'Awakened conscience', DOing, and achieving CRITICAL MASS

Ennio

Ennio

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Lately I've been thinking about how few of us there are here relative to the Billions of people on the planet; many of them suffering egregiously because of the lies that are so easily propagated and believed concerning just about everything! So much needless mechanical suffering, and so much more yet to come. Then I thought, heck, I didn't make this world - it's been around a long time and has always had many of the same problems it has now. But the issue here as I see it is that I do have some choice in the matter. That's to say, I can choose how to respond to what I see or I can choose to not see it at all, or just give it short-thrift. Another thought about this is: Can having or holding the light of knowledge that this Forum provides continue to exist unless its shared or acted upon? I don't think it can. Since it's been given to us because we were asking for it on some level, it also means that we in turn bear responsibility for sharing it with others who have not yet found it. It simply has to continue to grow. And, really, we are the only ones that can help that to happen. Each of us individually and together here.

That said, here are a couple of recent and not so recent Session excerpts with the C's which get to the heart of the matter:

Session Date: October 11th 2014

[...]

(L) So, liquid DNA... What we have here is a little bit of a confirmation of what the C's were saying way back when, that DNA can turn from a solid to a liquid – the truncated liquid reference in the context of genetic engineering - to infect a cell. But we also know that DNA can also produce beneficial changes. The likelihood is that we have DNA that infected us at some point in time. It truncated the flow of some other DNA that's in our cells already there, but it isn't doing anything because it's been blocked by an infection that inserted introns of blockages. The possibility exists, I am surmising, that at some point in time, this could be changed or reversed possibly - probably - virally. Now, am I on to something here?

A: Oh indeed! The times ahead will be most interesting especially if the network both expands to the full tribal unit strength, and many others take the initiative to move up to the next stair step.

Q: (L) So, in a sense, what you're saying is that there is a need for the network to expand as in connecting chakras and so forth which is probably what helps with these “helper” things described a few minutes ago. When people are connected, they can help each other, both in and out of the body to make DNA changes and changes in their whole system. So, that's important. Also, people need to graduate when they get these DNA changes going on in their bodies that are helped by their helpers because of their connecting chakras because the network has strength. Does that make sense, everybody?

(Pierre) More members, and...

(L) And more involved, more doing.

(Chu) Not necessarily quantity, though. Because it says strength.

(Perceval) Well, that's the question: What is the full tribal unit strength?

(L) Does that means quantity, and/or quality?

(Data) Or both?

A: Both.

Q: (Pierre) So when you reach this critical mass, it means you can have this influence, you can have this soul group influence on all the members and trigger these changes?

(L) Is that what you're saying here?

A: Yes!

Q: (L) When the tribe reaches critical mass, it'll start changing people's DNA.

(Pierre) We'll start to change, and grow arms, and tentacles, and extra eyes... [laughter]

(Perceval) And fur!

(Kniall) Pierre, you can hold four tools at once!

(Chu) And if many others move up to the next stair step, that leaves more room for new people to come up.

(L) So, it's very, very important if people want to make this transition to be like the wise virgins: keep the faith, and keep doing, keep putting one foot in front of the other day after day even though they don't see any immediate benefits for themselves. Is that what we're getting to here?

A: Yes.

Q: (L) Okay.

(Perceval) Does the full tribal unit strength have anything to do with Gurdjieff's mention of 200 people?

A: Close enough.

Q: (L) And there was something else I wanted to ask that you guys made me think of... I had something, and it slipped out of my brain. I'm having a senior moment... OH! Is this full tribal unit strength capacity kind of what you meant way back when when you talked about "broader receivership capability", that it's not simply restricted to an individual, but that it's like creating a net that is kind of like an array of antennas that...

(Perceval) The signal received is spread throughout the array...

A: Yes yes yes!

Q: (L) Okay.

(PoB) This full tribal unit strength that affects progress and changes DNA and so on, does it happen progressively, or is it like yes or no?

(L) You mean like on or off?

(PoB) Yes.

A: Critical mass much involved.

Q: (L) So you have to hit a critical mass before it switches.

(Andromeda) So it's more like on/off.

(L) I would say there are SOME individual cumulative things, but the big changes depend on critical mass.

A: Yes.

Q: (L) So we can each be working on ourselves individually with diet, cold therapy, with our networking, with getting rid of our emotional baggage, learning how to get along, etc. But all of that is really just kind of like preparatory for a phase transition?

