My book The South African: True Colours was written for many reasons and one of those reasons is the title of this article and everything I write on this blog.
Throughout my life and even now I still say, “If only someone told me…”
See most people think you already know what they know and you’d be shocked how many don’t.
We are so lucky to have access to the internet today and it’s so easy to overdo it. I mean 40 years ago, and even longer people were abit bored and couldn’t access information as we can today. There’s only so much football, cricket, baseball, rugby, hopscotch one can play as one got older. It eventually became hanging out with little or no real meaningful activity happening when “hanging out”. We hung out and ended up at hang outs.
I am wondering if the same went for someone 40 years ago and over in a first world country? From what I gather when I speak to people from first world countries, it was roughly along the same lines. Most said, “We all had fun outdoors rather than indoors. As kids, we played on the street and no one was worried as they are these days. Yes, there was the danger, but we were all taught to be street smart at school and by our parents. We all tried not to be that kid that we all heard something happened to.”
Okay so … why did I give this article this title?
Okay so remember this article always and most when…
- You’ve passed your final exams and moving onto the next grade.
- You’ve graduated from college or university
- Fall in love the first time or divorcing
- Facing bullying at school or at the job
- Dreaming about your future (even when you 50 or older)
- Confused
- Worrying
Remember this article through all good and not so great moments…
“Your present situation is not your final destination.” This is a quote by Zig Ziglar.
Look at the difficult times like a test and learn how to charter through it. I mean look how much information there is on the internet. Ensure you’re getting advice from the right sources though. Some of you have a great support network while others are not that lucky. It’s good to read various articles on the same subject as well as speak to different people whom you trust and respect. Life has become so complexed that there is no hard and fast rule, no black or white way, just your way to live the experience and learn from it. Once you’ve learnt from it the next time you’d do it better or manage it better. I don’t believe in diagnosing everything.
Here’s why
In places like South Africa, India, South America, and many other countries you have to pay for everything i.e. going to the doctor, the dentist, MRI technologist etc. Even though you basically have to pay for most things it’s a hard and competitive life. I mean yes, those who are well off can get the best of the best, but the rest won’t go to the doctor for anxiety, depression, panic attacks… if you get me i.e. anything less life threatening and nothing physically serious. The inner wellbeing wasn’t of great concern in the past. Today with access to knowledge and thanks to access to internet people are starting to become aware but here is why I feel that some things are better not knowing or being diagnosed.
- I used to have panic attacks, anxiety, nervousness and confidence issues. Yes, there were so many times I wished it would just disappear. Somethings take time. I was aware of the feeling but I didn’t have a name to it or even thought there was something wrong with me. With it being a competitive world where I had no choice but to survive. I knew I had to overcome it and often had to jump straight into things. Yes, I failed the interviews for jobs I had my heart set on, yes, I had a broken heart because I didn’t know or learn skills to carry myself and my authentic power better, yes, I was frustrated and angry with myself, but it led me to defeat it. One day I realised that I built up the strength over time through my experiences that it never affected me for years. I was faced with the same issues i.e. problems with confidence, nervousness, anxiety and panic attacks again in 2014 and at that time I used the internet to help me get over it. It took time, patience, meditation and a lot more to get my inner self fit again. I also paid attention to what I ate, yes people… inner strength, mental strength, physical strength all begins with healthy food.
- Coming from South Africa, a lot of people often have a garden and vegetable patch in the backyard. Eating organic and home food was second nature and so the same theory was applied when one got sick. We would take more home remedies than medicine. Till today I believe in less chemical and more natural so that the body fights with its own defence system.
I’ll be honest, I’ve learnt so many new things through the internet, but I also gain knowledge through books, YouTube, seminars, and acquiring mentors. There will be so much you will hear and some of it may be repetition, however, pull out what you feel could work for you and try new things and ways of doing things.
Your parents don’t know everything, and they will never know everything. You don’t know everything, and you will never know everything. Get as much knowledge as possible so that you are aware and intuitively pick out what you need at every given moment.
Knowledge is power to charter through life…
T. Dench Patel
Thank you for the comments and support. Thank you for offering to donate if there was a donate button on here. I prefer not to take donations. You can support by either purchasing one of my books (Paperback or Kindle), The South African: True Colours, The South African: Roamer or my children’s book Light. These books can be found on Amazon mainly and other sites in your country.
The audiobook for The South African: True Colours is available on iTunes, Apple and Audible. The South African: Roamer and Light will be released soon.
Note: Do keep referring back to this site as much as possible, as I grow, a more profound perspective may form and so I will always come back to each of these articles to reevaluate them.
