This update was written by Mr. P, a, members of the P4H learning community at the Southeastern Correctional Institution (SCI) in Lancaster, OH.
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What’s Giving You Life?
In this new age of technology, scientists have mitigated human experience. Tasks previously considered arduous, daunting, or even time consuming have been minimized by search engines, robots, and AI. To the unsuspecting masses, these advancements appear to be useful. The idea of less work, more idle time—one could easily mistake these “benefits” as a correlation to happiness, but I beg to differ.
The human body is the perfect candidate for solving puzzles, strategizing, and even physical labor. The mind, body, and soul take pleasure in the exhaustive work of overcoming challenges and hardships. From the stimuli which triggers the stressors, to the sweat, precipitation and frustration, then finally the moment of serendipity and jubilation that coincides with the revelation of solution. All of these roadblocks, adjustments, and challenges bring about a neurological map-making, creating new pathways in the mind that translate into better critical thinking skills, opening our minds to more alternative possibilities, thus creating, in my opinion, a more humble, well-balanced, and happier person. This is the equation which has kept man-kind’s ascendance constant. The triumph over the challenge, survival of the mentally most fit—these are the rudimentary principles of the enlightenment. It is the challenge that develops character; the character who leads the revolution; the revolution that encourages evolution, first as an individual, then as a society.
So, what’s giving me life? The certainty of life’s challenges, and the infinite possibilities to overcome these challenges. Even the most minute challenges like getting out of bed in the morning, once this initial anxiety is overcome, I feel empowered and more confident to embrace the next challenges of the day. It is the small victories which give me the self-confidence I need to be more daring, fearless, and motivated. Anxiety is the necessary evil that mimics the high school bully from the 80’s movies. This “bully” wants to trap you in a locker to prevent you from embracing your future and reaching your full potential. This psychological blockade, in my opinion, is the biggest obstacle within every challenge, but once you stand up to confront this life-long antagonist, you realize that the bully’s only strength was using your own fear against you. At that moment, you reclaim agency over your life and come to the realization that challenges aren’t intended to hinder you. Rather, they are the natural course of life which enhances you, enriches you, and fortifies a character within you that is based on hard work, determination, and integrity. This is why I look forward to all of life’s daily challenges and embrace all its difficult intricacies. Each challenge has prepared me for the next journey in my life, and the feeling of exultation and
inner peace awaits me after every victory—big and small. This is what is giving me life: The Challenge!