Posts by Zachary Gonzalez8

Nicholas Gonzalez8 said:I'm with you on that.

Out of all those gambling games, things like poker or strategic betting are probably the only ones that can actually yield decent long-term results. But—and this is a huge "but"—you have to treat it like a legitimate job if you want to survive. You have to master it. I dabbled in sports betting once; I was actually doing okay, but honestly? I hated it. It demands way too much mental energy and time. If you go into it banking on "luck" instead of actual skill and data, you're basically just throwing money into a shredder.

The same goes for work—I have zero interest in being a corporate drone for some CEO my entire life, so I pivoted toward building web portals to generate some passive income. It's a slow burn, but it's moving in the right direction. 🙂 There are endless ways to make a living these days, so you just have to figure out which path doesn't make you miserable.

And don't sweat the dating stuff too much. Just hang out, meet people, and keep things low-pressure. Eventually, you'll hit it off with someone and it'll just click.

Man, I actually just jumped into the web dev game myself 🙂 is it doable, man? 🙂

Yeah, honestly. There’s just nothing left to say at this point.

Anthony Hayes2 said:Reality might just be a projection. We're basically sitting in a dark movie theater, watching reality play out like some film, while the actual truth remains completely out of reach.

And in this little cinematic masterpiece, we’re all stuck grinding away at a Chase branch from 8 to 4, probably daydreaming about jumping out the window just to escape the sheer monotony of the daily grind.🙂

Steven Cruz3 said:The soul is the Psyche.

To me, the best way to wrap your head around how these things interact is through the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche. Psyche (the soul) was innocent and clueless—she entered this relationship with Eros, which represents some kind of vital life force or spirit, but she didn't grasp his true nature. And because of that? She lost him.

Then Aphrodite / Nature—acting as Eros's mother—throws a series of impossible tasks at Psyche to prove herself worthy of reuniting with him. First, she needs the ability to discern—to separate individual seeds from a massive pile—and ants end up helping her out with that. Then she needs a broader perspective to grab water from a wild river in a narrow canyon; an eagle steps in to help there. Finally, she had to snatch wool from Golden Rams that were incredibly aggressive—those represent raw instincts that she had to learn to harness. But she had to do it carefully, under the cover of darkness, just to avoid being attacked. You can't face the forces of the unconscious with pure, cold logic alone—you need a much more subtle intuition and gut feeling.

Psyche's final task was to descend into Persephone's underworld to retrieve a sacred object. The catch? She wasn't allowed to look back on her way out, or she'd hear the cries of the dead left behind. She failed that one—she looked back, got trapped in Hades, and that was that. But then Eros came for her and pulled her out. It’s all just a metaphor for psychic regeneration.

So, essentially, the Psyche/soul had to acknowledge its own nature—its instincts and its limits. It had to develop the power of analysis and synthesis (the ants and the eagle), confront its own mortality, and overcome it with the will to live. All of that leads to integration—this "mystical marriage"—and finally reaching a state of full self-awareness.

Gave me actual chills reading that..

Justin Garcia7 said:My biggest breakthrough has been a massive drop in anxiety about the future. It basically boils down to this: don't believe everything your brain tells you. Quiet the internal chatter, stay present, and just let life unfold when it's ready.
Whenever you start anticipating something, you tend to project all these false scenarios onto the future. In my experience, those mental projections are wrong about 90% of the time.

It took me asking a thousand different questions just to realize that almost every single thought I had—every single one that popped up as an answer—was totally off base.

It was a real headache, honestly, but I guess I had to go through that whole interrogation process just to wrap my head around the fact that thoughts are just... thoughts. They're conditioned by what we've been through.

I still have this reflex, this old habit, where I end up believing them, but now I actually have some life experience telling me that they aren't 100% accurate. Most of the time, they're just noise.

Also, regarding that idea of keeping things simple? I really think that's the true litmus test for maturity. It shows you actually have clarity. A complicated person is usually just a confused person.

Nicholas Gonzalez8 said:

I’m totally with you on that—dwelling on things just doesn't make sense. I’m rooting for you as you move forward
on your life's journey 🙂

But I don't really get what you guys mean regarding thoughts:
'' I'm talking about the thoughts before and after, and the emotional experience that evolves from them. ''

See, an emotion hits you as a reaction to something REAL—it's a signal, sure, but it's also the fuel you need to actually take action. For me, pairing thought with emotion was never the issue. Thoughts are there to sort things out, spot the problems, scan for obstacles versus opportunities, and weigh strengths against weaknesses. You build a strategy... the focus should be on the reality right in front of your face. When you’re in the middle of white-water rafting through a gorge, trying to dig through your internal monologue about how you felt five minutes ago or how you'll feel later is just nonsensical and totally unproductive. 🙂

