Do you ever wonder why people look so disheveled and poorly dressed? I do. It is puzzling and perplexing, to say the least. Does that exterior informality mirror a confused and baffled interior? I would think many times, yes. The vast majority of mankind does not know it is alive. This means having the realization that we are capable of controlling and directing our lives. This is not a novel point of view. Since the beginning of recorded time, illustrious poets and thoughtful sages have begged human beings to come awake and realize that they are alive! “With … awakening and enlightenment comes a dramatic reduction of the inner noise of our thought-chatter. In our normal state, this streams through our mind almost constantly — a whirl of associations and images, worries and daydreams that only usually stops when our attention is absorbed in external things.
This thought-chatter is such a normal part of our experience that many of us take it for granted. We’re so immersed in it — and so identified with it — that we don’t even realize it’s there, and we certainly don’t realize how powerfully it affects us. It disturbs our inner world, giving rise to negative thoughts and emotions. It disconnects us from the essence of our being, constantly reinforces our ego-identity, and strengthens our sense of separateness.” (1)
What this indicates is that it is easy to acquiesce to the mendacity of life – that consciousness has no value, no meaning. One day, we simply find ourselves at a train station, filled with the “push and pull” of aimless crowds of people, and no ticket to a destination. This is not life. We each have a plan to our being, we must merely discover it. (2) My exterior being must exist; I see it at the onset of every day. I believe that in many folks, there is a disassociation between the inner self and how they see the body that exists as that representation in the world. They have an extremely weak personal brand, a poor body image or they lack self-respect – you choose!
This, rather bizarrely, is juxtaposed with a surfeit of clothing in the marketplace.
“Modern women have adopted a ‘barely wear’ culture when it comes to their wardrobes, using items only a handful of times before considering them ‘old,’ according to a new study. A detailed survey of almost 2,000 women aged over 16 found that most fashion purchases see the light of day just seven times.” (2)
This information is sad and shocking, but not surprising: we are inundated with movement. I had the experience recently of walking in a bookstore — supposedly the receptacle of all knowledge and understanding. The noise level alone would preclude reflection, but then there was virtually no place to sit – just too many people milling about. Are we truly reading to acquire information that will assist us in our quest for wisdom? This should equate with critical thinking, should it not? I read the news and listen to individual’s thoughts. I just don’t see a path to “glory and success” for the average human being, do you? However, being the ultimate optimist, something will come out of this Age of Turmoil. (4) As a species, we will eventually “figure it out” and place ourselves on that correct high-speed train to our private fulfillment. The philosopher and thinker, Aristotle (384-322 BC) leaves us with a thought: We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
A closing thought: It is no easy task to find your personal brand in this confused and tumultuous time. On the other hand, this may be seen as an exciting quest. As I tell all my students, “We are all 100%. We are all from good families; we are all good-looking and everyone has “Hollywood teeth.” What then makes me 100% plus?” It can only be my personal brand: my style, my mannerisms, and my actions. This is not to be dismissed in our time of conformity and the idiot maker – the cell phone.
To sum up: This week, we spoke about our personal style. It is ours to lose or to find. It is up to each person to make that decision privately.
A philosophical question: Why when presented with the right, though more difficult choice, do we often opt for mediocrity and, ultimately, despair?
Just for fun – Roman Holiday
This week, please reflect on your personal brand — how you create it, nurture it and allow it to represent you in the world.
Every day look for something magical and beautiful.
Quote: I must take the time to find how I want to present myself in the world: it is an important task for each developing being.
Footnotes:
1) The Symptoms of Higher Consciousness: 18 Unmistakable Signs of Spiritual Awakening
2) Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl (ISBN: 978-957-546-721-0)