The Law of Distraction...

The Law of Distraction…
There’s a lot of talk today about the high expectations of emerging generations, that they’re even presumptuous.
As far as I know, this happens for every successive offspring. In the sixties of the last century, we were told that what we needed was ‘a good war’. What we were really being told was that we needed to experience the fear, the deprivation, the uncertainty associated with war.
Many parts of the world did, and continue to do so. So did we, in a sense, in that we felt deprived in what we perceived other countries to have, fearful and a bit apprehensive at the speed at which old values were being discarded, and new ideas spreading, and uncertain about the brash audacity and abrasive insolence of the New World.
But we adapted, and learned the ways. One of the great positives that came about in that time was that if you applied yourself, worked hard and persisted, you could probably make a good life for yourself. For many in the sixties, this turned out to be true. Basics like food, clothes, forms of transport, accommodation, began to become matters of choice rather than essentials for which people were grateful. A new air of expectation arrived, and it appeared to be justified.
If you played your part, not only might you succeed, but you would deserve to succeed.
Many people applied themselves, worked consistently, and achieved their goals. Some were outstandingly successful, kept their feet on the ground, and consolidated their success.
Some got dazzled and distracted and lost their way; an easy thing to do.
Usually, the results we have in life are the results we have helped create, in some way or other.
The principle of cause and effect is timeless.
While outside circumstances can affect what we’re trying to do, it’s up to us to to adapt, change, attack, defend, or compromise, whichever is fitting, for what we need to do.
We’re largely the authors of our own success or failure, not always, but largely.  Sometimes we may be reluctant to accept this. It implies a failing, a flaw, a shortcoming, and to dwell on inadequacies doesn’t always  boost self-confidence into the stratosphere. But we don’t need to dwell on them, just see them.
Then we can do something about it. If we’re big enough to accept that we were wrong, honest enough to take the hit, we can then exercise the privilege of choice and make the necessary changes.
We do have that choice. It’s our responsibility and privilege to make it.
And that’s the difference between self-delusion and positive thinking. And that’s freedom.