On one hand, you've got a point, but emotions aren't just reactions to physical reality—they're reactions to our own thoughts too. But whatever, it doesn't really matter right now—it sounds like we're thinking along pretty similar lines, even if we're framing it differently.
I’m totally with you on that—dwelling on things just doesn't make sense. I’m rooting for you as you move forward
on your life's journey 🙂

But I don't really get what you guys mean regarding thoughts:
'' I'm talking about the thoughts before and after, and the emotional experience that evolves from them. ''

See, an emotion hits you as a reaction to something REAL—it's a signal, sure, but it's also the fuel you need to actually take action. For me, pairing thought with emotion was never the issue. Thoughts are there to sort things out, spot the problems, scan for obstacles versus opportunities, and weigh strengths against weaknesses. You build a strategy... the focus should be on the reality right in front of your face. When you’re in the middle of white-water rafting through a gorge, trying to dig through your internal monologue about how you felt five minutes ago or how you'll feel later is just nonsensical and totally unproductive. 🙂

On one hand, you've got a point, but emotions aren't just reactions to physical reality—they're reactions to our own thoughts too. But whatever, it doesn't really matter right now—it sounds like we're thinking along pretty similar lines, even if we're framing it differently.
I’d argue that thoughts and emotions are basically joined at the hip. And honestly, I'm not even sure what you mean by "reality." Thoughts include everything from recognizing a face to catching an impression or hearing a sound, right? It's all part of the same messy loop.

Nicholas Gonzalez8 said:

Look, I’m telling you right now—if you think you can just wander through the woods behind your house without keeping a sharp eye out, you are asking for a world of hurt. I’m talking about poison ivy. It isn’t just some minor skin irritation that you can brush off like a mosquito bite; it’s a full-blown, itchy, red, blistering nightmare that will make you want to tear your own skin off if you aren't careful. It’s one of those things that seems so simple when people describe it—"leaves of three, let it be"—but then you actually go out there, maybe thinking you're being all rugged and outdoorsy, and suddenly you're looking at a patch of green that looks perfectly innocent. That’s the trap! It blends in perfectly. It hides in the shade, tucked away near the treeline or creeping up against a fence, just waiting for some unsuspecting hiker to brush past it. And don't even get me started on how persistent this stuff is. You think you washed your hands? Think again. If you brushed against a stem and didn't scrub every single inch of your skin with enough soap to sink a battleship, that oil—that urushiol stuff—is still there. It stays on your clothes, too. I once saw a guy spend an entire weekend itching because he thought he'd cleaned his hiking boots, only to realize the oils had soaked right into the fabric. He was miserable for a week. Total waste of time and energy. Seriously, treat it like a hazard. Treat it like you're walking through a field of rattlesnakes. Watch where you put your hands, watch what you're brushing against, and for heaven's sake, if you do touch it, don't go rubbing your eyes. Just... stay vigilant. It's not rocket science, but it'll ruin your whole week if you're lazy about it. kaže:
What I’m actually curious about is—and bear with me here—just how much sleep are you actually getting on a daily basis? 😲 😁

I usually clock about six hours. Honestly, I’ve never been much of a sleep lover—just never really felt the need for those long marathons—but lately, since I started hitting the sack early and getting up with the sun, I’ve been feeling worlds better. It's like my whole system finally clicked into place. 🙂

Look, I’m not here to hand out some magic roadmap or tell anyone exactly how to live their lives—that's just not my style. I’m just tossing my thoughts, my bits of knowledge, and everything I've picked up along the way out there into the wind, mostly just to show people that there are other ways to look at things. Whether someone actually takes what I say and runs with it, or just ignores me entirely? That’s on them. It’s their life, after all. And honestly, even if someone decides to take the long way around—you know, stumbling through every single mistake and wrong turn imaginable—it doesn't really matter. In the end, those very mistakes are often what nudge the soul toward finding the right path anyway. So, in a weird way, there isn't such a thing as a "wrong" direction. I’m just trying to help folks navigate whatever route they decide to take. Most people, if they're being real with themselves, just want to enjoy the ride and feel like they're actually getting somewhere.

Look, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again—you can get things done through fear just as easily as you can through love. You can motivate yourself with anxiety, or you can push people around using intimidation, and sure, you might see results in the short term. But here’s the kicker—that approach isn't going to make you happy. It won't bring any real peace. It's just a hollow way to live. It’s a simple fact, really. You can find proof for this anywhere—whether you're digging through hard science, exploring spirituality, or just looking at the collective experience of everyone around you—including your own life. If you don't believe me, fine. Go ahead. Test these words yourself. See how it feels when you try to run your life on fear versus running it on something actually meaningful. The math always adds up the same way in the end.

