The Secrets of My Life

We all have dark secrets…sink your teeth into my own.















5 Things Celibacy Teaches You

Sex is a wonderful thing…but what can abstinence teach you?

Now I’m going to start this post off with a disclaimer because this topic can be triggering for some people. This post is not an outlet for me to brag about my many sexual exploits nor is it designed to denigrate the struggles of someone who isn’t sexually experienced, can’t get a date, or has low self-esteem. This post is for those who have entered the volcanic grove that is dating in 2017, and are wondering if there is a better way. In this topic we will journey into the land of dating, and will look at another option that is often left off the table. This option is known as celibacy or in clearer terms abstaining from dating and sex.

I can honestly admit that at one point in time I was a borderline sex addict. I say borderline because I could control my appetites…when I felt like it. It just so happened that I rarely felt like it. Being an above average male with mentors who were players made it fairly easy for me to learn how to attract, entertain, and bed a woman. But above all, I understood women and used that to my advantage. As a former friend of mine once said. “Once you control the mind, you control the legs.” But there are a few things that happen when you sleep with multiple partners and have multiple short-term relationships. Truth be told each time I had a meaningless encounter it was like I gave a piece of my soul to that person. One day after another meaningless encounter it hit me. That a lot of these women see me as a piece of meat, just to be used for their satisfaction and done with. It stopped being fun and I saw things for the hollow experience that it really was. They were using me the same way I was using them. This was a vicious cycle that I knew had to be broken. In any case I decided to take a vow of celibacy for a year. It was easily the greatest and most productive year of my life, because of that I have decided to extend that year to four years. Here are five things a temporary vow of celibacy can teach you.

  1. You Learn to Love – There is no easy way to say this. When you stop dating and focusing on loving someone else you learn the true definition of love. This is a concept that is difficult for most to wrap their heads around. There are two types of unconditional love. The love for a parent to a child and the love for yourself. The next type of love that most are looking for is a romantic kind of love. This love is not inherently unconditional, it is the type of love designed to fill a void. Think about it logically for a second. In order for you to get to the point of loving someone they had to be the type of person you could fall in love with. They had to share your goals, dreams, make you laugh, say the right things, or look the right way. These are just some of the conditions that had to be met before you felt that deep connection. When you choose the path of celibacy you realize that the love in its purest form comes from within. As cliché as it sounds one must love themselves unconditionally before they step back into the dating arena. That is if you want to reach your highest good.


  1. You Have More Time – This one is self-explanatory. When you stop dating, you have more time to spend on other more productive things. A large portion of the “dating game” is wasted time. The wasted time getting dressed for dinner, the wasted time hoping they are the one, the failed attempts at conversation. There is a lot of time wasting in between the glorious moments. Don’t get me wrong there are a lot of glorious moments when you strike is rich, but it often takes countless hours to get to that point. When you stop dating you can focus on things such as your career, learning a new language, and taking that vacation you always wanted. But above all, you get to spend time on your passion. Words cannot convey how great it feels to know what your passion is and to work on it. If you don’t know what your passion is that is fine too. Now you have the time to find out.


  1. It’s Not That Hard – When I first decided to become celibate I had to ask myself a very important question. How the hell am I going to pull this one off? The first few months were ridiculously challenging. But as things progress you become stronger mentally and emotionally. This leads to the revelation that anything is possible. If you can go months, even years without sex by choice then you can accomplish anything you put your mind too. This is part of the reason why so many spiritual gurus promote abstinence and celibacy. It provides you with mental strength.


  1. Mental Clarity – All that mental strength you gained turns into something much more profound. It becomes mental clarity. You start seeing the things that really matter in life. It is almost as if a switch flips in your brain. This is the type of mental clarity that comes with meditation and self-reflection. You start to learn more about your family and friends, while ultimately learning more about yourself. This clarity is further augmented by the connection with nature. It becomes easier for you to connect with nature once you’ve opened yourself up to that possibility. I’m not going to go into detail about the profound love nature can give you, that is something you must feel for yourself.


