| In 399 BC Socrates, a Greek philosopher spoke these | | | | been an easy road to change. |
| words" The unexamined life is not worth living." These | | | | 2. We have become the individual that we are today |
| words are just as true today as they were those | | | | because of many influences both from inborn |
| many centuries ago. | | | | tendencies and from past negative and positive |
| Why was it so difficult then and still is so hard today to | | | | experiences. If some trait that we carry from the past |
| look at our lives with a critical eye? It is difficult | | | | is no longer working for us, we must have the courage |
| because what we find when we examine our lives | | | | to look at it with a critical eye and make the |
| too closely is that much that is happening to us is not | | | | necessary changes. |
| what we had hoped our lives would be and when we | | | | 3. We must make sure that each day and each week |
| acknowledge that truth, we must then make an effort | | | | and each month has some sort of balance between |
| to either accept and adjust to harsh realities or to | | | | responsibility and relaxation. This balance is an essential |
| begin to make possible changes- both difficult | | | | component of a happier life. |
| alternatives. | | | | 4. We must re-evaluate our relationships so that most |
| A more common choice that many people make is to | | | | of them give us a sense of satisfaction. If we need |
| escape thinking too much about what is happening to | | | | professional help to make all of these changes, we are |
| them by masking their problems with all sorts of | | | | lucky to live in a time when such help is readily |
| available drugs-constant new experiences , | | | | available. |
| tranquilizers, food addictions, current fashionable drug | | | | The examined life is ultimately a happier, more creative |
| and liquor choices which ultimately do not solve their | | | | life which helps us function both personally and socially |
| problems, but rather become harmful addictions in | | | | in a more loving way and which ultimately benefits not |
| themselves and complicate their lives even further. | | | | only ourselves, but our families, our communities, and |
| How is it possible to change this harmful cycle? | | | | our world. |
| 1. The first truth we must learn is that there has never | | | | |