Look, I’m telling you—rote memorization is a total waste of breath. It gets you nowhere. What actually works? Keeping an open mind and just... observing. But here’s the kicker: you have to observe without getting emotionally tangled up in what you're seeing. If you can watch things unfold without clinging to them like a kid with a new toy, you end up with way more options on the table. And honestly, that’s usually when it becomes a hell of a lot easier to actually figure out who you are.

I get where you're coming from—really, I do. But let’s be honest here: it isn't some fat priest's fault that people twist his words around. It’s not about him. It’s about that stubborn human tendency—that weird, ingrained ego thing we all have—where we decide right off the bat that something is either the absolute gospel truth or total garbage just because of who said it. Like, "Oh, he's a minister, so this must be sacred," or "He's just a guy, so this is worthless." It's ridiculous. In my book, you’ve got to look at every single idea on the table. Give it a fair shake. But—and this is the big part—don't go clinging to it like a life raft. You can examine an idea without letting it own you.

Look, that example you brought up? It isn't a lie. Not even close. The real issue—and this is what gets me worked up—is that most people never actually bother to learn how to pray or manifest the right way. They just go through the motions, half-heartedly throwing wishes at the ceiling, and then when nothing happens, they have the nerve to claim the whole thing is fake. It’s like someone trying to drive a manual transmission car without ever learning how to work the clutch—they’re going to stall out every single time and then blame the car. Sometimes, you see someone who actually gets results, sure, but usually, they're just following a gut feeling. They stumble onto the right frequency by accident, hitting the mark without actually understanding the mechanics behind why it worked. They’re basically lucky, not intentional. Real, conscious mastery—where you actually understand the "how" and the "why" and execute it with purpose—that’s something only a tiny handful of people actually take the time to master. Most people are just winging it and complaining about the results.

Look, there’s this endless flood of blatant lies being shoved down our throats every single day—it’s everywhere, just massive, coordinated misinformation campaigns designed to keep us spinning—but the real kicker? It’s the simple truths we ignore. We pass them right by because they feel too easy, too straightforward, and honestly, most people are just too lazy or too suspicious to actually sit down and get to know them. It feels like a trap, right? Like if something is that simple, there must be some catch, so we just stick to the complex nonsense instead.

Look, you’ve got two extremes here—it's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one side, you have people who just blindly follow whatever the world throws at them, chasing every external trend or societal expectation like it's gospel. Then, on the flip side, you’ve got those folks who shut themselves off entirely, obsessing only over what’s happening inside their own heads, ignoring the rest of reality. It’s a bit much, honestly. Real spiritual growth? That isn't about picking a side. It's about finding that sweet spot right in the middle—that actual balance where the inner world and the outer world finally shake hands.

I hear you... you’re looking at people through the lens of their actions and how they actually feel—and honestly, that's probably the only way to get a real read on someone. It's the gold standard. But, just a word of caution here—don't go tossing aside the folks who don't lead with raw emotion or big gestures, but instead operate purely out of deep, intuitive understanding. There's a massive difference there. You know, the wisdom of truly enlightened people tends to be incredibly simple. In fact, sometimes it sounds almost too easy—it can even start to sound like those people who just spout mindless affirmations because the words happen to have a nice ring to them. Don't mistake simplicity for shallow fluff.

We're just talking here, and honestly, I prefer total honesty.

By nature, I'm a highly emotional person, though I spent years trying to balance that out by sharpening my logic. At one point, I actually felt completely numb because I was rationalizing everything to death—there was simply no room left for an actual emotional reaction to breathe. So, I had to relearn how to "consciously" let myself feel things, even when my brain was screaming that it didn't make sense. Nowadays, I use emotional experience to complement my logical understanding, but I don't let myself get tethered to either. In other words, they work for me; I don't work for them. They are tools I use, even if I feel them with my entire soul.

The issue most people have is that they don't accept their emotions—they try to fight them with their minds. That's where the suffering starts. Then you have the other group who rationalizes everything away, and they suffer because they've become hollow.

New Age stuff is a massive grab bag of everything—truths, lies, good approaches, bad ones. The core problem is that even when they promote bits of truth, they often explain them in a way that's incredibly shallow or unnecessarily convoluted.

Exactly. For most people, suffering doesn't start with the raw emotion itself, but with that mental commentary we stack on top of it. And obviously, those thoughts mess with our body chemistry instantly—the fear ramps up, and suddenly we're just stuck in this miserable state.