A: Yes.

Q: (Pierre) And how many percent of this full tribal strength have we reached right now? [laughter]

A: Not enough obviously.

Q: (PoB) Will we know when we reach it?

(Perceval) Yeah, Pierre will grow a tentacle.

A: You will know indeed!

Q: (L) Alright.

(Chu) "Not enough" is the new percentage measurement.

(Andromeda) We have missing members of our family that we need to find!

[...]
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So its like having long-lost brothers and sisters who have not yet found the work we are doing here on the Forum and on SOTT. Many of whom are in a kind of stasis -- until those of us here, who do know about the work, and for whatever reasons, have not yet made the choice to take the next step, begin to do so in earnest. Once this happens, more positive effects can occur through individuals via DNA changes on a Global scale it seems, but not before!

This is explained in some depth in Pierre and Laura's book 'Earth Changes and the Human-Cosmic Connection' in case you haven't read it yet.

The following session excerpt minces no words and gives us a clear direction towards which to move, I think:

Session Date: July 26th 2014

[...]

Q: (L) Well, that makes me think of a question to follow up on that. Something that's been on my mind is the difficulty so many group members have in getting themselves moving to do useful things, helpful things that help the network, help the group, help the Work, and to keep going. They sometimes get started, and then they peter out. Sometimes they try something too big, too much, too soon, too fast, and then they get discouraged. And I would like to know what is it about this group here that has made us able to put our noses to the grindstone for years and years... even under the most trying of circumstances. What is the quality that a person needs to be able to get - excuse me for saying this, but - to get their asses in gear, move, and keep moving? What is the quality?

A: Awakened conscience.

Q: (L) But how did we manage to get awakened consciences, and how can other people manage to do it, too?

A: Recall how you started, you acted on your own as the conscience of the world.

Q: (L) Well, what do you mean? How do you mean?

A: Recall why you began to try to see everything that was happening on your plane of existence.

Q: (L) You mean SOTT? My Signs of the Times?

A: Yes

Q: (L) Well, the reason why was because I could see that other people were not remembering from one freakin' day to the next what happened! I mean, they needed to be reminded every day, day after day, what was happening.

A: And that is what developed your conscience. And those who helped were also in the process.

Q: (Andromeda) You have to constantly keep awake about what's happening.

(L) You have to get awake, you have to wake up, and you have to stay awake... all the time, about EVERYTHING. Any minute you allow yourself to sleep, you're putting your conscience to sleep. Dissociation is putting your conscience to sleep. Okay, that's all I wanted to ask about that. Go ahead.

[...]
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There's that conversation many of us have with ourselves, "what can my little contribution add really?," or "I am not quite ready yet," or "I'm not smart enough...". Whatever it is, you can be sure that there are others here who feel the same; with the important difference that they are striving to do more, however difficult it may seem at times.

So how to take the next step? I think part of the answer lies in just having and building the will to share knowledge of what you see in ways that you can stick to - without any anticipation (I know that's hard one!) And with the aim of being a kind of source of conscience for others.

The following article was posted to SOTT, recently and speaks to some of this really well:

Becoming a thought criminal - a step-by-step guide

A question posed by a reader has kept my mind churning ever since it was asked. The question itself was genuine and expressed a desire to change the world for the better, but hinted that he was resigned to the fact that it would get worse before it gets better. This is probably the driest article I have ever written, but it may prove to be the most important. It started as a simple list, but grew as I realized the subject matter deserved better treatment than typical guerrilla journalism provides. What started as a simple hit and run piece developed into a guide for thought criminals.

The question:

I have just recently opened my eyes to what's actually going on in our world and especially our country. Had I known then what I know now I wouldn't have children. That being said, I have 3 kids a wife and an income that we barely survive on. I have a feeling that something bad is coming and myself spending so many years just ignoring the signs and living like the government intended me to ( barely making it and struggling). Is there anything someone in my situation can do to first off prepare for impeding martial law and complete chaos? Or at the very least help inform more people and hope they open their eyes.

Waking up is a painful process, and once awake, you begin to see the world for what it is. It's shocking how much everything begins to look like a movie set made entirely of cheap facades lacking any real depth. You recognize the current system of consumerism is unsustainable and you want to know how you can stop what you know is coming one day.