  1. Your One Will Wait – Right now your “one” is probably dating someone that is causing them inner turmoil. The time you spend developing yourself is something that your future life partner will appreciate. The amazing thing about life is that people pop into your life when you ready for them. They are either a blessing or a lesson. This means you don’t need to rush into something meaningless for the wrong reasons.


For some people a life of meaningless encounters can be one of the most exhilarating lifestyles imaginable. But for most it only ends up being a hollow experience that drastically shifts your mindset. To this day I still have skewed expectations from a partner. In the meantime, I’m going to continue my path of celibacy and self-love. For it is one that provides countless benefits and very few cons. A question we should all ask ourselves in this dating world is whether we are dating to fill a void or dating to augment our lives. But the big question is a very simple one. Who do you want to be a year from now?


“There are many types of kisses. A kiss to the lips, a kiss to the heart, and a kiss to the soul. The third brings about a love that transcends time.” – Negus Lamont

4 Tricks Your Mind Plays On You

The mind has a way of tricking you into submission!

The brain is a wonderful piece of equipment while the mind is a glorious tool used by said equipment. To put it in basic terms you can call the brain the hardware of your computer while the mind is the software. As advanced life forms, we use more than our instincts to go about our daily activities. The mind manages our interpretations of the world by filtering our beliefs and habits. The mind can communicate to us in various ways. The most common way is through our emotions, dreams, sensations, imagination, and feelings. The consequence behind this function is that your perception becomes your reality. What you believe is ultimately what the world is to you, whether the collective consciousness of society agrees with you is irrelevant…or is it? Below are five tricks that your mind often plays on you, and what you can do about it!


  1. You’re the Villain – Sometimes in life it feels as if the world has come crashing down on you, almost as if the world is truly against you. Your car got towed, you got kicked out of your house, and your partner broke up with you. These things came out of nowhere to send you into a downward spiral. You’re in a panicked state you don’t know what to do and you don’t know where to turn. You look around and realize that you are alone and nothing you can do will change that fact. Finally, you look up to the sky and cry out to whoever is listening and ask, “why me?” We have all felt this way at some point or another. It is as if we are the villain in a superhero movie and the good guys have invaded our fortress only to shatter it to pieces. The harsh truth is that you aren’t the villain in any movie, and chances are no one is out to get you. Things happen in life that you will deem unfavorable. This isn’t the time to throw a pity party nor is it time to search for outside assistance. When the world comes crashing down and you truly feel alone that is when you at your most beautiful state of mind. No, I haven’t lost my mind and you didn’t read that incorrectly. Rock bottom is where epiphanies come from. This where you get to have a truly life altering moment. This is where you become that hero who overcomes adversity and become a stronger person for it. The first step to achieving this is to search within. You need to look inward and figure out what type of person you need to be to overcome this obstacle, then…become that person.


  1. You’re Not Good Enough – There are many who are controlled by their mind, some who control it, and few who work in harmony with it. Our thoughts often have a way of drifting out of control. Just when you think you have a handle on your crippling anxiety you get a strong kick to the gonads. You start worrying about what is going to come next and ultimately know it’s going to be a fail. It feels as if someone gave you a witch’s brew made of self-doubt and self-loathing and snuck it into your morning coffee. No matter what type of situation you’re in the consequence is the same. You doubt your abilities to accomplish a certain goal/task. You secretly believe that other people are simply better, luckier, or you’re lacking in some area. This is a common perception that forms when we see other people living successful lives on social media. Our friends, family, and even partner all seem to be doing something amazing with their lives. The truth of the matter is that you can accomplish virtually anything in this world if you are willing to put in the necessary pain for it. You can get that gorgeous partner if you take the first step and say hi. You can get that promotion if you put in the necessary time, energy, and work for it. Once again, a shift in perception is necessary. It will take time to gain that confidence, but so what? People say life is short. I completely disagree. Living your life is easily the longest thing you will ever have to do.