What specifically makes you feel like you're a worse person? Is it an attitude, certain thoughts, emotions, things you say, or stuff you do? Maybe you're following someone else's lead but it feels totally unnatural to who you really are. Seriously though, vent a bit more and give me some details, and I'll try to give you a more direct answer.

Yeah, exactly. I’m probably going to get repetitive here, so bear with me, 🙂 you feel that knot in your stomach, and then—boom—your brain immediately goes hunting for a thought to pin it on. You convince yourself that specific thought is the reason you're panicking. But deep down, you're thinking, "Wait, there has to be a logical reason why I feel this crappy, right?"

Steven Cruz3 said:I never bought into the whole "enlightenment" thing myself. Honestly, I felt so much more refreshed once I started forgetting all the "spiritual" junk I’d heard or read in various circles. Once I cleared out that sludge and stopped listening to those fake "spiritual gurus," I finally felt free. 🙂)

Nowadays, I'm actually fascinated by people who seem to have found some kind of balance and peace—people who just radiate clarity and empathy without ever having practiced a single "spiritual technique." Let's just say they have a natural knack for introspection and a massive amount of life experience. But look, not every old person becomes wise; some just go completely off the deep end despite everything they've lived through. So there aren't any clear rules here, other than sticking to what actually works—mental and emotional hygiene, period. Thinking things through, learning from mistakes, taking small daily steps... that's way more useful than any bombastic illusion. And maybe—I don't know—spending time in nature or with animals. We should probably learn to love and respect the "animal" side of ourselves; that grounding helps immensely when your mind starts drifting off into excessive philosophy.🙂

Honestly, it doesn't even have to be about having a "deep" life. That’s actually the most beautiful part to witness. Just pure, natural wisdom. No mistakes, really. Every "mistake" is just another lesson in disguise.

I’d probably sign up to forget everything "spiritual" I’ve ever read 🙂 though, I suppose there’s another way to look at it—if you hadn't encountered all those things, maybe you wouldn't realize just how much you don't actually need them.

Anthony Cook8 said:I don't know, I really don't see it being that complicated... everything you're saying to me just doesn't resonate...
I see what people call innate health—I see beauty, laughter, ease, simplicity, and true strength... I feel like everything is alright right now, and everything will be okay no matter what happens... that's what lives inside me, and it is clear, powerful, and peaceful...

All this stuff you're stressing over means nothing to me...

Well, you're a woman, so 🙂 us men have spent thousands of years diligently feeding our demons 😉

It's nice reading your stuff 🙂

nimbleranger5 said:Look, I respect that... it's their call and their choice, for sure. But the thing is, these people are reaching for something outside of themselves—they're using an external tool just to unwind or to help them drift off. It’s ultimately an illusion because it’s coming from the outside. By taking that approach, they aren't building any real internal foundation; they aren't finding peace within, so they can't actually access it.
And what happens if they don't have a joint handy? What then? Do they just lie there staring at the ceiling all night, restless and anxious? If someone can't find or feel peace internally, they end up hunting for it in a joint or through other external things. The real question we have to ask is: why can't they find that peace inside themselves without needing various substances? To me, the reason is always the same—it's an ESCAPE from oneself. That inherent human weakness leads us to constantly follow the path of least resistance—basically, a lack of will to truly face ourselves, our fears, our losses, our desires, our selfishness, and our passions. It's about having the courage to take off the mask and be completely stripped bare, right down to the core.
That’s why people rely on a joint to relax—because they think it's the only way to get that sense of calm. But it’s a hollow peace. It isn't lasting; it just provides a fake sense of relaxation instead of the true, lasting satisfaction and deep inner peace that a person only feels once they honestly commit to the path of self-discovery.

I see where you're coming from, but I don't think it's a zero-sum game. In fact, I'd argue that having that internal foundation is exactly what allows someone to indulge in a "luxury" like that every now and then. 🙂

You know the type I mean? People who have total control. They can grab a drink at a bar or stay stone-cold sober. They can smoke or they can quit cold turkey. They *can* do anything, but they don't *have* to do anything.

nimbleranger5 said:Yeah, that's true... it's a sharp observation. The source matters immensely, but if you pick the wrong one... well, damn, you messed up. It means you listened to your ego (your head) instead. But honestly, even that isn't all bad—at least you learned something new about yourself and life. You learn, you mess up, you live, and life keeps moving. Eventually, you start becoming more sensitive to that voice coming from deep within, from your heart. I truly believe the heart is the seat of consciousness, and when you need to make a choice, you'll make the right one because you'll feel it internally. It'll just feel like the true, honest path. The answer will always be fast and intuitive; there won't be any room for useless overthinking because the answer will just bubble up instantly from the depths of your Being. The other thing is, most of the time, we don't actually *want* to listen to that voice. We resist it and try to over-philosophize everything—that's where the ego loop happens. But everyone—and I mean everyone, I'm being serious here—knows, or rather feels, what is truly good for them as an individual.
That's why it's best to stay in alignment with yourself; then you can quickly tell which answers are coming from your heart and which ones are just the ego.

