 😂 I wonder what else I am supposed to learn from you.....😘
Actually, it's quite alright—as long as we're talking about dwarves and burping, I can already feel myself cracking a smile... though, I suppose we have both gone a little bit off the deep end 😂... you really do provide such a boost of positive energy, and I truly, deeply thank you for that .
neonmarlin56 As specified by brighteagle39: It is simply because the fools surrounding you—those who insist on whispering their nonsense in your ear—have successfully convinced you that you are lacking in intellect.🙂
Let’s be honest—we aren't going to lie to ourselves this time...🙂 It has been officially established—with scientific certainty, no less—that I am quite simply lacking in the intelligence department. It’s a verified fact... and frankly, science itself is starting to become a source of significant frustration for me. Okay?
James Allen6 said:hiddentrucker16, I was sitting right in the middle of a lecture at college today when I suddenly remembered those little characters of yours—the ones that are constantly dying of laughter and those rigid figures that just won't stop vomiting. I started laughing so hard... 🙂 🙂 🙂 You're right, I'm feeling a bit better today, I guess. Thanks for the sympathy!
What exactly triggered the memory?😘 Ha ha ha... here is your troll 😂 And apparently, I’ve gone and sent you into a total hysterical fit... it seems you've already reverted to your old ways regarding anxiety 👍 That's actually the way to do it—chase away the sadness and the depression... here, have another one 👍 Stupid depression, now I'm going to be sick 🙂
Well, my dear people, please allow me to serve as a prime example of an unintelligent narcissist😂 🤣 and since I lack even a modicum of intelligence myself😂 🤣 then—strictly speaking—I shouldn't even attempt to diagnose whether I am indeed a narcissist... though, truth be told, I can hardly contain my laughter at the absurdity of it all. Go ahead, you brilliant minds, tell me: why exactly do I suffer from this persistent complex that I am simply dim-witted? I might just burst from laughing...
If you ask me, I’d much rather they just scrap them entirely—they don't serve any actual purpose other than making my life unnecessarily difficult...😍 😲
Matthew Booth16 said:I’ve got a bit of a situation here.
I’m heading into my sophomore year of high school. My grades are pretty much straight A's because I spend most of my time hitting the books. In class, I don't really talk—I just sit there and soak everything up, which probably makes me look a little weird to everyone else. People tell me I’m super smart, but I’m definitely not the social type. I don't say much, and when I do, I keep it short and sweet. Sometimes I feel like people just tune me out when I'm around. Honestly, I don't have any real friends yet—you know, people I actually hang out with who aren't family. I don't really go out because I don't have a crew to go with, and I'm not into drinking 🙂 either. I don't even listen to music. I'm constantly trying to level up and be the best version of myself—basically aiming for perfection—but lately, I feel like I'm just becoming this monotone, boring person. Outside of school, I almost never hang out with people my age. It makes me feel like I'm unapproachable... and honestly, just lonely. I really want to talk more... but what am I supposed to talk about? How do you even start a conversation? How do I find a real friend or actually connect with someone? Everyone calls me a weirdo. To be honest, it doesn't bother me that they call me that, it bothers me because it feels true. Everyone wonders why I'm so quiet... but what is there to say? I stay silent because I feel like I have nothing to contribute. How do you learn to be funny? Is being witty something you're born with, or can you actually practice it? And how do you become someone people actually want to be around? What should I do? Where do I even start? I just want to change everything right now...
Help me out!
Well, look, my advice is simple: just relax. Talk about whatever crosses your mind—and if nothing comes to mind, then don't talk at all. Everything will work out fine. You don't need to force yourself to be the life of the party or seek everyone's approval. There is a certain peace in realizing you don't need to be anyone other than who you already are—and that being yourself is perfectly sufficient. Besides, you won't see a sudden transformation; change is a slow process, often arriving when we least expect it..
Andrew Stewart2 said:Ugh, you guys just want everything to be easy and filled with love. Go ahead, enjoy being alone then... if that's what you want. Love takes patience, and honestly? That means dealing with some real pain too.
And seriously, why have you all been riding this author for years? She can love however she wants at her age. It doesn't have to look like some fifty-year-old's version of romance where they're just happy to have a warm meal and clean laundry...
If she's twenty, she should love like a twenty-year-old—all passion, zero overthinking. Just living in the moment.
Hey, Patrick Sullivan3, mind sharing how old you actually are? Just so we know how much to aim our useless advice... 😉
And what do we know about suffering? Honestly, if there’s one thing I can claim to be a world-class expert in, it’s definitely that.🙄
Well, here is my own little example of a "wonderful" relationship... I find myself wondering what kind of toxic mess constitutes a bond where you’re certain you don't actually love the person the way one ought to—yet, if you even momentarily entertain the thought that you could exist without them, you spiral into this hysterical state, clutching at a branch so flimsy that a mere light breeze would snap it. That isn't love; that's just being a prisoner—and true love is supposed to be liberating, inspiring, something that lifts you up, not drags you down. And if it’s true that we shape our own destinies and actually possess the agency to make choices, then I have to ask: what sane person would ever choose this? Why? For what godforsaken reason? Do I even possess a will of my own, or am I simply destined to rot and dismantle my own life until I finally realize I refuse to live this way anymore? Must I really be pushed to the very precipice of a nervous breakdown every single damn time before I can see that I'm playing a dangerous game and that perhaps it is time for a change? Apparently, yes—because I seem to be so foolishly wired that this is the only path I am allowed to take. So, that is the subject at hand, when we really should be discussing love—that sweet, pure, untainted kind that probably doesn't even exist anymore...
It seems people operate under this rather flawed assumption—this notion, if you can call it that—that if someone is sufficiently well-off, or even just decently comfortable in a material sense, then they ought to be perpetually satisfied with life as it stands. As if having enough zeros in a bank account somehow negates the need for anything else. It’s quite absurd, really; they act as though peace of mind, genuine inner contentment, or a true sense of security are secondary concerns simply because their physical needs are met. They have the house, the car, the comforts... and yet they dismiss the deeper stuff as if it were an unnecessary luxury. What utter nonsense.🙄