Systems... Systems everywhere!

Anyone, who has been reading my blog so far know I dislike every single system: in an earlier entry of mine I ripped on the Prussian education system and blamed it for many wrong deeds, along with literally all marketing systems. And now comes the plot twist: believe it or not, I am not against of systems in general - on paper.

The good thing about systems that they help you getting yourself organized. When you raise your child, you need to build up a daily rhythm (also a system) for them, or they will create their own, and there's no chance you'll be happy with that. Systems surround us, they are part of our every day life. Without them our world would become chaotic.

Now, after establishing the advantage of a system, let's see how can it go absolutely wrong. Any system can become a nightmare when instead of using the system, you abuse the system, let the system use you, or even abuse you - also, you shouldn't abuse the system. Because what is a system anyway? A system is a compilation of do's and don'ts that helps keep everything in order. There you go, a simple definition. Every religion is basically a system aiming for a pretty good life (see the Ten Commandments). Even a recipe in a cook book is a system: for example if you are baking an apple pie, but you put minced meat in it instead of apples, but you keep the rest of the prescribed ingredients (cinnamon, sugar, etc.), your apple pie will be a mess.
Also, theoretically and in the hypothetical sense, without people involved, every system works perfectly. Democracy, bureaucracy, communism - all of these systems work perfectly on paper. But when people starting to abuse the system, it becomes a nightmare for many. There is this old joke about what's the difference between the existing communism and working communism? The existing communism doesn't work, while the working communism doesn't exist. And the problem is not in the structure or in the content of the system, but in our attitude towards the system.

You cannot let a system rule your life, because any system is just a tool in your hand. If the system doesn't really work out for you, you shouldn't choose another system. You should rather change your attitude and find a way to use the system for your own benefit. Bending the rules without breaking them - that's definitely an art.

That's what pioneers do: they are looking for ways to use the system for their own benefit. And after they find it, the system will advance by their success to another level, where the ones whom are too afraid to make change will have a better life. You cannot make change by bringing in an entire new system, you have to make the current one advance to a higher level, build up something on the old and keeping the traditions that still make sense.

So before you'd shout: I want to be a pioneer! Keep in mind, not to give another system to others, but advance in the current one. Is it difficult? Yes, it is. Does it worth the effort? Hell, yes, it does!

The letting go (Part 2)

I've just read again an earlier entry of mine from this blog, and I've realised that the weather is just the same as about a year ago. It rains a lot and a few weeks ago I could finally let go of something really painful. It was a fear of getting back into a certain situation I had accepted to take for the 'greater good', but it turned out it was only me who hoped for that 'greater good' to come. I could finally make peace with myself, for I have done my best and everything to make that visible and noticed. I'm not saying that I am not hoping still for that 'greater good' to come, but initiating it is not my task anymore. To be honest, I was far from being happy with the situation I was pushed into, and I am glad I don't have to go back in the exact same situation ever again. Well, for the 'greater good' you mustn't be afraid of making certain sacrifices. These sacrifices should always mean giving up yourself a little without hurting or blaming others around you for doing so. 

But back to that earlier entry I've mentioned above. It is funny, how you can learn from your past-self over and over again. It just proves that whenever you get lost and the waves are above your head, remember that the solution always lies within you and only you. Nobody is ever at fault for your problems (in your life, relationships, career, etc.), but you and only you, and for that you'll need to forgive yourself and others for certain things. The origin of true Forgiveness is Love (and this is also the origin of Trust). Love, Trust and Forgiveness are walking hand in hand all the time, and neither of them can exist without the rest. If there's no Love, there's no Forgiveness neither Trust. If there's no Trust, there's no Love neither Forgiveness. And obviously if there's no Forgiveness, there's no Love neither Trust. Holding a grudge against someone will only make your emotional package heavier.

Blaming others (I think I've said this already) for anything that doesn't work in your life is only a projection of your own problems on someone you came across. Blaming others is easy - facing that fact that you were wrong or you've made a bad decision or that you are not perfect is the most confronting thing ever. The solution is of course NOT that you clear out the people you blame from your life, because you cannot do this - accept it. The funny thing is: the more you try to remove them, the more they will remain in your life and thoughts, because a removal like this is always painful for both. The solution (in most cases) is that you have to start cleaning up the mess you've been making so far on your own. Of course you can ask help (a professional's or friends' help) and you should do so, but in the end noone else will clean up your mess for you, and if you keep on running away from cleaning up the mess, you will loose everything that has ever been dear to you one by one. You'll only realize this happening to you when the last one is about to leave your side. The same problems will find you over and over again, unless you finally get your sh*t together.

The grace in all this is that even if that last one left your side, even if you seemingly lost everything that has ever been dear to you, you can still clean everything up and build up everything again - again: you can also ask for and get some help (most probably from those whom you pushed away just earlier or from a professional - I do believe in therapy). There's always hope, remember that.

"This is goodbye." - I am really grateful for these three words you said to me, because they set me free for forever from taking that situation again. It also means that I've topped the bill (paraphrasing from the Queen  lyrics of the song The Show Must Go On - "I'll top the bill, I'll overkill..."), there's a new start, what happened before doesn't have an effect on what's happening next. There were mistakes I've made on the way, I'll atone for them, but whatever happens to you from now on that is really not my fault. Just let it rain, let the rain wash away everything that should be washed away.
Yes, I am still hoping for the 'greater good' to come, and I am looking forward to the initiative - every effort will be rewarded and appreciated.

Experiencing new fields in technology

My, oh my, it was such a long time ago I've posted anything here. Actually I didn't have much to talk about so to avoid the mistake of the "speaking"-type of people, who speak and share their thoughts just to entertain themselves by their own voice, I decided to remain silent for a while, until I'll have something to talk about.

Right now (just like the title says) I am experimenting with new fields of technology. A little while ago a dream of mine has come true: I could finally buy a Blackberry smartphone. Normally I am not a "smartphone-loving" type of person, but Blackberry devices (because of their physical keyboard) have always amazed me. Also, I don't really like it when a machine is smarter than I can ever be - I find it kind of intimidating, but whatever, everyone can have their own bugs.
By experimenting and experiencing this, I have downloaded the Blogger app (I am writing this entry in the app), and if it works out, I will be able to post shorter and longer posts a little bit more often than before.

I have to admit, that this little beast makes my life a lot easier and helps me to keep myself more organised. I was already well-organised, but the task-manager app helps me to keep certain things is mind and whenever I'm done with a task within a project I happen to organize, I feel a certain kind of satisfaction and it also gives me the feeling that there might be light in the end of the dark tunnel. I think everyone is familiar with thoughts like this.

By taking this step toward modernisation I have learned that something that seemed to be a bit scary before can also have its advantages. Nevertheless I am careful not to become too much dependent from it, so I still keep my agenda on paper as well, so if the battery dies, I still know what to do next.