http://www.newscenter.com/electric-heart.html

The heart is the most powerful tool in the body, producing an electromagnetic pulse 100,000 times stronger than the brain. The heart is the center of consciousness, radiating a field of pure awareness into the space around us. The heart speaks to us 24 hours a day, guiding us through every situation. Let's just surrender to the guidance of the heart and higher consciousness.

The question is, do you *really* want to meet Him? Is your heart open to His love? If the answer is yes, then you don't have to go anywhere; it's enough to just be exactly where you are right now. Jesus Christ isn't anywhere else but inside you—in your core, in your heart. But to meet Him, you first have to shut off that mental chatter that runs in your head 24/7.
And if you really feel the need to go somewhere, then go inward. Go into your own inner space, be still, and find peace with yourself.

Unless you’ve managed to completely tune out everything you've been told since kindergarten—you know, all that talk about how alcohol destroys families, wrecks your health, and is just generally toxic—then you're basically acting like a blank slate. Like, as if none of those warnings actually stuck or shaped your perspective at all, right?

But seriously, let's be real for a second: who actually finds long-term happiness through abusing drugs or alcohol? Does anyone actually? Are those people truly happy? Using substances just to chase a high or to numb out is just another way of running away from reality—and honestly, it might be the most destructive escape there is, because it trashes both your physical and mental health at the same time. 🤷

I’m convinced that if you just listen to your heart, you can't really go wrong—it knows what’s best for you. Of course, we learn through trial and error, and yeah, society, our culture, and the people around us definitely condition us in a lot of ways. But once you finally experience the damage firsthand—like realizing, "Hey, alcohol is actually killing me"—the only thing keeping you trapped in that cycle of addiction is your own ego. It's that craving for that temporary hit of euphoria that keeps us acting like slaves to outside influences, just chasing that next high.

I mean, sure, you’ve got people who light up a joint here and there before hitting the hay. For them, it’s just a way to finally shut their brain off and get some solid sleep.

That’s just physical fear. But living with that constant psychological dread... well, we all know exactly how that goes 😉

So, I was catching this fascinating documentary on National Geographic last night. Scientists were breaking down how those traits that make males more attractive to females—think flashy feathers or long, flowing manes—are actually driven by hormones that end up being pretty detrimental to their overall health. If you look at evolutionary biology through the lens of humans as biological organisms governed by brains shaped by experience, you can see the mess we get into when we blindly follow those kinds of trends. You see the exact same patterns playing out in our own society.

Anyway, my takeaway from my own spiritual journey is that "seeking" isn't really a thing you *do*. It’s just something that happens. Every bit of effort we make to be "spiritual" is actually just moving us further away from what people call spirituality, though it might be better described as just being natural. Maybe that struggle is useful in its own way, though—like a pressure cooker effect where eventually everything just boils over, you throw up your hands in frustration, and finally, you start living authentically.

electrictinker26 said:In that case, the passion is the actual work, and everything else is just the means to fund it. It’s a cycle, really. Even in creative fields like music, it repeats itself. I've thought about trying my hand at acting... though I'd prefer not to get too tangled up in those specific complications.

I guess you could look at it that way. But honestly? Sometimes it feels totally pointless. The whole routine... getting up, commuting, showing up...

just grinding through eight hours of pure, unadulterated boredom every single day.🙂

electrictinker26 said:I find that I feel much better when I’m physically active and actually worn out by the end of the day, rather than sitting around doing nothing. That said, I’ve never been one for unnecessary hardship; I don't enjoy struggle for the sake of struggle. It’s a bit of a paradox: I feel more present when I'm moving, yet I dislike repetitive, grueling labor. When I’m being lazy and staying idle, my mind starts racing. Even while I am working, my head spins with thoughts of how to avoid the heavy lifting—constantly dreaming up ways to secure a comfortable life without the grind. Yet, the more I actually do, the happier I feel. It reminds me of those old martial arts movies where the protagonist undergoes intense training. They spend ages performing the same repetitive movements over and over until they finally hit a breaking point, pushing past the physical discomfort to reach a new level of mastery. I suspect that’s the path I need to take, but I have to admit, finding the discipline to get there is a constant struggle.

