Prisoners

"Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds. "
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Pan American Day address, April 15, 19393
2nd president of US (1882 - 1945)

Bringing order to my environment was the order of the day yesterday (if you'll excuse the pun). It's also one of the quickest ways of regaining one's flow. Otherwise, it is easy to get trapped in your clutter.

This introduces an interesting topic - imprisonment. But not physical imprisonment as in jail or being kidnapped. We are talking about being trapped in life in general, not being able to break out of one's life situation or"predicament", sentenced to mediocrity by history and circumstance. "I had a poor upbringing, my parents neglected or abused me, I had a poor education, I was born in the wrong place, I was born the wrong colour or race etc". This then may become the limiting platform for a life of mediocrity. It is like a prison that was constructed to jail poor victims of chance. You didn't choose to have a poor upbringing. You didn't choose to have bad parents. You didn't choose to have a poor education. You didn't choose any of that...You have been unfairly convicted. You must be freed immediately. This is the basis of some philosophies and political systems. Are these sound?

Let's take a look. Indeed you must be freed immediately because prison is never pleasant. However, there is something a little suspicious here: you have the key to the lock. But it seems that you are so busy feeling victimised that you don't simply unlock your cell and step out into freedom. There are no guards, there are no dogs; there's just you in your cell. So, getting out of your prison is down to you. But perhaps you cannot see that you hold the key because you cannot see that it is your thinking that keeps you there; and probably got you there in the first place! It may even have escaped you that numerous others had the same or worse background experiences as you and still avoided life prison. Of course you might, or indeed those who would have you remain in prison so they could campaign for you would, say that it's not the same. Those other lucky people were blessed with good genes and so they were able to lift themselves from the appalling childhood circumstances. There is no escape...Right? Bull.

It all starts with simple steps. Decide what you want and then start to take little steps towards it. As you get into the habit of taking action to meet your goals you begin to reclaim your responsibility for your life. Other important attributes like empowering beliefs and ways of seeing the world will come, but the key is to start! Victimhood is seductive because it precludes responsibility and the need to take action. It is important to be aware of this trap. Because avoiding the mental trap of victimhood keeps you out of most life prisons. And reclaiming your power - responsibility - unlocks the prison door.