  1. I Will Just Be Like… – This one will probably have some people telling me to go screw myself, but so be it. These days, it is not uncommon for people to idolize a celebrity, or a successful person in business and follow their every word like the gospel. They will read, watch, and absorb everything that person has to say on how they made it to the big stage, and will use that as their template to success. Although there is nothing wrong with learning from the experts, things get out of hand when you start treating their every word like it came from the heavens and crashed right into your lap. The reason for this is due to how life works out for different people. There is no one size fit all solution for success. Yes, there are numerous agreed upon guidelines, but ultimately there isn’t a specific template that you can follow. This means it is important to read and learn about people you admire but you need to adjust based on your situation. Someone once told me that the path is forged already, I just need to follow their footsteps. This can be a destructive mentality to have. If you spend all your time copying the greats, does that really make you great? Besides life is ultimately a journey of finding your truth. How can you find your truth when you are busy acting like someone else? The solution is to take in as much useful information as possible and create something new from that. Create, create, create!


  1. One Day… – One day what? One day you will become the great one and everyone will bow to your every whim? One day you will have the woman/man of your dreams and they will love you like no one else has ever loved you? One day you will have that epic job that is easy, pays well, prestigious? What’s the problem with having dreams you may ask? Well there is nothing inherently wrong with having goals or dreams. That is a fundamental part of finding your own paradise. The problem arises when these goals and dreams are combined with inaction. Note I said inaction not inability. When one chooses not to work on their dreams/goals they are doing a disservice to themselves and those around them. By simply making grandiose claims to the world you are just filling up space and wasting another person’s time. The most common belief is that there isn’t enough time to accomplish one’s goals. Let’s calculate that for a moment. Say you work a 9-5 job and you sleep 8 hours with a 1-hour commute. You are still left with six hours a day to work on your goals, eat, and get dressed/shower. That is more than enough time to make progress on something that should matter to you more than life. If you believe you have this grand purpose in life then you should be willing to make the time necessary to accomplish it.


Ultimately, life can be defined as a journey of minds weaving in and out of each other’s worlds. It can be a beautiful thing when your software is working to optimum efficiency. It is up to you to be aware of the tricks that the mind can play on you and take steps to fix them.

“No matter how large or small we all make an impact on the world, our choices determine what kind of impact.” – Negus Lamont

5 Reasons Being a Savage Sucks

Think savagery is your best path to paradise? Think again!

The term “savage” has been tossed around a lot lately. It has been used both positively and negatively to shed light onto a person’s behavior. With the emergence of social media and online dating there has been an increase in savage behavior, as we become numb to our surroundings. A savage can be defined as a person who is willing to use any means necessary to get what they want. They have no regard for morals, values, or even the law. Living a savage lifestyle has a few benefits. The major benefit is that you are usually efficient in achieving your goals. When you are willing to do whatever it takes to get what you want the obstacles that would impede most people become mere hurdles. Ultimately, this kind of lifestyle leads to a path of destruction. Here are five reasons why being a savage sucks.

  1. No Friends – It is a rare person who can keep the same friends over a prolonged period. It is natural to outgrow once tight bonds, engage in numerous disagreements, or have personal issues impede on said friendship. A savage has no time for friendship. He/she is too busy focusing on their goals to bother maintaining the friendship. Something as simple as remembering a birthday can become too daunting of a task. This type of person will usually have no close friends that they can call on in their time of need. Ultimately, it is a lonely lifestyle that doesn’t end when you reach the top. The unfortunate truth is that most people you meet once you’ve made it to the top won’t compare to the bonds that you’ve had at the bottom. The adage holds true in this regard “it’s lonely at the top”.


  1. Fickle Relationships – The savage is wildly known for their promiscuous behavior. He/she will wade through partners without a care for the consequences. Traditionally, a relationship takes energy to grow and foster as two souls intertwine. A person engaged in this type of lifestyle does not have the inclination or the time to bother with fostering growth. Any type of relationship that they enter will result in inner turmoil for their partner. This is due to how quick the savage is to leave when things get tough. Arguments are not something the savage does. He/she has no interest in working things out from the get go. They would rather move on if a problem cannot be fixed with minimal effort. Once again this is a lonely lifestyle. Once the dust settles and the trail of bodies have been counted, the savage will realize they have no one to turn to.