😂

It's the exact same thing. I'm constantly stuck in this loop, trying to figure out how to make the whole inevitable slog of showing up to work feel less like a grind.

I remember reading somewhere—probably in some self-help book—that you should "do what you love" so you aren't really working in the traditional sense. But here’s the kicker: what if what you love is just walking around, getting lost in a book, or just... losing your mind a little bit? 🙂

Zachary Cook2 said:Look, I've watched CNN documentaries, so what? I've watched Batman, too. 😂

I've experienced what Brandon Sanderson writes about firsthand—I've come close to kicking the bucket a few times, and believe me, if you want to know, it isn't fiction... but I really don't feel like arguing this with you. It's just a waste of time. 😉

Look, go ahead and be a sheep in your own little world. So what? You won't be the first, and you certainly won't be the last.

Anyway, I wish you nothing but the best in life. 😉

Amen!😂

Man, since when did you show up on this forum? 🙂

You really made my day. 😁

electrictiger25 said:I honestly don’t even know where to begin. On paper, my life looks absolutely flawless—I’m young, I’ve got my head on straight, I’m nearly wrapping up my degree, I look decent enough, I’ve been in a stable relationship for several years now, and I have plenty of hobbies to keep me busy... Yet, for the last year or two, this creeping sense of emptiness and anxiety has started to settle in. I suspect it’s tied to the fact that I’m rapidly approaching that stage of life where society expects you to land a career, settle down, start a family, and just slide effortlessly into some "happily ever after" script. It is particularly grating when my parents start their usual litany of expectations: "Well, in two or three years, you'll probably have a baby, so you should start preparing... We need to start saving up for your wedding... You really need to find a job in your field," and so on and so forth. My best friend is following the exact same trajectory; she’s finishing up college and we spend our coffee dates discussing wedding guest lists, the struggle of the job hunt, and how she’ll likely have kids within the next couple of years...

🙂

It makes me wonder, what exactly are we? Are we just some kind of pre-programmed biological machines? Does anyone actually bother to ask if *I* want any of this? Why am I supposed to have a child just because it’s considered "normal" or because "that's what everyone does"? Why am I expected to marry and "settle down"? Whenever I pose these questions to my family, they look at me as if I’ve completely lost my mind—most of the time they just ignore me entirely and steamroll ahead with their lectures about how things "must" be done. Even when I was a little girl, I never played with baby dolls, I never spent my time daydreaming about a white wedding, and I never harbored any desire for children (and I certainly don't have any now). So why on earth should I suddenly undergo this transformation just to satisfy an external expectation? This is my life, and mine alone. Don't get me wrong, my parents don't have much sway over my actual decisions—I'll ultimately do whatever I want regardless of whether they disown me or not—but these constant expectations are profoundly disorienting...

Please don't take this the wrong way; I’m not trying to offend anyone. There are people who find genuine bliss in marriage and parenthood, who truly love that lifestyle, and more power to them. But I crave something more substantial than that; I refuse to live my life according to a cookie-cutter template. Find a job, work a standard 9-to-5, pick up the kids from school, prep breakfast and dinner, have intimacy with a spouse in the evening... and repeat that loop for thirty years? Then eventually get some grandkids, retire, and spend my mornings picking out produce at the local supermarket... Is that it? Is that the entirety of a human existence? 😲

Tell me, am I losing my mind for wanting something more (even if I can't quite articulate what that "something" is)? I feel a profound sense of pity for myself when I realize that at only 23, I already feel this utterly miserable... if this is how it feels now, what does the future hold? I've become disillusioned with people, too; I only have one true friend left (though even with her, I don't feel I can truly open up), and I simply lack the energy to invest in building relationships with anyone else. I find I only truly connect with animals; at least they are honest and instinctual. Perhaps I should just pop a few antidepressants. Then I could just fake a smile, wear a mask, retreat into my own little shell, and pretend to be fulfilled and happy just like everyone else. 🤷

...

Look, I've been exactly where you are right now. Honestly? It’s totally normal. For me, hitting that wall was actually the spark that sent me on a search for something more tangible in the real world. And turns out, that "something" actually exists. If I had to put a label on it, I'd call it a hunt for genuine freedom.

Your path will reveal itself when it's supposed to. As for marriage and all that social pressure? Just tune it out. Society—the way most people live their lives—is basically just one big pre-programmed script. But that doesn't mean you have to follow the manual.

It'll all work out 😉

p.s. You'll eventually realize that living is actually a pretty straightforward thing 🙂 whether you do it with a family and everything else, or just flying solo.

