“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to face ourselves.” –Victor Frankl
Victor Frankl was a psychiatrist and neurologist from Austria. He survived the Holocaust, moving through Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, Kaufering and Türkheim. He went on to form a new branch of psychotherapy known as logotherapy, which focuses on finding meaning in one’s life.
Frankl lived through some pretty big problems to say the least. The thing is, some of those problems persist today, and they all stem from one main issue. We see it in the words and actions of those who judge others, even when the person they’re judging doesn’t react anymore. We see it in people who are addicted to drugs and insist that they can quit whenever they want. We see it in people who are stuck in a toxic relationship. It’s everywhere.
The thing that all these people have in common is that they refuse to face themselves and challenge their own thoughts and beliefs. This could be because of fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, or just plain stubbornness and refusal to change. These people can’t fathom the idea of being wrong, so they simply never admit when they are.
The truth is, sometimes we need to be unmovable forces. Sometimes we need to not listen to other people, and just pursue what we think is right. However, when it gets to the point where every single thing you say is an argument, chances are you’re not accepting that you’re wrong. You might even be arguing just for the sake of it.
When this happens, we don’t adapt. When we refuse to challenge ourselves and develop new thoughts and opinions, we stagnate. Think of it this way — our minds (and bodies for that matter) are similar to water. If you leave water sitting in a puddle outside, it fills up with dirt and leaves and sometimes even bug larvae. Dump that water into a flowing river, however, and it becomes crisp and clean. The idea is to have a mindset where your thoughts and opinions are strong, but you leave your ears open in the event that you come across new information. After all, you can’t learn what you think you already know.
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What do you do to keep your mind fresh? How do you stop yourself from mindlessly disagreeing? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to share this article with your friends, they might find it useful! Also, check out my last blog post for information on entering a competition with a reward valued at 1000$. Stay tuned for future blog posts every Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, and try to be the reason someone smiles today 🙂