  1. Manipulative – The savage likes to play games and will often string a person along until they have satisfied all their needs. This manipulation often comes at the expense of their victims who are usually innocent. The savage is motivated by greed and won’t hesitate to use anyone of value. This type of person doesn’t care if you’re a good person. Doesn’t care if you have a nice smile. Doesn’t care if you take care of your kids. This type of person only wants to know one thing. They only want to know how you can be of use to them. If you can’t be of use then there is no room for you in their inner circle. This inner circle of use is one of the few things the savage holds dear. Like a harem, they will keep multiple people around them that each fulfill a need. The problem with being manipulative is that you are bound to garner a slew of enemies. People don’t take kindly to being taken advantage of. Once the cat jumps out of the bag the savage must navigate their way through the countless people they have hurt. This is often time consuming and will usually impede their true goal.


  1. Failure to Heal – The sad truth about being a savage is that it comes from a place of deep hurt and inner turmoil. Most people who dabble in savage behavior have been wronged in the past. Instead of lashing out through anger as many people tend to do, they take a more “logical” route and internalize it. As you already know this is carried out by becoming numb to the world around them. Unfortunately, this route of logic over emotion has its own pitfalls. When one blocks out all the negative emotions they also block out the positive ones. It becomes difficult to feel things such as joy, love, and paradise. The worst part is that the savage doesn’t see what they are missing out on and will usually carry on this lifestyle until they hit a road block.


  1. Failure to Grow – The final reason is far from the least important. One who dabbles in the art of savagery will often be stuck in their ways. Once you start off cold and calculating you often end up cold and calculating. One of the major drawbacks to living a life of savagery is the inherent stagnation that pops up. To put it frankly, you can’t grow. Growth is arguably the most enjoyable process in life. It allows one to acquire new skills. Additionally, these skills are used for the benefit of oneself and the community around them. The more one evolves the more one learns. This is a fundamental fact of life. This failure to grow often comes from arrogance. The savage believes they have the world figured out. Because of this belief they tend to block out new information that threatens their view point. This usually results in their own demise.


There are many other reasons becoming a savage is not the way to go when creating your paradise. The efficiency granted through this system can be alluring, but as you have seen it has several significant drawbacks. I hope you found this post useful. Please give it a like, share, or comment. I’d love to hear some feedback on this post!


“The path of least resistance is often riddled with potholes.” – Negus Lamont

6 Types of Social Media Commenters

Find out the six ways your friends interact with your posts!

Social Media can be a useful way to connect with your friends. Connecting with someone online is fun, effective, and above all convenient. While navigating the online bazaar of likes, shares, and comments it is a good idea to know what you’re getting into. Below I will discuss the five different types of Social Media commenters. Why is that important to creating your paradise? When you know the motives for someone’s comment you know how to receive it. It is not uncommon for arguments to start online based on misunderstandings. Additionally, being aware of your surroundings is a key component to establishing a path for yourself. When you know the type of people you will encounter online you can decide if it’s worth your time.

