Every New Beginning
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end
My first thought was “To begin you must begin”. Actually, there is a right answer. But the reason why this discussion exists is because we not always do what we should do. We have an initial obstacle.
Everything has its own beginning. What is beginning, we are talking about? We transform something into a new thing or we manifest nothing, emptiness into activity. If we didn’t eat healthy previously, then when we start eating healthy, our beginning is finishing something which was before. We experience a brokenness of pattern.
There are two possible scenarios of getting started. The first and the most widespread is when people start to achieve a final goal. If we could be slim without eating healthy food, there is less chances we would start the diet. There is a fun instance from studying at school or university preparing for exam and most of us dreamed of just putting all textbook into our head or absorbing information during the sleep.
It is a mechanical way of thinking because you’re pretending that you can shift only one part of you. But we are all like a watch mechanism. Nowadays, we’re hearing everywhere around us about breaking everything into small chunks to accomplish, but shouldn’t forget about overall complicity and loveliness of our personality.
The second reason is what can be called “a desire to be good at”. At the beginning, we are a newbie, but we are getting better over time. We are not in a hurry by doing it. Initially, we didn’t know how doing one single loop stitch, but in a month we are knitting a scarf by hand.
It is a processing way of thinking. For instance, learning as an activity (reading, playing the ukuleles). It may include completely different subjects. But the core is a process. We can see the progress of its own activity as well as in an outcome. On the contrary, if you’re dieting, then you’re doing the same things, but over time you get slim.
The start-up intentions are plain and there are two. We can start and do something for ourselves or for others. Also, there is something about our nature as a human being because we do something for others indirectly, but we know about another layer.
So, identify whether your intention lies beyond the sake’s activity or not. If you go to the gym to look beautiful in the eyes of others, or your priority is to feel better and maintain the immune system.
“Too many writers write for the wrong reasons. They want to get famous or they want to get rich or they want to get laid by the girls with bluebells in their hair. When everything works best it’s not because you chose writing but because writing chose you”
— Charles Bukowski
“The beginning is always today” — Mary Shelley
It seems to be the most misunderstanding concept because the similar authors did not write in terminology of self-development. What I mean by that is, there are two sorts of beginning: mundane and meaningful.
Each breath is new every second we’re doing it. But we take it for granted which is fair. We put the meaning in a particular beginning — start family’s nest, start own business, start a new project.
Consider that you’re not obliged to start something meaningful every day. This quote is a reminder about the present moment and its importance without the overwhelming strength on our head.
It also contains that there is a potential in each instant to create something new and resplendent, but it doesn’t have to frighten us. It gives us freedom because we have a choice.
Our ambivalent nature stems from one theory, how I see it. In the article “Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person” (1971) contemporary American philosopher Harry G. Frankfurt says that our personality has two moduses. We have two desires simultaneously. He calls it ‘first order desire’ and ‘second order desire’.
A first order desire is a desire for anything other than a desire; a second order desire is a desire for a desire. So, for instance, you might have a first order desire to eat a cheesecake; and a second order desire that you desire not to eat a cheesecake.
For this reason we struggle in life. We have this gap between desire and action. Our will and motivation occasionally work on us, but periodically they don’t.
Some guidance
There are my tips. Like always, all starts inside of the head.
1 Realise your uniqueness
For instance, I was on a diet. But once I found myself in the kitchen eating chocolate chip cookie. My first feeling after that was a guilt. But over time, I realised the reason of my action could base on the fact I hadn’t been drinking enough water. So what do I do? I don’t panic and continue tying a loop. I make a conclusion, and I’m glad having more self-awareness.
2 Enjoy widening a frontier
Imagine how wealthy will be your future while you’re staying on the doorstep. The beginning is an incredibly important part. It’s significant to have a right attitude. What I mean by that is, to be looking forward to doing what you’re intending to do. It also can be connected to curiosity. For instance, there are two disparate views on reading. First: “Oh heck, I have to read”. Second: “I’m really interested in what’s going to happen next with the main character in the book I’m currently reading”. When we think about activity itself, it often looks like nudity. Instead, I prefer concentrating on the depth.
3 Don’t start with purchase
“I’ll be on a diet when I find a nutrition and physical coach”
“I’ll start it when I buy the book”
If you want to start own YouTube channel, just give it a shot. Don’t wait till you buy a perfect, expensive camera. There is something that works for me. I think the reason is, by doing this, we increase our expectations of outcome. It becomes a bit desperate because we might not receive what we expected. Just because we are at the beginning, we need more exposure. Other theme that goes hand in hand with this desire is a perfectionism. I suppose this idea shut us up of space for manoeuvre in activity.
4 Start changing your life
When we want to add new habits in our life, we tend to envision it like we’re scrolling through a huge department store with our cart and decide what to buy. But it’s not so. Each our choice change the content of us. The big problem with diets is we see it as a temporary solution. But what are you going to do after your diet? If you came here (dissatisfaction of weight) from last food behaviour, you cannot go back; otherwise, it will be a circle.
5 Don’t tell anyone about your intentions before starting
There is a partly scientific fact that our brain can perceive this act as we’ve already accomplished something. Also it’ll give immediate reward from listener if he says or praises us for the decision itself.
Primary — action, secondary — words.
