Do you think for yourself? Are your thoughts truly your own? Or do you unconsciously usually express the views of others? Have you ever stopped and thought of the pros and cons of your personal opinions? Can you look at yourself in a mirror and say my views are based on the following logical and sensible reasons? For instance, did you vote an electoral candidate in an election after you listened to her views and examined them, or have you been persuaded by news reports or the opinions of those you respect? Was this then as you assumed that the persons you respect would have thought through things?
Having our own minds isn’t just important—it’s necessary. It’s critical that we think for ourselves; no matter how challenging and lonely it is to be known as an independent thinker. With so much competitive thoughts and views in the world of ideas, each of us needs a specific map of our own thinking and thought processes. We need to know where we are in the world of conscious thought. If we don’t, we’ll be blown by the winds of every direction. We all need to be thinkers.
In my early twenties, one of my friends said, “Chris do you have a personal philosophy of life?” I answered, “What do you mean?” He said, “It’s a foundation against which you view all of life and relationships.” I said, “no.” I never sat down and develop something like that. I never realized through what kind of moral or philosophical lens I view life, people, choices, and so. This meant that many, if not all, of my so-called views were not grounded on what I thought or worked out. That was disappointing. So I began, soon after, a process of reflection and analyzing to find answers from the ground up. I still do it today. This includes re-examining the views of others which I adopted. I asked myself such questions as: What is a thought? What is an idea? What is an opinion? Why do I think the way I do? What is truth? What is soul and spirit? What is conscience and more? Eventually, I formulated something I called my personal philosophical cosmos. That is my worldview.
I’m not suggesting that everyone does this. Some people, it seems, operate with a personal philosophy of life; but probably also didn’t formulate it themselves. They unconsciously adopted it from family, religion, and life experiences. I noticed that most persons I know or whom I met did exactly that. Following the start of my in-depth search, I noticed also that the poems and books I wrote, included the views and thought processes that arose from my journey to form my personal philosophical cosmos. I found that all my views are not original too. But at least I questioned the opinions I held and argued for. I began to arrive at a better understanding of myself—of who I am and why I think and feel the way I do.
The Bible encourages us to grow from infants to adulthood knowing right from wrong (Hebrews 5:12, 14, NLT). As adults, our maturity will not allow us to be “tossed back and forth like waves or blown here and there by every wind of teaching or by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming,” (Ephesians 4:14). As adults, our spiritual athlete is unlocked. We become truly enriched. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083PRN9DP/ (How to Achieve True Self-enrichment, pg 175).