Even though nothing you do to prepare or fight back is illegal, you find yourself feeling like you are in the midst of a conspiracy against the powers that be. That's because you are. Rebellion isn't done with bullets and bombs anymore; it's done within the confines of your own mind. When you wake up, you essentially become a thought criminal, never really knowing who you can talk to about your thoughts. You know that most of your daily contacts haven't seen the system for what it is. They are still just comfortable enough to not care as long as they have their YouTube videos of cats and #SelfieSaturday. Out of fear of being seen as a tinfoil hat wearing lunatic, you remain silent with your thoughts and observations until you link up with others engaged in the criminal conspiracy of thought.

Like a true criminal conspiracy, you determine your own level of involvement with the plot. Are you an active participant, placing your name, livelihood, reputation, and family at risk? Are you an open supporter, using your social media accounts to awaken others and suffering the ridicule and conflict that comes with that? Are you a clandestine supporter, following the right pages that allow you to pilfer away little bits of information but never commenting or sharing for fear of being discovered as a thought criminal? Or are you a sympathizer who knows what's going on, but will swear allegiance to whatever flag is offered to preserve a normal home life until "the time comes?" The depths and reach of this conspiracy of thought go deeper than anyone can imagine and only you can determine how far you are willing to go.

On any budget and any level of involvement there are things that people can do to help awaken others. There are also steps that anyone can take to help protect themselves in the event that the enterprise of saving the world from itself fails and everything falls apart. I couldn't even guess which is more likely. Maybe those working so hard to bring about change for the better are really just prolonging the inevitable.

Waking People Up:

Social Media: If you choose to become active in waking people up, your social media accounts are the most important weapons in your arsenal. Many mock the "armchair activists," but the retweets, shares, likes, and comments generated by those that can't make it to real world demonstrations increase the likelihood that the posts are shown to others, increasing the visibility of the movement and the likelihood of waking others up. If you can't stand the heat of posting these things from your real account, set up an alternate account and use that to connect with like-minded individuals.

When sharing articles that question people's closely held beliefs, it is important to remember the truth is never told to somebody, the truth is realized by an individual in their own time. You will never convince a CNN or Fox News viewer that the war in Syria against ISIS was completely manufactured to help defense contractors turn a quick buck, even with all of the evidence. If your intent is to wake more people up, it is better to start by planting the seeds of dissent in their mind with articles that ever so slightly deviate from the traditional narrative. These articles should link to sources they are familiar with. Once those first questions develop in the person's mind, they will do the same thing we all did and research on their own to discover the truth for themselves. A good place to start is the funding of political candidates. All of the records are publicly available and it's quick and easy to see that the highest office in the land is bought and paid for. Another good place to start is historical examples of major deceptions by the government against the people. Sometimes past performance does predict future results. Identifying these things as real can be the beginning of the awakening process. Your task in waking someone up isn't to make them think like you, it's to simply make them think.

Real World Conversation: All of the same rules apply, except that unless you're going to pull out your smartphone, you don't have immediately accessible facts and data to back up your statements. This is where you have to be even more careful about easing someone into the movement. An immediate jump to the subject of the US plan to kill a bunch of Americans and blame it on the Cubans sounds too crazy to be true, if you don't have the Northwoods documents on your screen. Start slow. Ease into things the other person is familiar with first and give them a slightly different viewpoint. Once you can make a person step just a little out of line, all of the indoctrination begins to slip away.

It's important to not become too impassioned. The fact is that in today's world, people view passionate people that are talking about anything other than sports, celebrities, or which political party they prefer to be robbed by as crazy. Remember the average American cares only about the pebble in their shoe or other things that affect them directly. They don't care, so they will wonder why you do.

Don't make it sound like a conspiracy or a secret. People will write you off as a nut job. Just hand them the nuts and bolts of things they can grasp easily and let them ask about the darker and more esoteric knowledge.

[...]
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So some good tips about about the various ways to communicate with others about what you know and see. Though the C's have mentioned the importance of finding ways to express how you feel about things, we do want to show external consideration for who our audience is and not seem too identified or "impassioned' and lose our audience altogether. But whatever you do, know that it will be a learning experience, and a fun one if you want it to be. This Forum wasn't built in a day, and neither is growing the being involved in getting things moving individually. The important thing is to start and dedicate some portion of your time and energy (at this very critical time) towards what is a huge and important undertaking that requires a lot of help - from the point of view of anyone who would like to see a new world born.
 