I didn't catch that he already weighed in on this:

Michelle Sanchez2 said:Look, there is no such thing as purely good or purely bad; we’re dealing with a matter of dual perception.
You might be obsessed with Oliver, but I’ve been head over heels for electronic music since I was ten years old. For me, this genre isn't just a hobby; it's been a lifelong passion. In a strange way, I actually perceive the very concept of love through the lens of this music.
One fundamental truth is that there are no inherent divisions here—no objective "good" or "bad." It all boils down to perception and the specific choices made by the observer.
There is absolutely no need to make grand announcements to your friends or orchestrate some artificial distancing act. Once you truly commit to the heavy lifting of self-improvement, your entire internal frequency shifts. It’s like changing the station on a radio; naturally, you’ll find yourself drifting away from old circles and gravitating toward new ones. This happens organically, without any need for dramatic exits or tedious explanations as to why you seem to be "leaving" them behind.

Michelle Sanchez2 said:Wow, that was easy.
First off, defining what it actually means to pursue spirituality and be a spiritual person is the fundamental question you need to sit down and contemplate.
Secondly, claiming that you have progressed while others haven't is nothing more than an expression of ego and comparison—one of the most difficult hurdles to clear on this path. Regardless of how much broader your perception might feel compared to theirs, you aren't in any position to compare yourself; you can't possibly know their specific journey or the reasons behind who they are. There is no such thing as a "higher" or "lower" perspective; it’s just different. To suggest otherwise is just another form of comparison, and frankly, who are we to decide what constitutes a superior or inferior viewpoint?
Regarding your friends, if you go around thinking you're losing them and becoming isolated, that mindset will simply manifest as your reality. These types of friends are actually incredibly useful for staying grounded. Often, people who identify as being "spiritual" tend to get way too "high in the clouds," completely losing touch with the real world, which rarely ends well.
True spirituality is demonstrated by your ability to socialize with almost anyone. Doing so shows that you accept Creation in all its diverse forms and that you can easily adapt your energy to suit those around you—which is essential if you actually want to maintain a social life.
You could choose to limit yourself strictly to "spiritual" circles, but you'll end up losing a part of who you were before. In a few years, you might find yourself regretting that decision because Life is cyclical. Just because you are drawn to this "spiritual" side right now doesn't mean you will feel the same way in a couple of years. Closing yourself off to everything except one specific type of society is, quite frankly, a poor tactical move.
As for alcohol, it essentially releases the mental brakes, allowing the subconscious and supersubconscious to flow through you without resistance. I am certainly not talking about getting wasted here—I'm talking about a casual couple of beers.

Things are simple: we are guests here, we are all One, and we are all part of a single, inseparable collective.

👍

Michelle Sanchez2 said:Wow, that was easy.
First off, defining what it actually means to pursue spirituality and be a spiritual person is the fundamental question you need to sit down and contemplate.
Secondly, claiming that you have progressed while others haven't is nothing more than an expression of ego and comparison—one of the most difficult hurdles to clear on this path. Regardless of how much broader your perception might feel compared to theirs, you aren't in any position to compare yourself; you can't possibly know their specific journey or the reasons behind who they are. There is no such thing as a "higher" or "lower" perspective; it’s just different. To suggest otherwise is just another form of comparison, and frankly, who are we to decide what constitutes a superior or inferior viewpoint?
Regarding your friends, if you go around thinking you're losing them and becoming isolated, that mindset will simply manifest as your reality. These types of friends are actually incredibly useful for staying grounded. Often, people who identify as being "spiritual" tend to get way too "high in the clouds," completely losing touch with the real world, which rarely ends well.
True spirituality is demonstrated by your ability to socialize with almost anyone. Doing so shows that you accept Creation in all its diverse forms and that you can easily adapt your energy to suit those around you—which is essential if you actually want to maintain a social life.
You could choose to limit yourself strictly to "spiritual" circles, but you'll end up losing a part of who you were before. In a few years, you might find yourself regretting that decision because Life is cyclical. Just because you are drawn to this "spiritual" side right now doesn't mean you will feel the same way in a couple of years. Closing yourself off to everything except one specific type of society is, quite frankly, a poor tactical move.
As for alcohol, it essentially releases the mental brakes, allowing the subconscious and supersubconscious to flow through you without resistance. I am certainly not talking about getting wasted here—I'm talking about a casual couple of beers.

Things are simple: we are guests here, we are all One, and we are all part of a single, inseparable collective.

Or maybe just a couple glasses of wine. 🙂

electrictinker26 said:The reality is that I still find myself drawn to certain things
that I personally recognize as negative. It’s just that those
energies pull at you because they’ve become familiar; essentially,
the ego has learned how to extract value from all sorts of situations.
In those moments, friends can feel like a great way to feed that ego.
But then I find myself sliding back into old patterns, and honestly,
I don't want that. I want to move forward, yet it feels wrong to tell
my friends, "I don't want to hang out with you anymore."
They are dear to me, even if, from my perspective,
they carry certain negative traits.

