Dealing with the present
I grew up in crime and poverty. One day I got sick of all of it all, decided to get my shit together, leave my country to come to Canada.
I have eaten food out of garbage cans, I have slept in the streets, I have been hanging out with prostitutes, drug users, and drug dealers, and I have never felt like a victim. It was always my choice. I always had the power to change my life.
When I came to Canada, I got a job as a janitor, as a busboy (I wasn’t able to be a waiter because my English/French were no good), and many other low paying jobs until I was able to create a job of my own. I didn’t whine about it; it was the price I was willing to pay for a new beginning. It was also my choice and I felt lucky to be able to work as a janitor and clean someone else’s shit.
We have to stop blaming the past for our actions of today
Even if you grew up in the most atrocious circumstances, there comes a time when you have to let go of ghosts of the past and face the present.
Many of us grew up with abusive parents, or in poverty, or among drugs and crime, be we have the means to break away. We can educate ourselves, we can stop negative behaviors, we can stop using drugs, drinking alcohol, we can start doing exercises, eat healthy. We can do all that today. We don’t have to be attached to our past forever.
We have to take responsibility of our future.
Look at yourself in the mirror. Make believe that older you is looking back at you. Older you is 70, 80, 90, 100 years old. What actions can you take today to make sure older you is well taken care of?
Start by staying in good shape. Get into a habit of doing exercise every day so that your body will stay functional until the last day.
Stimulate your brain. Make sure you are always learning something new. Books are wonderful tools to stimulate your brain. There are millions of things you could be learning every day that will keep your brain active for the rest of your life. Get rid of your TV and reduce your social media activity, those things will rot your brain.
Make sure your finances are in order. Forget about Social Security and all the social benefits the government provides. Those are programs designed to help you survive but not to thrive. You want to be able to invite your grandsons to dinner at a nice restaurant without counting your pennies. Learn how to take care of your finances and make judicious long-term investments.
Have an active social life. Social interaction is of extreme importance. Make sure you nourish every day a network of friends. The day you die, you want a group of friends to be at your funural thinking how much of a great company you were.
Conclusion
It’s up to us to take responsibility for our past, present, and future. No one will do it for us. No one owes it to us, but we owe it to ourselves and the people around us. It’s all within your power.
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