Why I’m Changing How I Blog And Why You Should Care

As at 2019, there were 500 million blogs. My blog is a wave in the many oceans that inhabit the universe. I’m bored with writing in a similar format as everyone else. I’m tired of writing on the common subjects that have flooded the internet.

I’ve narrowed down the subject of my writings and to whom it might interest.

Why You Should Care

If you are a mid-lifer, that is, a person aged 40+, then you’ve probably reached a stage in life where you want, above all else, to be more content and satisfied with life.

Perhaps, like me, you have become stuck in that transition point of life where your job, life and situation feels empty. On the other hand, you have become bored with achievement, titles and platitudes and are looking to slow things down and appreciate the only life you have.

Buddha’s real intention when he said he taught suffering (Dukka) was not to say we are meant to suffer all the time. Instead, he taught that as we separate from our true nature, we are inclined to be in a state of dissatisfaction. Understanding this is the key to true happiness.

Unfortunately, today, we define happiness superficially. Look no further than Instagram to see how we define happiness—money, achievements, fame, and other bling symbols.

Our values have become diluted, yet the simple eternal truth remains that what we crave most in our lives as humans is a sense of meaning.

I’m not asserting that we must change. Rather, we need to become more aware of the other parts within us. To accept our strengths, to rid ourselves from the fear of wanting to be like everyone else, to finally accept who we truly are and to become in Maslow’s words ‘who we must.’

Why I write

On November 10, 1911, Kahlil Gibran said in a letter to Mary Haskell:

“There is no deeper desire than the desire of being revealed. We all want that little light in us to be taken from under the bushel.”

Like all human beings, I’m yearning to reveal my true inner self. I want my madness to be seen, to be accepted and to be understood.

However, even though we are all connected, we are also unique beings. As such, we feel a compulsive longing to show our individuality to one another.

Just as a peacock is proud to display his colorful array of feathers, we do so naturally. There is no ego or shame.

“This is who I am,” we say.

I’m now in my early 50s with enough information and experiences to make what I say both interesting and relevant. My curiosity has led me to fascinating concepts and ideas that resonate with many people. Whether it is Greek Philosophy, Buddhism, Rumi or Literary works, I’m always looking at how the world works through the lens of living a contented life. One which has meaning and engagement — a life that includes and is enriched by the joys and the muchfeared struggles.

I write to make sense of the world around me and of myself.

In doing so, I chronicle my self-discovery journey and clarify the path to becoming a better version of myself.

To raise our self-awareness in life, we are here to connect with ourselves (Self), with other sentient beings who share our universe (Others) and with an ineffable Supreme Intelligence.

During the week, I will write on the three separate thoughts (the Self, Others and Supreme Intelligence) that have influenced me. The pieces will be short, around 300 words.

They could come as a direct quote from a book that I’m reading, a podcast that I’m listening to or a curated insight I get when reflecting on all the material I’ve consumed during the week.

What I mean when I talk about Supreme Intelligence.

“I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker,” he continued, as though he had not heard her. “We have them because there is a supreme intelligence in the universe, which wishes for communion with us. This supreme intelligence longs to be known. It calls out to us. It draws us close to its mystery and grants us these remarkable minds so that we try to reach for it. It wants us to find it. It wants union with us, more than anything.”― Elizabeth Gilbert, The Signature of All Things.