As Within So Without

Wherever you go, even from the grandest locale in the Manila which existed prior to the arrivals of the Spaniards, referred as “Tundun” on the Laguna Copperplate Inscription. Tondo is known for being one of the poorest and most underdeveloped area in the country. Many of the slums are found in this area; poor street vendors in the corridors of Juan Luna who form it as a social base.

Perhaps you’re thinking that you must not be affected with all of these words, just because you are not in the situation. Nevertheless, I would like to open up in your minds that you were wrong. I believe that whatever may happen in this world, it still has the connection to every individual particularly when it is happening on your own country. Even you are a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a student or a standbyer; if you submit yourself to the so called “rough-smooth existence” you are subject to the course of “how life works”.

Everybody wishes a good life. It may be at different levels. One person may define a good life one way and another may describe it another way. For one person a good life may be just having three meals a day and a roof over their head. For another, it may be having a massive mansion and a million peso in the bank. There are different levels and meanings to what a good life is. But whatever your definition of it, there is perhaps one thing that you may have in common with many other people. You might want that good life stress free. You would like to have it without having to work so hard or struggle so much for it. That is a normal human expectation. Nobody likes to struggle through rough-existence.

Unfortunately, that is also what may be stopping you from having that great life. The thought of all that work, all that planning, overcoming obstacle and resistance is enough to make a lot of people give up before they even start. It can all seem too awe-inspiring, and for many it all just doesn’t seem be worth it. It’s like being drained of energy just at the thought of running a marathon. Before you are even at the starting line the thought of all that running just scares you and tires you so much mentally you just decide not to go for it. It’s just too hard.

However, if you know hot to deal with your rough-existence you would control it and turn it to be in a smooth experience. The negative circumstances of your life are like symptoms of a disease. They are not the problem but they are the signs of the problem. they are not to be thrown for they meant to be used as a guide to resolve the problem. As Dr. Robert Schuller made mention, "Tough times never last but tough people do."

Life is like a mirror, everything is a criticism. The essential notion behind criticism is that everything that you experienced in life is a reflection of yourself. Thecircumstances of your life can speak volumes about the person you have turned out to be.

Criticism is like the image that you see when you stand before the mirror. It is not real thing but it may represent the real thing in many ways. It represents you, the object before the mirror. It is the result, after having many circumstances in life.

Criticism is a cross cutting idea which will help you improve every piece of your life. By monitoring the results you are getting in every area of your life, you will be able to fine-tune your thoughts, feelings and actions accordingly. Every facet of your life experience is a mere reaction or response to the essence of who you are; much more, the kind of person you have become.

As a student, we come across many challenges in the roads of life. There will be struggle, there will be bad days. Days which would go on and on, several times we get fail on quizzes or exams which would keep hurting us till the end of the day. Many of us actually would give up but the people who won’t will be the ones to face the brighter side of the day. The night is  the darkest before dawn but how can we forget the rainbow after the rain? We understand to appreciate, to give chance, to endure, to find pleasure, to please ourselves but what we do not understand is ourselves during all of this.

Hence, at the end of the journey everything depends on you because everything is a projection of your thoughts; your consciousness. If anything affects you, it is up to you to change. This is the reason why we could surmount our own challenges; it is because we have the power to overcome our thoughts. As the cliché saying goes:" If life hands you lemons, make a lemonade". Accepting that life is hard comes with accepting that you have the responsibility to make it better. Not because you have that responsibility but because you have the power and ability to make it better. 

Don’t try to change the man in the mirror instead make him a better one. Not because I told you so, but I think that it would be just vain if you change him so. Misery is what happens every time you run away in your own circumstances; so face it and never change the topic. The thing you can bring good in your life is not by working on the man inside the mirror but the man in front of it who decides for everything. When the man in front of the mirror is courageous, the man inside will follow smoothly. And on the other hand, what you are inside will ultimately be projected outside; “As within so without”.