Risk-Taking

There’s a definite distinction between those who are risk-takers and those who are not.  We all play different roles in life, but we know who we are.  If you pursue risks, you defy fear to gain experience.  If you don’t, you respect fear as a survival instinct.  However, it’s not as simple as defining yourself as belonging to one category or another.

To an extent, exploration is key to leading a fulfilling lifestyle.  If we fear what is unknown to us, we limit our capacity for discovery.  Consequently, we limit our experiences and knowledge.  In contrast, if we pursue every adventure we conjure up, we put our lives at risk.

We are all subjected to basic risks of our environment (the commute to work) and our company (the intentions of others.) Despite this, we often pursue other risks just for fun.  Most of us are under the impression that life without risks would be bland, yet there are always ways to have fun without risks.  Our personalities dictate whether we are likely to have fun without taking risks.

Do we pursue more risks when we feel that we have nothing to lose?

Do the risks we take reflect the value we place on our lives?

Do we feel guilty when we pursue unnecessary risks?

Do the laws that are designed to protect us from risks encourage us to pursue risks out of rebellion?

Do our lifestyles dictate our behavior more than our personalities?

How much are our risk-related actions influenced by others?

Lots of unanswered questions.

 

 

© Alexis Jenny, 2010-2011.

Debunk Yourself

People consistently rely on misguided first impressions.  It’s our nature.

Myth One:  Animal lovers are not always sweet, gentle characters.  In general, most animal-loving females are incorrectly perceived as innocent and peaceful, maybe even naïve.  Are animals innocent and peaceful?  Definitely not.  I like the predator as much as I like the prey.  And really, I like them all because they are an excellent alternative to liking people.

Myth Two: Sense of fashion is not an indicator of lifestyle.  About a month ago, I was at a bar when a guy actually told my friend that I looked like I “should be dating a politician”  instead of my husband who apparently looked like a “biker.”

Myth Three: Age does not always indicate wisdom. I’m young, not necessarily naïve.  Assuming that someone does not have experience with something is somewhat narrow-minded.

Myth Four:  The Gender Club.  People will not naturally bond with others of the same gender.  Often, when I attend social events, the men instinctively form an exclusive clique while the women do the same.  I find these barriers very difficult to break without creating an unwanted reputation for myself.  We’ve arrived at the year 2010, and yet, despite how futuristic that sounds, we regress because we crave familiarity.

Familiarity is one of many evils.  When we are comfortable, we don’t work toward anything at all.  We stagnate and our lives become ritualistic and dull.  People don’t seem to care because their lives are easy, but all of our lives could be better if we were not so lazy when it came to introspection and self-improvement.

Anyway, my point is that this entire rant should sound familiar to everyone reading it.  Stereotypes can hurt our efforts at work and at play, yet we feed into them so that they can never expire.  If you absorb and regurgitate every aspect of your environment, you’re not worth the space you take up on this planet.

© Alexis Jenny, 2010-2011.