  1. Captain Save Em – This type of commenter likes to give positive reinforcement regardless of the situation. This is strictly done to attain the affection of a woman that he hopes will sleep with him. He will say things like what an amazing “queen” when a woman posts a half-naked picture of herself. The Captain Save Em constantly focuses on uplifting a woman no matter what her flaws may be. Additionally, he will come to the defense of any woman who he feels is being disrespected, no matter how small the slight may be. It is not uncommon for the man to become engaged in a heated argument with another man even if the woman took no offense. Because of his “attack dog” demeanor he is equally hated by other men and loved by most women. Out of all the commenters this one is the most controversial.
  2. The Instigator – This type of commenter is on social media for entertainment purposes. He/she will scroll down their timeline in search of any sort of drama. Once a target has been located The Instigator will add fuel to the fire. This is often done in the form adding a few choice words to further infuriate one side of the argument. Another favorite tactic of the Instigator is adding an ambiguous statement or picture. By doing this they serve to confuse both parties who are already in a frenzied state. This often leads to a bigger argument to clarify the original points of view. If you have ever used the Michael Jackson thriller picture where he is eating popcorn this one is for you.
  3. The Judge/Politician – This political servant in training can serve many different roles in a conversation. This type of commenter is often viewed as the mediator who will try to calm both sides down. They engage in the conversation so they can act as the moral judge, jury, and executioner. It is not uncommon for this type of commenter to say things such as “It’s not that serious guys” or “Let’s focus on the original point of the post”. At first glance, they may appear to be helping the situation but they often make things worse. There is a certain degree of self-righteousness that is involved when a random person chooses to be the judge of someone else’s argument. Who are they to determine how you should conduct yourself online? Additionally, the politician will enter an argument only to play the fence. He/she will acknowledge the valid points on both sides to establish a mutual ground between them. Once again, no one asked them to act as the mediator. Out of all the commenters this one is viewed as the most annoying.
  4. The Pickup Artist – This type of commenter can be spotted a mile away. Fortunately for him/her this doesn’t make them any less affective. The Pickup Artist has one objective. To attract, catch, and bed a mate. There is no confusing their intentions as they are transparent out of the gate. Like the Captain Save Em he will use compliments as his weapon of choice, but the difference lays in the execution. The Pick-Up artist uses a combination of humor mixed with sexual innuendo in the form of a compliment (often a backwards one). He will go back and forth with the woman in question before casually entering her private messages. He will ignore anyone and anything that does not fall in line with his objective. Because of this focus he/she is often successful (eventually). Yes, there are such things as a female pickup artist.
  5. The Keyboard Warrior – AKA the tough guy/girl. This type of commenter tends to start arguments just so they can use their favorite line “Let’s take this outside”. The Keyboard Warrior likes to appear physically tough and ready for a fight at the drop of a hat. Anytime they are losing an argument they will result to the threat of violence. What makes matter worse is that they are extremely convincing in their act, and can often scare away their target. Beneath it all, this person is a troll. They get off on the attention they receive from both genders. This is the villain of the commenter crew and just wants the “world” to burn.
  6. The Information Seeker – Out of all the types of commenters this is the only one who truly desires peace and harmony. He/she will comment encouraging words or add a simple informative comment on a post that piques their interest. These are the silent heroes of the Social Media world. All they want is to find informative, funny, or helpful posts. You can recognize this person by the type of content they bring to the table. This type of commenter will always add value to the discussion in some shape or form.


These are the six types of Social Media commenters that you will encounter when you post something online. They can range from harmless to soul draining. It is important that one keeps an eye out for the negative people that tend to pop up in life. If you feel I have missed any please drop a comment below. I’d love to hear feedback on this post!


“When you love yourself, the only like you need is the one given to the mirror.” – Negus Lamont

5 Reasons You Feel Lonely

Crippling loneliness? Find out how to fix it.

We have all experienced it before. That deep feeling of isolation in the pit of our stomach. The friends that we once thought were there for us are nowhere to be found. The partner or spouse that was supposed to have our back has vanished into a puff of smoke. The family members that are supposed to be thicker than water have evaporated into nothingness. It is a feeling of epic seclusion. Loneliness is one of the major causes of depression. It is a normal feeling that affects billions of people worldwide at any given moment. Below I will discuss five reasons you feel lonely and what you can do about it.

  1. Fake Friends – If you have ever been in a room surrounded by your cherished friends and still felt empty, you are most likely suffering from fake friend syndrome. Subconsciously these people do not have your best interests at heart. An example of this is a friend who only appears in your orbit when he/she has a favor to ask. Unfortunately, when it is time to return the act they pull a Houdini. The solution to this one is a swift form of justice. One must pull out the scissors and cut them like a piece of cloth. Fake friends will continue to suck away at your soul causing further inner turmoil and isolation.


