(Disclaimer: this is my journey, secrets that work for me. Take this article with a grain of salt and maybe you find a nugget or maybe not)
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH JOURNAL By: Greg Jarrett
Why Listen to Me?
This is real simple answer you shouldn’t. Yet, I’m sharing my journey, I hope to offer insights that could, perhaps, illuminate your path forward. My name is Greg. I hail from what many would consider a privileged background, surrounded by friends, girlfriends, and the trappings of a seemingly fulfilling youth. Despite this, a profound sense of dissatisfaction haunted me from a young age, a discontent that when I looked in the mirror I felt unworthy. There was no explanation for this coming especially coming from an amazing family.
By 14, my weekends were defined by alcohol, a pattern that persisted well into my 35th year. My escapades often ended with me on the wrong side of the law: underage drinking in public, evading taxi fares in drunken stupor, and other misdemeanors. College years amplified these antics, which didn’t cease upon graduation or even after meeting the woman who would become my wife. Despite her difference from everyone before her, our marriage couldn’t curb my weekend indulgences—a “normalcy” I assumed everyone lived by.
I share this not for shock or pity but to sketch the contours of a life spiraling out of control, leading to a harrowing wake-up call: an overdose from what I believed was cocaine, which turned out to be fentanyl. (I rarely did drugs outside of alcohol) Surviving that night, thanks to timely intervention by paramedics, marked the beginning of my reckoning. With a failing business and a family at home, I faced the stark reality of my choices.
The Turning Point
In my darkest moments, I sought a lifeline in the Bible, prayer, meditation, Youtube, forums and any source of guidance I could get my hands on. I found an interesting older guy on Youtube named Bob Proctor. His content I thought was kooky, but he still captivated my attention. His story of transformation from poverty to success through mindset shift struck a chord with me.
A Pattern of Choices
I decided to document my life’s trajectory through writing down 25 years of bad decisions. With this on 10 sheets of notebook paper I noticed a stark pattern of decisions and consequences. I started to notice that everything bad that happened, I had memories of those exact things happening to other people to whom I judged and looked down on. Every single thing. I also noticed that when I was at low points in my life, I would attract the same type of people who would bring more of this in my life. I had 25 years of bad decisions to look at and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I remember thinking holy s*&( I did this to myself. Every terrible metaphor you heard as a kid was true. Old people telling you “what goes around comes around”. I had 10 pages of evidence that you could not deny.
Embracing Change
This brings me back to this Bob Proctor guy; some would say it’s woo-woo nonsense, just like I thought. I had 10 pages of my life and decades of suffering to prove that it was not. I had realized this world had unwritten laws, and if you broke them, there was no escaping the consequences. I also realized I had become a slave to the physical world. Always worried about what others are thinking, wanting new material things, more money, whatever impressed my neighbor. I had no option but to change and try something different. I grew up Christian (this is not about religion at all), so I put all my eggs in an invisible force I called God . I was always the opposite of religious; I could not stand church. It never felt right, but however, there was no denying that there was a higher power. I know I could not longer tackle this alone.
Patterns Emerge
After deciding it was time to be mindful of who I surrounded myself with, the content I listen to (news, magazines, gossip), my life drastically turned around. I began to realize there were very few people I could actually surround myself with. I do not want to come across as I was better than them, but I just could not listen to the negativity, victim mentality, and constant complaining about politicians or whatever.
Why is it every time you turn on the news it’s a bad story?
Why is porn and sexual content everywhere and free?
Why do I go to Twitter and see videos of people fist-fighting?
Why are families getting destroyed fighting over politics? Why?
Then I realized we were getting played like fiddles. This is all cancer to the mind; this brings you to a state of fear, anxiety, pain. Guess what all those things do? They attract more fear, anxiety, and pain. I knew I had to take my mind back, control my own thoughts, rewire my brain for the opposite of all this garbage.
Secrets to Life?
Ok, Guilty, the title was definitely clickbaity; I do not have the secrets to life, only you do. It’s your life; I gave you tips that may guide you to find your happiness. These things worked for me; they may not work for you.
What I noticed and what changed!
Never judge people – guarantee whatever you judge them for will happen to you.
We are magnetic spiritual beings in a flesh suit – The physical world is fake. It’s a trap. Create from the spiritual world and from the heart for the greater good.
You can change your entire life right this second! You are not a victim; whatever situation you are in, you did it to yourself. But guess what? You can change everything in one split second. The physical world is FAKE, A TRAP. So there is nothing that is too big to change; you just have to realize your problems only exist in the physical world. That world sucks; who cares! Let the physical world have them and start creating a new story in God’s world.
This sounds like nonsense; how do I do that?
Gratitude: This is the easiest thing to do – take 10 minutes a day and write down everything you are thankful for.
Do not put cancerous thoughts into your mind. Be careful of the content you consume. It sticks with you whether you think it does or not.
Find that spark that makes you alive and pursue it.
In a job you hate or a relationship that is toxic: Start a game plan to get out of it. You got yourself there; now it’s time to get yourself out.
Forgive whoever you are holding grudges against. This is a big one.
Stop caring what strangers think; they do not care what you are doing or will ever remember you.
There is not a politician, sports figure, or celebrity that is going to save you or that cares about you. Love your neighbor and especially your family.
The old cliche: what you put in is what you will get out. Even if you are at a job you hate, give it 100% knowing you have an exit plan.
Conclusion
I hope you found this worth reading. I do not have all the answers, all my insights came from suffering and pain. So many unanswered questions that I still have. I’ll leave you with this to ponder. Is it possible to have growth without the suffering?