Huge thanks for sharing and noticing this article, Ennio.
Occasionally I've thought like your expressed and the first thing disturb me is the fear of incomplete knowledge about subject, it's like perfectionism. But right now I'm thinking that individual who interests in the truth will pay attention to alternative information. Moreover, many of us had been come here even before we knew much about "the situation". And there is huge opportunity that people just waiting for "sign", for right moment their soul will begin to grow and radiate light of the truth. These people are alone with their thoughts like we some time ago, and exactly YOUR\OUR DOing may be inviting them to the Work for the best future, better world
 
s-kur said:
Huge thanks for sharing and noticing this article, Ennio.
Occasionally I've thought like your expressed and the first thing disturb me is the fear of incomplete knowledge about subject, it's like perfectionism. But right now I'm thinking that individual who interests in the truth will pay attention to alternative information. Moreover, many of us had been come here even before we knew much about "the situation". And there is huge opportunity that people just waiting for "sign", for right moment their soul will begin to grow and radiate light of the truth. These people are alone with their thoughts like we some time ago, and exactly YOUR\OUR DOing may be inviting them to the Work for the best future, better world
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I feel the same way s-kur. And I think you've really hit the nail on the head when you point out that the disturbance that perfectionism - the need to do things "perfectly" - has on us. Part of this may stem from a feeling a responsibility for "getting it right" when sharing knowledge connected to this work, but another part of it I think just amounts to self-importance and not wanting to come off looking badly in the eyes of others; those here, whose views of ourselves matters to us, and those out there too, who have the choice to be dismissive of what we share. But when we don't do anything about what we know, we don't run this risk and we can remain "perfect" in our do-nothingness!

As for the article posted to SOTT (included above), the author's writing just seems like further confirmation to me that there are a lot of folks out there who think the way we do here about a good many things, but just haven't found us yet. Its kind of like they are asking us to reach out to them, but we just need to take the steps to do so.

I don't think we need to be afraid of being "not as smart" or knowledgable as some here when sharing information with the world though. Everyone who has a sincere desire to help these efforts can do something, even if it seems to require a bit of the 'lifting yourself up from your bootstraps'.
 
Ennio said:
I don't think we need to be afraid of being "not as smart" or knowledgable as some here when sharing information with the world though. Everyone who has a sincere desire to help these efforts can do something, even if it seems to require a bit of the 'lifting yourself up from your bootstraps'.
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When it comes to the fear of not being smart or good enough, I think this is a key area to work on for everybody.

If you never share of yourself (and thereby risk revealing a lack of knowledge in one area), you never learn what you don't know. That's one side. The other side is that sometimes, in discovering what you're bad at, you also realize what it is that you really are good at.

Simple example: I may think I'm the world's best construction worker. The truth is, I'm really bad at it. If I accept I'm really bad at building things, then I'm forced to re-evaluate myself. That's scary. But, when I do that, I might start paying attention to the fact that I'm a really good writer, or a 5-star chef. It's just that I always ignored this side of myself, because maybe I was taught to "be manly" when growing up.

You give, you get back, and even if what you get back isn't what you were hoping for, you are in a much better position to really help others and use your talents to the maximum - and so are others, because maybe you will stop "usurping" a role that should be filled by someone else who is in the same situation you are in!

Then, you think, "Well, dang! I'd still like to learn how to build stuff better!"

Good for you! So, you ask to help somebody else on some project. They are happier than a clam to teach you new stuff, and you're happier than a clam to help them write an article or cook them a super-yummy dinner.

In the end, everybody wins. All it takes is for each person to be honest with themselves, and others.

We always think it's the honesty with others that's the most scary, but really it's being honest with ourselves that's the most terrifying... and yet it's also the most liberating when we face it.

And if everything usually boils down to a "battle with ourselves", then it is exactly doing things for others, and thinking about others, that helps free us.

