People aren't their illnesses... try not to let a diagnosis become your whole identity, no matter how much it hits you hard...
Opinions change, habits shift, and ways of thinking evolve—but true character and temperament? That stays pretty much set in stone.
As we get older, certain parts of our personality might soften or sharpen up, but honestly, that’s just the natural aging process happening to us—it's not really some grand achievement from "working on ourselves" or anything like that.
At the end of the day, acceptance is everything. Everything else is just within our own little sphere of control.
frozengull2 said:If you're speaking from experience...mad respect.
I mean, let's be real—nobody actually possesses that kind of spiritual humility... maybe some saints out there, sure... but for us regular folks? We can only really try to move in that direction a little bit more every single day.
Not at all, guys, definitely not... They say you can't tell a good man from a madman, and honestly? I think there's a lot of truth to that old saying.
Just focus on being a decent person yourself—it’s kind of the only way to deal with it, really. Most people are just looking out for number one these days. It feels like our values are totally upside down lately; we end up applauding the scammers, the liars, and the people who just take advantage of everyone, yet we go looking for flaws in folks like you who actually have good intentions and try to do the right thing (even if things don't always pan out perfectly).
A diamond is still a diamond, even if it ends up in the mud.
I mean, what even is a spiritual teacher? Is it just someone showing you how to think, or how to observe things, or maybe how to carry yourself through life? What’s their actual role here?
Honestly, if they aren't handing over some real, practical, "use this tomorrow" kind of knowledge, then I'm just not really interested.
wearyeagle10 said:I used to be like that. I’d idealize everyone, open up way too fast, love hard, stay honest, and never play any games. Nowadays, I'm smarter about it, but also lonelier. That’s just the price you pay for being careful. Unfortunately, that's just how it goes. Maybe I'll change one day...
I actually went through the exact same thing, and I've been trying out that same "fix" you mentioned... but I have to admit, I'm not totally happy with it. There's gotta be some kind of balance somewhere, right?
I’m honestly not quite sure what people mean when they say they "tried" life coaches 😁....but yeah, I’ve listened to just about everyone out there. I’ve gone through all those guided meditations—from the big names you see on TV to the random authors nobody’s heard of—but I just couldn't get into that whole "vortex" nonsense. It’s just not my vibe; I’m not really the spiritual type, and I don't think I have the right kind of energy for it. It feels like everyone is just recycling stuff they read in a book or overheard somewhere else, so nobody actually brings anything new to the table. Everyone is talking and talking, while Elvis Presley just stays quiet. 🤣
Yeah, I’ve definitely been there... though I didn't let it drag on forever, or at least, not quite as long as I probably should have. For the longest time, I just couldn't wrap my head around why that specific goal—and the whole path to get there—felt so completely wrong for me. But looking back now? I realize it wasn't even *me* chasing it. It was just this fake version of my personality, a total facade, which is exactly why everything kept slipping through my fingers. It honestly felt like the entire universe was conspiring against me, you know? Like I was just some puppet being yanked around by strings I couldn't see... that's how heavy it felt. But once I finally just let go and walked away from it, man, what a relief. It was like all that built-up pain just evaporated instantly. I felt myself literally unhooking from that obsession—it was pure freedom.
Susan Sullivan6 said:Wing Chun. And from what I gather, it’s actually been tested in real street fights (at least, 😬 ). There's even this one pro fighter—super legit, too—who uses it.
I honestly never even doubted it... street fighting just pulls every single one of those raw, animal instincts right to the surface. You can practice gym techniques until you're blue in the face, but nothing—and I mean nothing—can truly compete with that kind of real-world chaos. It’s like trying to compare actual life wisdom to some guru who spends thirty years meditating in total isolation without ever actually stepping out into the world to experience anything real. They're just not even in the same league, you know? Anyway, thanks so much for the reply.
Susan Sullivan6 said:From what I've gathered, their training sessions are absolutely brutal. It doesn't look like some choreographed performance routine like you see in Aikido.
If that's the case, what on earth was Bruce Lee actually training, besides just acting in movies? 😁
A true lone wolf usually carries this sharp intelligence and a really gut-level intuition about things... if we're talking about people who just isolate themselves just for the sake of being different, then we're really just looking at an ego trip—it has nothing to do with actual wisdom, let alone any of those "lone wolf" qualities people romanticize. There aren't many people who actually fit this category, though I swear, everyone seems to want to be one.
