The Modern World is Suffering - Why? and What can be done?
Sense of Loss
In the developed world, we have record breaking highs for depression, loneliness, and suicides. Burnout rates at work increase year over year. This is shown for both men and women - but impacts the rising generations the most.
Understanding Stress
Emotional and mental stress - occurs when the gap between our fantasy view of life is smashed by the reality of life.
Imagine this, you believe you are doing well in a class, but you never saw your scores. Minutes before you take the final exam, the instructor tells you that you have averaged a failing grade on each quiz and exam thus far and you must achieve over 90% to pass the class.
The anxiety you feel in that moment is the mental and emotional stress of what you had invested emotionally and mentally in believing and were instantly deprived of it.
We Need Stress
Just like a child is stressed and strained as it learns how to clean, to cook, to do the basic functions of living so must we learn to grow and absorb stress at increased levels.
In the home, supporting a spouse and children is difficult. Accepting responsibility for the wellbeing of those you love is something that induces stress, but if you will succeed as a parent - you must be able to support your children when they need you - not when you feel ready.
At work, we are only fulfilled when we progress and gain confidence with increased capacity. This includes the ability to withstand more stress. The man at retirement as a greater capacity to function under stress than the newly hired intern.
The Four Planes of Existence
We each exist Mentally, Physically, Spiritually, and Emotionally. Stress can be induced in any one of these planes of existence when our fantasy of what we can do collides with what we actually can do.
In order to withstand that stress, to live in a way that enables a sense of accomplishment and hope even in hard times requires an honest assessment of ourselves. It requires deliberately living in each plane of existence - what is your strategy to ensure that you have confidence and not arrogance in your Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional capacities?
Hard times will come. Are you ready?
Embracing Your Masculinity
For the men, we must embrace our masculinity. It's competitive nature and drive to be strong. Upon honest self-assessment, we each must determine how we will contribute to those in our inner circle. Some men prefer one plane over the others, others seek a balance across them. Each approach works so long as all planes are properly trained.
This approach to living is not new, it has solid result in bolstering purpose and increasing mental health and wellbeing.