Anyway, great thread Ennio!! :thup:
 
s-kur said:
Occasionally I've thought like your expressed and the first thing disturb me is the fear of incomplete knowledge about subject, it's like perfectionism.
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The way I've navigated that tricky area (and I've been there s-kur!) is to be more delicate and open when discussing what's going on in the world with people at work or friends and family. I'll ask questions or make statements that aren't declarative and leave no room for disagreement. I try to give people something to think about by asking a question that, even though I know the answer to, it will appear as though I'm not totally sure and just asking like I'm wondering. I think the "don't be impassioned" advice is really good because if you come off that way, you aren't really any different than the hysterical media and politicians. It's the flip side of the coin, and the people who tune out those voices will tune yours out too, because most people think that someone who is overly impassioned about a subject has lost objectivity and can't be relied upon. Alex Jones is a good example. Is some of the stuff he's saying correct? Yeah, but his entire approach is off-putting to most people, and the people who do identify with his raving madman schtick are the type of person the above article is saying to avoid being like.

The added bonus to this is that you don't have to be all-knowledgeable with a perfect answer for every question, a perfect retort to every person who disagrees. Because if you wait until you have complete knowledge, you'll never end up saying anything. ;)
 
Mr. Scott said:
You give, you get back, and even if what you get back isn't what you were hoping for, you are in a much better position to really help others and use your talents to the maximum - and so are others, because maybe you will stop "usurping" a role that should be filled by someone else who is in the same situation you are in!
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Yep, it's really hard sometimes to figure out what you really want to do or what you are good at, because there are so many factors that may interfere, like obligation, ego, appearances, needing to be useful, etc. And since I had this kind of problem for most of my adult life, I chose to add the following signature to the profile on this forum:

At every moment you choose yourself. But do you choose *your* self? Body and soul contain a thousand possibilities out of which you can build many I's. But in one of them is there a congruence of the elector and the elected. Only one--which you will never find until you have excluded all those superficial and fleeting possibilities of being and doing with which you toy, out of curiosity or wonder or greed, and which hinder you from casting anchor in the experience of the mystery of life, and the consciousness of the talent entrusted to you which is your *I*.
― Dag Hammarskjöld, Markings
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Frankly, being dishonest with myself about what I want to do and imposing it on others brought me nothing but misery and trouble. The same with not trying out certain things because I was afraid of failing. Well, by not trying them out I failed just the same. It's not for nothing that Caesar suggested to be true to oneself. And it includes making the first effort and finally doing something one is so afraid of. Fortune favors the bold, and luckily we don't need to test our courage on the real battlefield, but only while sitting in front the computer.

But if we are awake and aware, it seems like we have an obligation to return the same favor to the Universe and help spread the "crumbs" of truth, so others will be able to find us too. We each have our own talents, so it would be great to utilize them. :flowers:
 
Agreed, it's a great thread. And also agreed that sharing what we learn has some kind of "magic" to get the energies flowing. Anyway we can help others become aware and learn what we've learned seems to have a way of adding up to greater than the sum of the parts - putting someone on the step behind you seems to be the only way to keep advancing; everyone advances together....
 
Heimdallr said:
The added bonus to this is that you don't have to be all-knowledgeable with a perfect answer for every question, a perfect retort to every person who disagrees.
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That's the heart of my problem. I share with people who notice that I eat different food when they ask questions. And a few people at work talk about world events. But I trip up when I don't know the exact answer or how to say it in a confident or witty way. Because I'm supposed to be the "alternative health guy" or whatever. I get that fear of, "I cannot explain it to a 7 year old, so I don't really know." A family member asked about cholesterol recently, and I just said I don't know, because I don't and I've always kind of ignored it, thinking mine was ok because I eat healthy fats on a keto diet.

And there comes the fear also of giving advice that would hurt the person. You can say that animal fats are good, but if they ate as much as we eat on keto along with the carbs of SAD, it would be damaging. So I think it is hard sometimes when I'm asked diet questions. It's like, how do you tell them that most of everything they eat is junk and (animal) fats are actually good for them.

I think I tend to state things too much as matter of fact. Like was mentioned in this thread, asking the question is likely the better choice. Simply getting people to think is a great leap forward in today's society.

