You might be sitting somewhere, alone, in the company of friends, or your loved ones, thinking something along the lines of this: could life really be better right now amid the virus and during quarantine? I’m here to tell you that you’re on the right track to attaining and maintaining mental tranquility and peace of mind. 

The real question you have to ask yourself is this—“what am I going to do about my life right now?” You must remember that you are the master of your fate. If you have watched the Marvel movie Avengers: Infinity War—and, spoilers ahead if you haven’t yet watched it and care about such things—you might recall the scene when the character Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) sits in a rather meditative position and looks forward into the future. He goes on to see nearly 15 million different possibilities in which our heroes face their nemesis. Strange goes on to explain that out of so many possible encounters, the heroes only come out victorious in one scenario. 

In our “real world,” a relative term for many, we are certainly consciously aware of the decisions we have made, the decisions we make, and those we will make. However, if there were to be millions upon billions of alternate realities or parallel universes in which counterparts of us exist, can we become aware of their presence and their decisions? Frankly, I can’t tell you nor make heads or tails of such. However, what if in at least some of those realities, we finally accomplish our goals and make our dreams a reality? What if we finally crank out all the books we’ve been hoping to write, what if we finally muster the courage to start that business? What if we finally have the courage to step into the spotlight in the play of life instead of remain content as Tree Number 3 in the background? 

From one human being to another, I congratulate you and am deeply proud of your drive and accomplishments. Because the traits required to accomplish virtually anything worthwhile in life is what truly defines a beautiful human being, not just one’s symmetrical face, their luscious hair, or other attributes. But, you aren’t aware of of your counterpart’s success. You are aware of one thing: your past, all of your collective experiences and memories, and where you stand on the path of life now. Do you truly want to write all the books you’ve been really wanting to, but waiting for the ideal day to write? Do you want to take a chance between launching a business that will positively impact the lives of many other humans, including your own? 

I can tell you how.

Out of the 15 million possibilities Dr. Strange saw, he made sure to make the right decisions here and now, in the present, to make sure the reality he was living in—and was aware of—would result in a victory and success. I urge you – become more lucid of your decisions moment after moment in order for the life you live on this world to become the reality where you become a success. 

The Stoics provided us a very beautiful saying: 

“Pay attention to what’s in front of you—the principle, the task, or what’s being portrayed.” –Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 8.22

What does this saying mean, and how might you be able to utilize it in your day-to-day life?

First, it’s often fun to think and daydream about your future. Envisioning how you’ll be the next greatest musician, the revolutionary business mogul, whatever you hope to be later in your life. On a similar note, it’s easy to ruminate and reminisce about your most glorious moments in the past. It’s often much harder to put that energy and level of thought into what’s right in front of us in this moment of time. 

You really want to better your life during a time when social media, an upsurge of dopamine, and distractions trade punches at our will to progress as living beings?

Well, I am proud that you took the first step in doing so: recognizing that you must begin walking forwards on the path of life. No matter whether you start off crawling or sprinting towards your ideals in life, be proud of your efforts. Be the person you want to be. You clearly are willing to improve your life in some way, rather than let it stagnate where it currently is. At your earliest moment possible, get up. Now, you are going to make your life better. Spend real, truly uninterrupted, time thinking about what kind of a person you want to be. What your priorities are, where you want to go. Then, work towards what you value most. Be relentless because it isn’t enough to simply wish and hope. To lie in our bed and daydream about finally reaching the end of the tunnel is to fail in our duty as human beings. Act now and take one step in front of the other because positive progress, no matter how small, is still positive progress. Where are you going to lead yourself now? 

Comment below! Please know this is an open and supporting community which does its best to propel all members forwards, together. Follow your heart, lead with your mind, and cherish with your soul. 🖖