  1. No Partner – If you’re single and you feel isolated then it is a natural spinoff of your upbringing. From a young age, we are conditioned to believe that two hearts must be united to feel whole. This is illustrated in movies, TV shows, to even the symbol of the heart. Contrary to popular belief the heart symbol usually depicted in media is two hearts merged together. Not having a partner can often make one feel like a failure. Furthermore, sexual desires arise causing further isolation as these desires are left unfulfilled. The solution to eliminating this kind of loneliness is to love yourself twice fold. I reiterate, you need to love yourself enough for two. When you love yourself mind, body, and soul you can surpass the need for a partner. When this need becomes a want you effectively level up your mentality. Once this is accomplished the feeling of loneliness will turn into one of eternal bliss. Why should your internal happiness rely on an external person?


  1. Filling A Void – Sometimes there is a nagging feeling that your missing something in life. It is difficult to pin point it but you know there is a hole inside of you. We as humans often try to fulfill this void with short-term pleasures. If you find yourself relying heavily on sex, drugs, alcohol, or social media likes for gratification then you most likely suffer from this type of loneliness. This void is often hard to fix due to the complex nature of it. Fortunately, there is a way to end the suffering. One must be willing to go out of their comfort zone and find their passion. Something that fulfills them in a way that the aforementioned never will. A great start to finding your passion is to look at some of your hobbies. The things that you enjoy doing in your free time are most likely your best bet. Imagine working on your hobby full time. I have mentioned this before and I will do so once again. The greatest entrepreneurs in the world have taken their passion and found a way to get paid for it. Filling that aching void will eliminate any sense of isolation.


  1. Vulnerability – Sometimes in life we feel weak to the will of those around us. This causes us to back ourselves into a corner causing us to feel isolated. This isolation turns into loneliness as there no one to turn too. Keep in mind this stems from being vulnerable. If you are naturally a docile person, then it is time to make a stand for yourself. Work on developing your voice. It will take time, energy, and effort but it is worthwhile. Once one has developed their own voice they can stand up for themselves in times of need. This results in a feeling of accomplishment and deep satisfaction.


  1. Solitude – Most of us don’t know who we really are. Because of this there will be times when we withdraw from society and enter hermit mode. Shacked up into the confines of our home we will begin to analyze our life. This often turns into dissatisfaction with where we are in life and where our path will lead us. It is not uncommon for a deep sense of loneliness to enter the mix when we realize that most of what we have is not what we want. The good news is that this is the first step towards inner growth. Once you accept that where you are in life is not where you want to be you pursue further knowledge. The key to working out this deep question is to continue to look inside and figure out who you want to be. There are a few helpful questions one should ask themselves. Is what I’m doing helping me be the person I want to be? What kind of legacy do I want to leave behind? Would my younger self be proud of the person I am now? Once one has dived into their psyche they can find the answers to the biggest question of all. What is my purpose in life?


Ultimately – Loneliness doesn’t have to be the be all end all of happiness. It can often be the gateway to paradise. Once one tackles the hard questions in their lives they can make the necessary changes. It is up to you to take the first step in creating your paradise. Accepting that you are lonely and want more is a great place to start. These are just a few of the reasons why you may feel lonely, if you know of any others please drop a comment below. I would love to hear feedback on this post.


“Paradise is just a step in the right direction.” – Negus Lamont

Self-Assessment: Spirituality vs Religion

Dive into an analysis of the two wildly popular belief systems!

When it comes to creating your paradise, there are a few concepts that will greatly further your endeavors. Establishing a strong belief system is important as it serves as a strong foundation. This belief system can range from atheism all the way to pantheism and everything in between. In the Self-Assessment series, we will look at these bricks that can be laid. The first one as I’m sure you guessed is the internal debate between spirituality and religion. We will analyze the terms, and take an objective look at the pros and cons of each.