Keit said:
Yep, it's really hard sometimes to figure out what you really want to do or what you are good at, because there are so many factors that may interfere, like obligation, ego, appearances, needing to be useful, etc. And since I had this kind of problem for most of my adult life, I chose to add the following signature to the profile on this forum:

At every moment you choose yourself. But do you choose *your* self? Body and soul contain a thousand possibilities out of which you can build many I's. But in one of them is there a congruence of the elector and the elected. Only one--which you will never find until you have excluded all those superficial and fleeting possibilities of being and doing with which you toy, out of curiosity or wonder or greed, and which hinder you from casting anchor in the experience of the mystery of life, and the consciousness of the talent entrusted to you which is your *I*.
― Dag Hammarskjöld, Markings
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Frankly, being dishonest with myself about what I want to do and imposing it on others brought me nothing but misery and trouble. The same with not trying out certain things because I was afraid of failing. Well, by not trying them out I failed just the same. It's not for nothing that Caesar suggested to be true to oneself. And it includes making the first effort and finally doing something one is so afraid of. Fortune favors the bold, and luckily we don't need to test our courage on the real battlefield, but only while sitting in front the computer.
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Thanks for that. I too struggle with this not knowing what I want or am supposed to do with my life. If I've read your signature before, I understand it better now. And the part about failing I can surely relate to. It can indeed be paralyzing and lead to procrastination. And we end up failing for certain if we do nothing, but if we have the faith to try, there is at least a chance we may succeed. And even in failing, we may learn more than we could have imagined.
 
Keit said:
The same with not trying out certain things because I was afraid of failing. Well, by not trying them out I failed just the same. It's not for nothing that Caesar suggested to be true to oneself. And it includes making the first effort and finally doing something one is so afraid of. Fortune favors the bold, and luckily we don't need to test our courage on the real battlefield, but only while sitting in front the computer.

But if we are awake and aware, it seems like we have an obligation to return the same favor to the Universe and help spread the "crumbs" of truth, so others will be able to find us too. We each have our own talents, so it would be great to utilize them. :flowers:
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:) Indeed! So many of us here are butterfly wing flapping (sharing) out on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, other forums, etc. Just the other day, I was pleasantly surprised to see multiple SOTT articles posted out on getoutofdebtfree.org's forum.

Even if we're unable to flap our wings every day, doing it as much as we can is still helpful.

One rule of thumb I use on FB is to aim for the stirring of conscience in the mass audience by supplying articles that support one another in a stream. Also, placing supporting and/or related articles under the Comments area is also potentially helpful.

In my experience, also, I have found another wonderful field of opportunity of sharing on FB: all the engaging and interesting dialogues toward shared learning and linking ... chakra linking?

Happy wing-flapping! :rockon: Where's that butterfly flapping emoticon? :P
 
When it comes to the fear of not being smart or good enough.

I also had, and have problems with sharing different things, because of the lack of self-confidence.

It happened that I just shared something with confidence to later be worry what can be outcome of this. What has often appeared it was that my worries was over to what was really happened and almost always I don't have consequences or consequences was little; I have in mind all form of sharing. So I get conclusion that my fear is unnecessary and the more important is how I personally feel and what signals I send while I am sharing something, than how dry content can be received by other people, even if it seems to be controversial.

I know that people like to reach quality over quantity, but I think that in quantity is power in this case, because:

- if we often write and share something, it's statistically more likely that it will be something intelligent and valuable

- if we often write and share something, this will be done in different times a day, in different emotional states, different conditions and in this is the way to discover when we have the best time for inspiration

we can plan that we in the sunday evening when we will have a lot of time we will write, but knowing our tortuous nature, the writing at the sunday evening may be connected to the some program who want to deny our struggle; and it might appear that for exemple the 6 a.m before way to job is the best time to do that and we never think about it, because it seems too crazy

- it's sneaky to write whatever (of course keeping good manners etc.), it's not important whether it's a popular song shared on facebook or informations that can change the world, it also is not important wheter we feel comfortable to share it or be afraid of do it; it learns ourselves express ourselves; even with the symbolic activity we strengthening ourselves, we become more confident in expressing ourselves and make steps forward, so that in the future some things become easier
 
Mr. Scott said:
When it comes to the fear of not being smart or good enough, I think this is a key area to work on for everybody.

If you never share of yourself (and thereby risk revealing a lack of knowledge in one area), you never learn what you don't know. That's one side. The other side is that sometimes, in discovering what you're bad at, you also realize what it is that you really are good at.

Simple example: I may think I'm the world's best construction worker. The truth is, I'm really bad at it. If I accept I'm really bad at building things, then I'm forced to re-evaluate myself. That's scary. But, when I do that, I might start paying attention to the fact that I'm a really good writer, or a 5-star chef. It's just that I always ignored this side of myself, because maybe I was taught to "be manly" when growing up.
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I could not agree more. Sometimes you have to go through a whole lot of nothing in order to find something. That’s to say, you just will not know until you sincerely work to get something done; and will be all the better for having exercised those muscles of will power. The flip side to all this is that we need to stop trying to measure up to some vaunted idea of what doing a certain thing should look like. In other words, we can have role-models, and we can have people whose work inspires us, but we do not have to feel like we need to “measure up” to those levels. Also, the more you do something with attention and care, the more expert you’ll become at it. It just doesn’t happen that you do something and be automatically great at it unless you are some kind of genius savant, or did the job in a past life or something.

