The Traps of Life

[Precursor]

Vivalasvegasbaby.. wow i'm doing some math here..check it out

your 18, and you wrote this 3 years ago. so you wrote all this while you were 15? thats awesome dude

 

[flows101]

Amazing Post

*FIVE STARS* I LOVE THIS POST, AMAZING

 

[I love Hyori Lee]

Bumped this so that guys from LS can read our better posts.

 

[VIVAlasVEGASBaby]

Well it’s been a while since I’ve been around the site and I finally decided to retake a look at what I wrote seemingly so long ago. I’ve changed quite a bit since I originally wrote this post and I can say there are a few things I wrote back then that I have since forgotten. While reading this post I found myself asking “how did you know more then than you do now?” But I guess forgetting most of my own advice and refalling into many of these traps has given me a new appreciation for my own advice and foresight. Mistakes have a funny way of making us stronger…

If there’s anything I’ve learned these past few years it’s that, above all else, trust yourself. NEVER lose faith in yourself. Life will sting from time to time; how you manage that simple fact is what will make the difference. Most of what we learn in life about ourselves and others almost always comes from the rougher patches in life. I wrote this originally holding the idea that pain could be eliminated from our lives. What I now see is that life is really about learning from and growing from our pain. You’ll always encounter rough patches; how you deal with them and bounce back is what will define you as a person.

So for anyone out there going through troubles I encourage you to not necessarily fight the pain… Accept it. Learn from it. Grow from it. Understand that it will pass. Keep your chin up no matter what life throws at you. Look back to your past victories and smile. Look back to your past failures and what you learned from them and smile. Never let a setback or a loss keep you down…

Thanks again for all the praise for this post. Putting all these thoughts into words has certainly helped me and I’m glad it has helped others as well.

 

[TheHumanist]

If your age is correct, since you wrote that in 2003, that means you wrote that when you were 14. That is very impress, wise beyond the years. Even though you have refallen into since then and found that sometimes falling back in is part of the process of building character, that still a very good read and still something to take heed of when trying to remember to never stay too long in the many traps of life.

 

[decades]

...

 

[CosMoenTropic]

Good Post. You seem enlightened. I agree with a lot of the points.

You must have gone through some rough experiences to be able to get to this point in life when you realize all these things.

 

[Perfect10]

Few I agree, few I disagree.

Nice grammar though

 

[The Dreamer]

You've got it all right man, and it's one of the best posts out there.

Actually my experience is very similar to yours. I got a sort of illumination at 14, then I fell successively into all the traps I've always said I'd never fall into and now I'm learning all the lessons of the past and everything seems so clear right now. It has been reinforced by experience and at the moment I'm writing nothing could break it.

I think this post is a must read so I send it to the top

Live !

 

[alphamailman]

The trapmaster enjoys this thread!!

 

[TizZle]

Bump

 

[PDubb75]

Wow.. TizZle thanks for digging this back up. Glad I got to see this.

 

[Deadly_Ripped]

Can we add another trap?

I propose we add the parent trap: A child zaps your money, your time, and your mental health, unless you're happily living with a significant other who values the child as their own (even if he/she is not).

Really enjoyed the post.

 

[Zodiac]

These traps are amazing. So simple but so much information contained within. Real eye opener.

 

[JYW]

Bump

 

[Night-hawk]

Bump

 

[PlayHer Man]

All the "traps" can really be summed up as living like an animal. And I don't mean this in a bad way:

Animals don't spend their lives "trying to be happy" or "calculating every decision" they simply LIVE and do what comes natural. Animals do not get depressed because they are not introspective. They don't worry about the past or the future. They are not concerned about social contracts, debts or if they are "good".

Obviously we can't live like animals, nor should we. But we can learn to stop buying into all the shallow crap society tries to enforce. We can stop competing with others and being envious. We can learn to enjoy the moment and go after what we desire without apology, fear or explanation.

I don't totally agree with:

Trap # 1: The Trap of Tomorrow

Tomorrow. Tomorrow can be feared, or desired. Tomorrow could be anything. Tomorrow could be nothing. This unpredictability of tomorrow is why we must live in the present. You could die today. You could die tomorrow. Wasting your time thinking about tomorrow is a terrible idea. Fearing tomorrow is just as bad as wanting tomorrow. Whatever tomorrow has in store for you will happen. Tomorrow will come soon enough. In fact, tomorrow will come too soon. Screw tomorrow. Live for today. Tomorrow will come whether you like it or not, so stop worrying about it. It’s pointless. Living for tomorrow is a veil that can blind anyone; be strong, don’t be blinded by it.

You DO need to think about the future and plan for it to some degree. Just don't become too committed to it. Stay adaptable and know that your plans for the future my never happen. Don't make your "dream" the only reason you get up in the morning and your only purpose in life. It many never come.. just like tomorrow my never come.

Totally ignoring the future (tomorrow) can lead you into making foolish and ignorant decisions TODAY... like cursing out your boss or drinking all night when you have work the next day... or having sex without a condom.

 

[twentee]

while young, and not a dad or father, you have time and money with which tolearn martial arts and defensive shooting. do so, and it will give you much discipline, confidence about other people, and a way to make a bit of money, anywhere you go, if you become adequately knowledeable and skilled at those things. u can make 20k a year, untaxed, no ss CASH, casting bullets and selling reloaded ammo, in less than 20 hours per week. ditto as much teaching of karate. in this economy having such sideline bizes can make all the difference in how you enjoy your life.

 

[playa99]

Bump... great post!