Spirituality – This belief system can be defined as a state of being that focuses on the spirit/soul instead of the material/physical. When someone is spiritual their primary concern is the inner sanctity of their being in opposed to the material world. Spirituality typically emphasizes the belief in the supernatural, personal growth, the journey of inner meaning, and experiencing the hand of the gods/God. Traditionally spirituality is practiced alone or in small groups without many rules/regulations. Ultimately, spirituality is about the path to the “true self” and relies heavily on experiences.

Religion –  This belief system can be defined as a cultural system that focuses on creating an accepted set of behaviors and practices. This can be accomplished using world views, texts, sanctified places, ethics, or organizations. Religion in a broad sense will connect humanity with the supernatural. This often comes in the form of a higher power. Traditionally, religion uses faith as their foundation. The ultimate objective of most religions is to give meaning to life.

Disclaimer –

For this next section, I will take an objective view on these highly subjective topics. My goal is to provide you with the pros and cons of using these two belief systems. Thus, you will have a strong foundation for creating your paradise. I urge you to read this with an open mind as understanding these systems can be beneficial to your growth.

Pros of Spirituality – Spirituality tends to bring about a great amount of personal growth. A spiritual person is constantly adapting to their conditions and draws new conclusions based on their experiences. A spiritual person is not heavily affected by societal norms as their practice relies on their own individuality. This can be very useful when attempting to carve your own way in life. Not being hindered by the group grants one the freedom to be responsible for their own actions. Because spiritual people focus on personal growth they are typically more mature than the average person.  Because of this maturity, logic based decisions are maximized while emotionally ones are minimized.

Cons of Spirituality – With great maturity often comes great isolation. One who is spiritual tends to spend a lot of time in isolation. They spend so much time meditating and self-reflecting that the world around them can pass them by. Essentially, they enter a small bubble where they can easily neglect the world. Additionally, it is easy to succumb to selfish desires when one views the world internally on a large scale. Finally, the spiritual person will often come across as eccentric, lazy, distant or crazy. This is due to the “wild” kinds of conclusions that spirituality often leads to. One such example is the belief that nothing in the world matters because humans are energy and energy never dies. Thus, what actions we take now are meaningless in the grand scale of things. But at the same time everything matters because we are all connected in some way, no matter how distant. It is not uncommon for a spiritual person to arrive to countless paradoxical beliefs causing inner turmoil.

Pros of Religion – Practicing an organized religion grants access to a second family. This second family can often be closer than your blood ties. A rare concept such as trust suddenly becomes abundant. Additionally, there are more people that can pool together in your time of need. This is one instance where blood isn’t thicker than water. Another pro to practicing an organized religion is that it tends to boost your overall happiness. By participating in group activities, one can share in the positive vibes of the group.  These vibes are infectious and will often raise your overall mood. There is a set structure to your daily life and clear rules and guidelines to follow. This ultimately makes life a bit easier as there is less thinking involved in making decisions. An action either falls in accordance with your religious beliefs or they don’t. There is usually one leader in an organized group that one can look up to for guidance. An example of such a leader would be a priest or a rabbi. Having a clear hierarchy makes for a smooth experience when making decisions.

Cons of Religion – An organized religion can sometimes be too organized, limiting what you can and cannot do to the point of frustration. Additionally, if you fail to meet the standards of the group there tends to be several consequences. These consequences often come in the form of ridicule, disappointment, or even ostracization. This will have a drastic effect due to the close-knit culture. Being thrust into isolation can lead to severe depression. Having a leader to follow also has its drawbacks. It is possible for said priest or rabbi to exploit their followers or lead them astray. Finally, depending on where you live following a religion may make you blind to the world around you. Not associating with people who have different opinions and perspectives is the major cause.

Wrap Up – When it comes to choosing a belief system it is important to choose one that fits your desired lifestyle. Stay tuned for my next post which will be “Stoicism vs Buddhism” I have taken a very complex topic and taken it down to its very root. Whether I have done these two wonderful concepts justice is up to you. Please like, share, or comment. I would love to see feedback on this post.

“If you believe all is right with the world then it is true, likewise if you believe all is wrong.” – Negus Lamont