Inner challenge vs External challenge (Part 1)

“我只跟我自己比。其实每一个人的敌人都只有一个，那就是自己。” ~ Smiling Pasta <微笑Pasta>, a Taiwanese idol drama

(Translation: I will only compare with and challenge myself. Actually, each and everyone of us has only one enemy, which is our own self.)

In today’s competitive society, with the hustle and bustle of the city where city dwellers chasing to compete to become the top, to win the heart of the majority and to gain more material goods, we have somehow lost touch of our origins and the basic.

Ask yourself:

·         Do you compare yourself with others and wish that you could do better than that person to be crowned as NUMBER 1?

·         Do you feel frustrated and stressed out when you could not reach that standard in the shortest time possible?

·         Do you push yourself to the limit, working out 24/7 while neglecting the most basics of human life?

·         Is it that all you think about is the word WIN but not self-improvement?

·         Do you at the first place aim to improve yourself but in the progress, you have been blinded by all those material gains and fame?

·         Have you ever thought about “what’s the point of competing after all these while?” From study, work, family, old age, deteriorating health to death, are you constantly challenging others until you are unable to slow down and breathe in the essence of life because once you stop, you might lost what you have been building all these while?

·         Do you feel that you have lost your morality and rational thinking in the process because you want everything to move fast like a bullet train?

·         You may say that “Well, competing with others is also a way to improve myself. So, what’s wrong with it?” There is nothing wrong with it but do you feel happy? Do you feel life? Do you really improve yourself or otherwise? Will you feel happier if you pour out all your energy into challenging to improve yourself instead?

This is our reality. This is the environment we are in. This is the environment we are being brought up with. These are the situations we will face at least once in life.

Confucius has warned us that rather than fighting with others, it is better to struggle with yourself, and try to 

find ways to improve yourself.

It is time to set aside some time daily to ponder on these questions and find solutions to them.

*Love and Hope for better tomorrow*

~Si3wLiNg~

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