Invincible Summer

“Invincible Summer”

We can apply the advantages of today’s technology, and advances in behavioral sciences to master our emotions and thoughts, so that we act effectively and behave in ways that respect important features of our society: in this way, we are timely and effective, belong to groups we respect and receive our due recognition for our achievements and our fairness and social justice.

Boosting our mental and emotional abilities is a choice we can make; plus, it will help us better align our powers with those prevailing in our societies. Moreover, using our inner strength, and the techniques outlined in this book, we can get our bodies to listen to our brains; thereby we can experience Camus’s concept of an “Invincible Summer” and the joy and excellence it brings.

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Timely Reaction

If our minds are slow, and ponderous, we will lag behind and cause delays to the whole system. This happens when our brain ‘muscles” are not exercised regularly, and they take a voluntary “holiday”; as a result we hear a part of what is being said and often miss the main message. Others react increasingly negatively, as many find this selective listening to be irritating, and some may even toy with the idea of a “disorder” label. Whereas, in fact, all is well, but the brain is just cruising without any challenge to force it out of the easy way into proper functioning.

When this happens, it is as our brains are akin to an old computer, such as a 1998 HP Pavilion, which has a slow processor of 75 MHz, limited RAM (8 MB), a slow hard drive (850 Megabyte), and very slow memory capacity (over 500 times slower than a medium priced one these days); additionally that old dinosaur has limited video and sound capacity, and the internet access is via dial-up and extremely protracted.

Such a situation is annoying and make us stand out as way behind the times to our peer groups and family. We need upgrades and to keep challenging our minds so that we can improve our mental sharpness. Using the computer analogy, it as if we cannot access broadband, Wi-Fi, HD live streaming, Social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram, and connect our various devices.

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Belonging…

Wanting to belong is a human need, just like the need for food and shelter. Feeling that we belong means acceptance as a member or part of a grouping, and helps us find more meaning in life and cope more easily.

We want to fit in, and we want our selected group to be respected. Creating a bond with our peer group, our friends and families, our church, our culture and our country helps us feel accepted, and we are part of something larger than us.

For some people belonging is seen as a way of excluding others. This phenomenon of wanting to belong is not new, but it has become a lot faster and easier to verify now thanks to social media and other technological advances that allow us to connect and maintain the link with our peers and family and our others groups.

Belonging brings with it a sense of identification with others, and believing we are liked, included, appreciated, and valued. This elicits feelings of higher self-esteem and confidence. Moreover, it goes hand-in-hand with improved motivation, a sense of well-being, self-esteem and happiness; all of which builds our resilience and tolerance. It is an antidote to isolation and separateness as it involves acceptance –though not necessarily in agreement.

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Recognition…

Celebrities often would prefer to go incognito. We can get too much recognition, but generally we want appreciation and acknowledgment of our intelligence, that we are smart, tolerant, and a good member of a team, who possesses an awareness of the environment. We also want to be recognized as a successful player who gets the job done and is creative in finding solutions.

We also want to be seen and appreciated as someone who understands others and operates well with them, and would be there to help them if needed. Recognition means we are a person others want to be with, and who has our trust, and gets on well with most people.

Pre-requisites for recognition are a clear sense of belonging and behaving in a timely manner, without which our relationships and credibility would be undermined.