Mr. Scott said:
You give, you get back, and even if what you get back isn't what you were hoping for, you are in a much better position to really help others and use your talents to the maximum - and so are others, because maybe you will stop "usurping" a role that should be filled by someone else who is in the same situation you are in!

Then, you think, "Well, dang! I'd still like to learn how to build stuff better!"

Good for you! So, you ask to help somebody else on some project. They are happier than a clam to teach you new stuff, and you're happier than a clam to help them write an article or cook them a super-yummy dinner.

In the end, everybody wins. All it takes is for each person to be honest with themselves, and others.
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Yes, and grateful too. Can’t tell you how many times I thought; “well thank goodness this person knows just how to do this, or thank goodness that person found just the right way to say something in an article, or thank goodness there was that person to show just the right amount of kindness. Or "thank goodness I started this dang thread already which has been occupying my thoughts for too long!" You get the idea. We can be grateful for everyone doing things that add to each other here as a whole, and we can also be grateful to ourselves for every scrap of doing we accomplish in the battle between yes and no.

Mr. Scott said:
We always think it's the honesty with others that's the most scary, but really it's being honest with ourselves that's the most terrifying... and yet it's also the most liberating when we face it.

And if everything usually boils down to a "battle with ourselves", then it is exactly doing things for others, and thinking about others, that helps free us.
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Yes - the idea that ‘no man is an island’ seems like an understatement when it comes right down to it.
 
3D Student said:
Heimdallr said:
The added bonus to this is that you don't have to be all-knowledgeable with a perfect answer for every question, a perfect retort to every person who disagrees.
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That's the heart of my problem. I share with people who notice that I eat different food when they ask questions. And a few people at work talk about world events. But I trip up when I don't know the exact answer or how to say it in a confident or witty way. Because I'm supposed to be the "alternative health guy" or whatever. I get that fear of, "I cannot explain it to a 7 year old, so I don't really know." A family member asked about cholesterol recently, and I just said I don't know, because I don't and I've always kind of ignored it, thinking mine was ok because I eat healthy fats on a keto diet.
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Maybe others will have different suggestions, but I think first saying that you don't know and being honest about it shows integrity, instead of just giving some BS response that may be disproven later. Even better maybe you can say something like, "you know, I read something pretty compelling about that the other day, let me look it up and get back to you on that because the researcher explained it far better than I can at the moment". And then by all means follow up.

3D Student said:
And there comes the fear also of giving advice that would hurt the person. You can say that animal fats are good, but if they ate as much as we eat on keto along with the carbs of SAD, it would be damaging. So I think it is hard sometimes when I'm asked diet questions. It's like, how do you tell them that most of everything they eat is junk and (animal) fats are actually good for them.
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It's a biggie we all know. But you can always refer them to books like Keto-Adapted or other sources of information. Just communicating the idea that there is information out there that is worthwhile getting to know may be all that you can do; there is something to know that will add something to them if they are curious. But sometimes that's all we can do - lead them to water or tell them that there is a pool over there just yonder where they can drink from.
 
Thanks for starting the thread Ennio, very useful information.

Mr. Scott said:
When it comes to the fear of not being smart or good enough, I think this is a key area to work on for everybody.

If you never share of yourself (and thereby risk revealing a lack of knowledge in one area), you never learn what you don't know. That's one side. The other side is that sometimes, in discovering what you're bad at, you also realize what it is that you really are good at.
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Couldn't agree more. With the vast amount of knowledge/understanding people have here it can seem daunting to contribute and share. But I think it's good to keep in mind that this is no competition, working together is where it's at.

The posts about the fear of not being 'perfect' here reminded me of how helpful it was to identify the Negative Introject fwiw :)

Elan Golomb (Trapped in the Mirror) said:
[...] The negative introject is partly the voice of your attacking and restrictive narcissistic parent whose thinking took up residence in your mind. It is not rightly a part of your self but a hostile foreigner that watches you with a critical eye. Little escapes its quest for control. It criticizes you with such comments as "You're a failure" and "Why try?" Your feelings of depression strengthen its force. It makes you discard appreciation and distrust affection. Its punitive demands and paralyzing arguments stop you from trying to change. [...]