Pozitiva really nailed that whole "lone wolf" description. To me, being a loner isn't even about actually being alone—it's more about being the kind of person who actually uses their own head instead of just following the crowd or blindly swallowing whatever society tries to feed us... I think Dagi touched on something pretty close to that earlier, 👍 They’re those strong, wise individuals who usually end up feeling isolated simply because they see things differently than everyone else.
Look, I have no problem with someone charging for a seminar, a session of Reiki, a spread of Tarot, or whatever else they offer. My issue lies with the blatant hypocrisy of those who do the charging.
They preach spirituality, selflessness, and divine gifts, yet they act as if the only thing that matters is getting paid for them. One has to ask: who is actually the bigger egoist in this scenario?
I'm right there with you on this one. Honestly, I really don't care what someone charges for their workshops, but if that same person sets sky-high prices and locks out anyone who is truly "spiritually hungry," then calling them a hypocrite is the least I can do. To me, that's just a businessperson masquerading as a spiritual guide—kind of like how some high-ranking bishops or cardinals sit on mountains of gold while preaching poverty. Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against people running businesses. Some entrepreneurs are incredibly talented—honestly, they can be way more successful in their niche than any "spiritual leader" could ever hope to be. At the end of the day, it's all about choice. If someone wants to pay those prices, go for it.
Honestly, regarding Anita Moorjani—if you just take a second to look around, you'll realize there are so many people who have pulled themselves back from serious or even terminal illnesses. I actually know a few of them personally, and I've heard their stories firsthand—including the specific healing methods they used to get better. And man, if you start looking for testimonials online, whether it's on various forums or in those specific Facebook groups, you'll find them everywhere. Seriously, if you're looking for those kinds of stories, you could stumble upon them literally while you're out grabbing a loaf of bread at the local grocery store. 😁
Nick Vujičić makes some incredibly inspiring videos, and the best part is they're totally free. 😉
I actually stumbled upon a book by Louise Hay yesterday—it’s one of those deep dives where she talks about how vital forgiveness really is. She gets incredibly raw about it, too; she details having to find peace after dealing with sexual assault from an uncle, a neighbor, and I think even another relative... plus all this other mental and physical abuse and constant criticism. But she managed to pull through because she realized that forgiving isn't about the people who hurt her—it's about herself. She figured out she wouldn't ever truly heal or be able to build a healthy relationship until she let go of all that bitterness and set herself free. The book walks through some specific ways to practice forgiveness that might actually be helpful for you... regardless, I really think it could be worth reading the story of someone who actually pulled off exactly what you're aiming for and hoping to do... Good luck!
P.S. rustymaker5, I just noticed you posted something pretty similar right before this.😁
Nicole Barrett76 said:Such comparisons are utterly impossible.
Honestly, people can be such impossible creatures. If they don't pay for something, they won't even realize its value—or worse, they’ll just dismiss it entirely (though I guess there are always those rare exceptions out there)... but then, once they finally *do* shell out the cash, suddenly it’s "not good enough" or they claim they could have lived without it anyway, or that they could have figured it out themselves. But if they were so capable, why didn't they just do it right from the start? It's funny how that works. 😁
And when you're dealing with health issues, let's be real—no one outside of your own body can actually heal you. We can certainly stumble upon the right therapy, a specific medication, some herbal remedy, or maybe a new exercise routine that helps guide us back toward wellness, but that internal "click"—that mental shift—has to happen within ourselves. Nobody else can pull that trigger for us. That's why these kinds of seminars are honestly pretty useless... though, sadly, most people don't realize that until they've already wasted their money on at least one of them.
It’s always something, isn't it? One minute we’re complaining about that one consultant charging a fortune for her seminars, and the next, we're giving braco grief because he tries to "heal" us just by looking our way—and then, heaven forbid, he expects a rose as a little thank-you note... Honestly, we crucified Jesus ages ago, so who on earth are we actually trying to please? 😁
redscout46 said:I’m not interested in anything involving scalpels, dilations, incisions, or any other surgical nonsense. To be perfectly blunt, the whole concept of being cut open or having some procedure performed on me is completely off the table. I went through one surgery once, and frankly, the recovery was a total nightmare that left me feeling pretty shaken, so please, don't try to lecture me or tell me why I should change my mind. I've made up my decision.
So what if you had two surgeries that went badly? I get that you're scared—really, I do—but using that as an excuse here doesn't really hold up, because at the end of the day, that's just your own personal projection speaking.
Look, I honestly just gave myself permission to change my mind if I feel like it—I don't think anyone else needs to give me a green light on that, you know? 😉