It isn't that I have an issue with them, or that
I consider myself superior, or more valuable, for that matter.
However, when it comes to certain specific circumstances, I know a bit
more about some things, while they certainly know things better than I do.

And I wouldn't say that "better" and "worse" simply don't exist.
There is such a thing as a well-made pie and a poorly made pie.
There is a well-sung song and a poorly sung song.
One person might have a sense of style while another doesn't.
That doesn't make someone a worse person, but you have to admit
that most people gravitate toward quality, and I personally love doing quality work.
I understand that people play roles and that there is a logic to it all.
But looking at my own growth, I am feeling a bit ambitious. 🙂

My ultimate goal is to reach a point where nothing can sway me.
Of course, that hasn't been the case until now. And it sounds almost
too simple. If someone tells me they can listen to heavy metal
and feel good afterward, what does that mean? Would they need to be
raised to react the exact same way to everything? I wasn't
raised that way, and it actually has nothing to do with upbringing. Because if
I heard a song by an artist like Metallica when I was six and enjoyed it,
that isn't about how I was raised; it's about recognizing
love within certain things, and seeing where it is missing elsewhere.
I'm not sure what purpose negativity serves; perhaps it's just there
so we can identify it and cast it aside. I see no other use for it.

Now, look, I enjoy having a drink and I love to joke around. I can
easily choose not to drink or joke, and I'll still have a great time. It makes no difference
to me. But I have friends I've been close with for a long time—
probably fifteen years now—where traditions have formed and
many situations are emotionally tied to that history. In those moments,
I see scenarios that used to cause me problems, but now they don't.
I've shared my insights with many of them, and they haven't taken offense.
But it isn't easy work. 🙂 I will accept them as they are,
but when I am with them, I am reminded of those
old negativities. I suppose this is a lesson I have to
go through so I can learn to transform negativity into positivity.
And that approach has worked for me before.
It just saddens me when I find myself in a situation where
I see that there is nothing there, yet everyone else thinks there is.

I’ve been down that same road before. There comes a point where your priorities just... flip. It’s like someone hit a reset button on your internal compass, and suddenly everything you used to care about feels totally irrelevant. And honestly? It’s messy. It ends up bleeding into your social life, too. I went through this exact thing with my old group of friends—we just weren't vibing on the same wavelength anymore. We weren't chasing the same goals or even finding the same stuff interesting. You realize you're basically speaking two different languages, even when you're sitting at the same table.

I felt the exact same way you did, honestly. I was spiraling about it, too. But eventually, the dust just... settled. Everything kind of fell into place. Sure, look—I don't hang out with certain people as much as I used to. Some connections just fade out, right? But with others? It’s like nothing ever changed. We're still good. I guess that's just how the wheels turn in life. That's just how it goes. 🙂

silvermason2 said:Kudos to you for taking this path. 🙂

I totally get where you're coming from. I went through the exact same thing. Getting into spirituality changes you fast, and you quickly hit this wall where you feel like you don't belong with the people you used to be comfortable with. It doesn't seem like you're judging them; you've just become aware of a reality that can be pretty heavy and depressing sometimes (at least it was for me). My advice? Don't try to open their eyes. You won't win that fight. When they're ready to learn, it'll happen naturally. You can't force spirituality down someone's throat.

That doesn't mean you can't hang out or function in society, but I know plenty of people (myself included) who eventually had to change their entire social circle because being around "unawakened" people became absolutely unbearable. For anyone who wants to jump down my throat right now—I'm not attacking anyone. Those of you who've gone through sudden spiritual shifts will know exactly what I mean. Some people even cut themselves off from the world entirely for a while because it just felt right. That's fine. If you need time to tie up all the loose ends, take it. Don't ignore the need for solitude if it shows up.

As for the booze... Look, you don't have to quit if you don't want to, but cutting back might help if you're serious about moving forward. For me, it just happened. As I progressed, my body naturally started rejecting vices. I used to get brutal hangovers even from five beers, so I scaled my drinking back to once a month. Same with cigarettes—I never had an issue with them, smoked for five years straight, but suddenly they felt suffocating and I had to kick the habit. Your body will send you signals. Just listen to them and don't force it.

For me, I think I just hit a wall. Honestly? I started feeling pretty damn stupid whenever I was buzzed. Maybe it’s just how I process things now, or maybe it’s just getting older... who knows.🤷