To date, my life, my lifestyle, has been a reflection of the beliefs and expectations that others have had for me and that I have eagerly adopted. My biological family exerted their early influence, my former religion, my western culture complete with it corporate consciousness; all conspired to ensure that I entered with a vengeance, the rat race of middle-income complete with all the notions of wealth generation, fear of failure of any description, and a drive for independence; independence of wealth, independence of emotional and physical well being, independence for my later years in so-called retirement.

When I began to think for myself I realized just how impossible all this is!

When I began to think for myself I realized just how impossible all this is!  How does one succeed in relationships in a culture that values independence? How does one succeed in generating monetary wealth and raise a family single-handedly? How do parents provide emotional security and continuity of their family values in a culture that encourages them to leave their children in the hands of strangers for up to 10 hours a day, 5 days per week? How does one retain a healthy body and an active, alert mind in a culture that promotes the use of sterilization of all things including food, and that promotes the addition of any number of foreign materials into foodstuffs that are processed beyond recognition? Not to mention the effects on our health of chem trails, indiscriminate use of vaccinations, mass medication of town water supplies, and the toxic air we breathe as we negotiate our essential, daily commute. How can one live independently and then successfully seek support in times of illness and fatigue in a culture that promotes corporate careers that separate families?

Are we really independent when we depend on someone else for almost everything that we need – food, clothing, power, transport, fuel, shelter? I won’t even begin to discuss the ramifications of this lifestyle on our life-giving planet. You already know that. It’s in the news everyday. I believe that change begins with each individual choice that we make.

Are we really independent when we depend on someone else for almost everything that we need.

There seems no end to the questions that I have, the answers of which have contrived to render this life that I have been living completely redundant. I feel a lot like that rat on the spinning wheel. I’ve spent 30 years chasing my tail just trying to keep up, to make ends meet. I don’t care to think about who benefits from all this activity, but I do know that I have not really made any headway for all the productivity I’ve given to others. It doesn’t feel good! So now what?

During the writing of “Commit to Feel Good’ I came to the decision that I would make the changes necessary to turn my life into something meaningful. That I would prioritize my connection with others, reconnected with my family, and de-emphasise the pursuit of materialistic, consumer ideals. I would create a legacy of interdependence for my own family that would continue to support them in generations to come. I would show them through my example that wealth is much more than a healthy bank account, but can be found in community with others who care and support each other. That almost all our food can be grown in a well-tended garden without chemical adulteration. That health does not come in a handful of multivitamins nor prescription drugs.

I’m stepping out of the rat race, selling my business and my home, moving back to Australia to be closer to my biological family and re-establishing my life in the garden and community that I have always dreamed of. No more corporate careers, no more striving for independent, no more dependency on a broken system that’s going down the drain at a rate of knots. In short, I’m committing to feel good for the rest of my life! In this journal I’ll let you know how I’m getting on, the successes and the failures. I’ll draw on the lessons in “Commit” along the way.  I’m sure there will be a few new lessons as well! So here goes…

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