Dear Society,
You are truly failing the people. Don’t agree? Well let me share my point of view. People now believe that mediocre is good, and excellence is impossible. They creep through a day complaining about health problems that small easy changes would fix for them, however happy to instead stand in line at a doctors office for a miracle pill to fix it. All while complaining about healthcare costs, like someone else should do the work for them. People generally think the easy route is better, doing something difficult is pointless. And then complain that the youth of today has the exact same attitude…. Well wonder where they got it? Society, I think you are making people of today weak, sick and whiners.
Sound tough? Eh maybe…
It seems we are a bit out of the ordinary, I understand that. It seems we get no shortage of people amazed these days at what we do. A few, not many, are inspired. You know the other homestead dreaming folks out there. However usually weekly we get some comment to the effect of “why raise chickens? It so much easier to just go to the store”, “or why homeschool when you could just put them on a bus?” usually followed with a semi blank stare as though we have not yet learned how to find the easy road, like maybe we are slow to catch on.
What do I say? I got dreams and goals, man. Or the more humble approach this is the path we chose…. Or maybe the more military side of me wants to say, raise your expectations…. Or the weak will fall by the wayside….
However there is no point, arguing, or trying to justify yourself.
I once knew someone who had a favorite saying, “work is a 4 letter word”, they would say this all the time. And having heard that more times that I could count it shaped my view on effort. You see this person believed in finding the easy route on everything, parenting, eating, living, relationships, health….. That list could just go on. As a result of this being a core belief they really had nothing at all, no health, no real relationships, no real life lived.
You see for a while now society has been failing us, as people. And sadly most people believe the lies it tells them.
Today in America we have this overwhelming belief that quantity over quality is best. I mean why would we want one quality grass-fed organic hamburger, if for that same cost or effort we could have 5 Big-Macs? Getting more for less is the theme. More food, for less…. Less effort, less money (shall I include less health). More paycheck for less work. It seems you do not have to look very far to find a whole array of people who value, a bunch of nothing over a few of something great.
Now don’t get me wrong I am not saying ‘people should all be like us’, not at all. I am saying what is wrong for striving for the best? Putting our best foot forward and doing something not the easy way simply because it is the better way.
why settle for good enough?
Why settle for good enough food, instead of excellent?
Or good enough health, instead of excellent health?
Or at the very least have goals that we are striving for excellence in?
What is the point of a life lived with no effort, with no work? What if it was all easy? What kind of character would that produce? My guess not one at all.
Strength is in the struggle
Ask any mother who has just given birth naturally, they feel as though it was one of their greatest accomplishments.
Ask any Soldier, Sailor, Airmen or Marine how they feel right out of basic training, they feel as though there is nothing they can’t do.
Ask any top athlete, student, scientist or business owner they did not get there without work without effort. And guaranteed they did not take the easy route to get there. They took the harder path again and again, pursuing excellence. Finding the better way not the easier way.
Two roads diverged in a wood and I- I took the one less travel by, and that has made all the difference. -Robert Frost
Not everyone has goals or dreams as we do. Not everyone is supposed to raise their own chickens and goats, or grow big gardens, or have a whole gaggle of children and homeschool them all. I know that. We all do, however, have but one life. One life to do all that we are set here to do. One short amount of time to be the best version of us, that we can learn to be. Just one. What do we do with our one? I hope this finds you set on striving for excellence in whatever it is you do in your life. Be the best parent, boss, employee, entrepreneur, runner, dog mom/dad, animal rescuer (this list could go on forever) but you get the point. Our excellent tomorrows all start today ♡♡♡
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From our family to yours, thanks for stopping by
Beth is a mother of 6 living on a handful of acres in an old farmhouse in central Kansas. Beth has a background in the military and health and fitness however her passions come from her homestead life. Beth is an enthusiastic homeschooling mom, avid organic gardener, chicken & goat wrangler, who is obsessed with herbs and natural remedies and maintaining an all-around Do-It-Yourself lifestyle. Beth loves to share all she has learned about and sustainable living. While striving for a healthy, natural life, family-centered life.
Great Post. I think we Are still seeing society embrace taking the “Easy Route” instead of the right route. I think the close cousin to the easy route mindset is those who lack accountability for their own results. Many people believe their circumstances are someone else’s doing and not their own choices.