How To Be Nobody But Yourself

‘To be nobody-but-yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human can fight; and never stop fighting.’ e.e.cummings

I resolved many years ago that I would be the me that I had been created to be.

That meant that there were times when I said ‘no’ when others said ‘yes’. Or ‘yes’ when others said ‘no’.

Then there were other times when I said ‘stop’ while others said ‘go’. And in turn ‘go’ when others said ‘stop’.

My intention was never to be uncooperative for the sake of being uncooperative, but rather to be true to myself – and in the words of R. Buckminster Fuller, to be reliant upon my own‘intuitive wisdom’, obedient to my own ‘comprehensive informedness’, my personal integrity and guided by my ‘self-intuited and reasoned initiative’ – never motivated by the crowd‘engendered emotionalism’, but rather guided by my ‘own intellectual convictions’.

So here are four methods that I have adopted to ensure that I live my life free of the bombardment we face on a daily basis, and to ensure that I remain as nobody but myself.

1. Think

Thinking is a demanding process that requires time and effort. To develop the art of thinking I have made it my practice to spend time in the company of other great thinkers who have lived throughout the ages – and recorded their thoughts in books so that we can begin to identify the most effective thought processes that we can adapt for our own thinking development.

All of us are wired differently and must find out which is the best thought process that we can apply to our own lives – but rather than living out as robotic puppets flung around by every movement of the planet and the opinions and reports of those who inhabit her – we are in command of this ship called ‘me’ and can steer him or her where it must go in response to the ever-changing winds that appear on our lifetime’s horizon, without warning at any time, while we dwell on planet earth. As one who I  know is certainly steering her own ship, I love what my friend Farnoosh Brock writes in her amazing article entitled  Push Past Your Limits – The Fire Within.

2. Question

Bertrand Russell once wrote that, ‘In all affairs it’s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.’

Question everything. Refuse to be a human sponge. The longer I live the more I understand that many who call themselves leaders haven’t a clue what they’re talking about.

Just because something comes to us with the stamp of approval of a government body, a state institution, a church or religious body’s endorsement, a business stamp of approval, a medical fraternity’s suggestion, or a financial institution’s guarantee – I cannot be assured that even what they say is true or even legitimate without first questioning and investigating it myself personally – if it is at all worth my personal attention.

For if I question I will then be in a much stronger position to discover the answer to that question through the use of my own intellect, my own personal study, and from a secure state and standpoint of personal influence guided by my own intellectual, moral and spiritual standpoint.

3. Sieve

Whenever I am confronted with any issue that will impact myself and those whom I love, I choose to put that thought through the sieve of my own personal belief system.

Everything must pass through the sieve before it is allowed to live or take residence in my thought processes, my belief structure, my moral compass, or even my physical habits.

I trust myself and I trust my maker – that together we can guide this creation all the way to victory.

I have lived with myself all my life, and will continue to do so until the end of my days that will open up a whole new adventure that will carry on throughout and into eternity.

So as I have been entrusted with the responsibility of such a venture I must use the power of the sieve to protect myself from that which seeks to harm, and add to my life only that which benefits.

4. Adopt, Discard or Put Aside

So once the sieve process is complete there are three results that will culminate from that process.

a) Adopt

If that which has entered my heart, mind and soul aligns itself with my current belief systemsor radically confronts it – and yet I know that I have been confronted by truth, then I will adopt it immediately and make it part of my life – no matter how radical that might be. I trust myself.

b) Discard

If that which is presented to me does not align, or even opposes the strong structures that I already have in place, I reject them. They have been considered, thought through and analyzed and ultimately rejected so that they will never have a place in my life.

c) Put Aside

If I can neither adopt nor reject an idea – I simply put it aside awaiting further enlightenment. There is a time and a place for some ideas to connect, and so I am patient to await the arrival of the understanding when it comes. I do not reject. I simply put it aside for future reference.