Catalyzing the Reaction

As I re-analyze my ever-changing course of life for the millionth time, I realize something I had been doing for a long time was keeping myself young at heart--and rightfully so.

As we grow and develop as human beings, there will inevitably be changes in behavior and changes in our thought processes that are driven by overarching deviations in our brain chemistry. Now, if I was more medically inclined, I could even go so far as to tell you why and how these changes happen and how they affect our lives, but I will instead focus on the crux of the issue here: the looming fate of change that faces us all.

This change can be further explored. As an infinitesimally large number of research studies has shown, our behaviors and tendencies are caused by chemical secretions in our brain that manipulate our thoughts, our actions, and work differently as the brain develops. If we think of ourselves from this molecular perspective (meaning: from the perspective of chemical cocktails that essentially create the backbone to our emotions and thoughts), then suddenly the very composition of our own complex personalities does not seem nearly as inevitable nor as intimidating or grossly non adjustable as before. If we quantize these elements of our nature, it will become easy for us to “trick” our brains, to adjust our own perceptions of the fauna and flora around us and instill in its place a completely new world ripe to be molded by our powerful imaginations and skillful hands. It will become easy to lower the activation energy withholding life’s powerful processes, opening up possibilities completely unbeknownst to oneself in the past.

Now, a long time ago, a small voice in my head wondered what would happen if we were to do just this--by somehow preventing this very change from happening (weird and counterintuitive, I know, but I promise it’s going somewhere). I’m not implying that I sought to reject and detest this crucial stage in our development patterns, but rather to preserve the former, more youthful mindset and express that alongside the more mature personalities that we develop over time. What would happen if instead of thinking about tasks and responsibilities as "chores", "duties", or objects that demand our attention, we return to a period of time where we didn’t consider the psychological ramifications behind our doings and rather tackled them headstrong, blissfully disregarding the possible costs and benefits that may follow the undertaking of a certain task? What if somehow we manipulated our mind to think of everything in varying degrees of "Fun" instead of different shades of gray? What if we laughed at our mistakes and blunders instead of grimacing at the societal consequences and mental berations that we might face from ourselves and those around us?

And this is exactly what I’ve accomplished. This is precisely how I’ve come to realize that my life, simply put, is almost completely devoid of stress. Sure, there are moments in my routine where I feel bogged down by deadlines and such, but these are fleeting at best. They’re replaced in mere minutes at times with a resurgent wave of happiness, excitement, and energy that I have become so accustomed to and yet regard with a sense of appreciative apprehension. I look forward to the challenges. I look forward to the obstacles. Nothing is victim to the tranquilizing grasps of dread and fear, for nothing is inherently stressful. It’s all about redefining your priorities, your own definition of humanity itself, and in turn who you truly are.