[...] My negative introject said, "You'll never finish the writing and will be humiliated, marked as a failure, a tragedy, a landmark of shame." I felt pummeled by this. It seemed to make sense. My hopeless mood was evidence of my worthlessness. With a note of triumph, my introject said, "That is you."

The negative introject squashed my feelings of success and raised fears of humiliation. Achieving and then losing again can be more painful than not achieving at all, which is why many children of narcissists do so little. Barely functioning defends us from loss. We were taught to feel responsible for fate rather than to do what we can and let results fall as they may. [...]
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Thank you Ennio. I was just at the theater watching the latest Hunger Games movie and pretty much everything you posted to start this thread was running through my head. The truth brigade effort on Twitter is having an effect on me, I would say. I read through, or at least scan well enough to get the gist, many articles that are on SOTT to decide what to tweet. I had set up an account a while back. I had two followers and less than 10 tweets when I "activated." I have now around 230 followers and over 1000 tweets. Most of which have conscience activating articles attached to them. (If anybody would read them.) I know from the stats that Twitter sends that there aren't that many link visits. But if nothing else, it helps me. It gives me an outlet to express what I SEE, and that's a BIG help. And it's stirring my insides. But yes, I temper. I try different things. It's a learning process like anything. I borrow from others what I see them doing with hashtags, comments, etc. I'm a thought criminal. Guilty as charged. "Liberation from ignorance is as painful as being born." "Blood, water, pain... then joy."

Let's hope so
 
Ennio said:
I don't think we need to be afraid of being "not as smart" or knowledgable as some here when sharing information with the world though. Everyone who has a sincere desire to help these efforts can do something, even if it seems to require a bit of the 'lifting yourself up from your bootstraps'.
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Mr. Scott said:
When it comes to the fear of not being smart or good enough, I think this is a key area to work on for everybody.
If you never share of yourself (and thereby risk revealing a lack of knowledge in one area), you never learn what you don't know. That's one side. The other side is that sometimes, in discovering what you're bad at, you also realize what it is that you really are good at.
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Totally agree with your opinions. I have experience where I have decided to help one person with diet and health. I'm an individual who need much more explanations in order to understanding the subject and I have an inclination to project this trait on others. Thus, before I had explained person the basics of ketogenic diet I was searching and learning the things I don't know in order to explain things if question will be asked. As a result of sincere desire to help others we study ourselves and discover much more than if we thought we know enough. But, as Keit said:

The same with not trying out certain things because I was afraid of failing. Well, by not trying them out I failed just the same.
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and C's:

A: Taking the bull by the horns is always fearful in the imagination, but when you approach the beast, he usually lays down and submits.

Q: (L) That doesn't answer my question. Okay, what constitutes "approaching the beast"? Since that seems to be where everybody gets stuck...

A: As Yoda said, no try, just do, if only a little. That will break the logjam. Butterfly wings and all that.
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I suppose that the best way for straiding through our blocks and programs is practice. After we doing this things we can see results what tottaly contradicts our anticipations and beliefs. Theoretical speculatings is good thing too, of course, but it often confuses me :huh:


Heimdallr said:
The way I've navigated that tricky area (and I've been there s-kur!) is to be more delicate and open when discussing what's going on in the world with people at work or friends and family. I'll ask questions or make statements that aren't declarative and leave no room for disagreement. I try to give people something to think about by asking a question that, even though I know the answer to, it will appear as though I'm not totally sure and just asking like I'm wondering. I think the "don't be impassioned" advice is really good because if you come off that way, you aren't really any different than the hysterical media and politicians.

The added bonus to this is that you don't have to be all-knowledgeable with a perfect answer for every question, a perfect retort to every person who disagrees. Because if you wait until you have complete knowledge, you'll never end up saying anything. ;)
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I practice the very approach you mentioned but unfortunately it not always works...Often people are so sure i their "truth" that they can't go farther of common opinion. Of course, you can slightly to push them by leading questions :) Some of them in the moment starts to deny your simplest idea about another point of view...It's like MLM- some people are agree, some people are disagree to participate, their choice should not disappoint us.
 
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