Are you sleepwalking through life?
To define the metaphor, “sleepwalking through life” simply means that you meander through your day, everyday, and simply “go through the motions” without having your own plan or purpose. You live for the benefit of other people by making ceaseless concessions, which means you are not truly in control of your life and your relationships. You are alive, but not truly living.
Are you sleepwalking through life?
Here are ten sure signs that you might be…
1. Your spouse or significant other wears the pants in the relationship.
Relationships are partnerships, not dictatorships. While men should take the lead in relationships, taking the lead is not the same thing as being domineering.
Your spouse is their own human being and so are you. You didn’t give up command over your own individuality when you pair-bonded with your significant other. Trust me when I say that letting your significant other dominate over you or fight your battles will result in your lack of happiness 100% of the time.
2. You spend your days being reactive vs being proactive.
A sure sign that you are not thinking for yourself. Reactive people tend to emote rather than engage their logical mind.
3. You are perpetually anxious, worry a lot, and very fearful.
It’s normal to be anxious or have a bit a stress about things in life, but stress and anxiety should not be a constant in your life that you feel powerless to control.
4. You haven’t read a book in at least a year.
Reading books stimulates critical thinking and many of our best intellectuals write books, they don’t do television shows.
5. Your emotional state is tied to the success or failure of your favorite sports team.
The sports leagues are businesses and their business is show business, not honest, pure competition. Sports is entertainment to be enjoyed, not something you should attach your emotional well-being to.
6. Your goals are centered on the financial or the material.
The most unethical, misguided, unhappy, and unhealthy people in life are also the most materialistic and shallow people. When you die, no one is going to remember you for all the things you owned or praise you for your financial success. The best things in life don’t cost a dime. There is a reason people are paid for their time and time is best spent doing what you enjoy with people you enjoy.
7. You believe that working harder is the key to success.
No, working smarter is the key to success.
8. You depend on alcohol, caffeine, or other drugs to deal with pain.
Pain is a byproduct of living. Ask any older person, retired person, veteran, or athlete. They wouldn’t trade their life experience for anything despite their pain, and the only way to properly deal with pain is to face it.
9. You frequently gripe or complain about other people or over circumstances out of your control.
The only person you can control is yourself. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
10. You dread getting out of bed in the morning.
If you slept in a nice, soft, warm bed, have a decent roof over your head, have a job to go to (whether you enjoy it or not), have food in your refrigerator, and have money in your bank account, you are better off than a lot of people in this world.
So, are you sleepwalking through life?
I hope not.
-The Rational Ram
The Rational Ram 