99 steps to reclaiming your individuality Step #12 

 Alignment, and the internalizing of authority:

 Since the beginning of the project our focus has been to bring self awareness to the complexity of our being, but at the same time adopt a simplistic method by which we could undertake a critical examination of it. The key as previously expressed, is to do this without the fetters of emotional culpability, or assignation of any form of goal setting or reparations. That being said we must now work to establish a  linear mapping of our natures. For consistency we will agree to adopt the three primary nature states. Those being, as laid out in Step #5  an inquisitive state, a hesitant state, and an neutral state. Under these we will list the elements of our natures as we see them. We can compile these columns by asking ourselves the simple question; "My inquisitive nature is comprised of these elements" etc ,etc. This is only a guideline, feel free to document your critical examination in any way that you  feel will be the most beneficial to you.. The request to keep the natures identifiable by predetermined primary groups is only for functional communication in the progress of the project.

Once we have completed this task, we should have  three columns listing the elements we have assigned to the various nature states. An example would be:

Inquisitive State:

• Intellect

• Education

• Career aspiration

• Awareness

• Social Conscious

• Growth and Commitment

•  Legacy

Hesitant State:

• Fear

• Insecurity

• Anxiety

• Complacency

• Caution

• Ignorance

• Arrogance

• Egotism 

• False pride

• Anger

• Frustration

Neutral State:

• Balance

• Moderation

• Reflection

• Consideration

• Inspiration

• Regeneration

The complexity of each category can be as intricate or as minimal as meets your current make-up. If you are the type of person who currently has a very unstable life and are prone to swings in mood, then the more detail will allow you a better way of assessing the transitional nature of your mood swings. The most important benefit to this is,  that even if you put little effort into this first step, what it is going to do is create an isolation point that can, through practice, interrupt the autonomic habit of letting your expressed nature state define you. Instead  you can experience the nature state, and consciously experience the practice of working it through to resolution.

You will find once again that the focus of this exercise is not proactive but reflective. When we begin to perpetuate an aura of self awareness in what we have been lapse, conditioned to, or indoctrinated into, we will begin to regain or instill in ourselves a new found sense of individuality. We will in fact become humans being not humans doing.

Today we should practice identifying the transitional shifts, mood swings,creative sparks and periods of reflection. What precipitates them? Are there antecedents,individuals,or environments that excel or repel them? Are these dependent shifts or independent? are we conscious of the shifts, or do we gain awareness of them either at their zenith or identify them only after the fact? This critical awareness will become second nature over time if you practice, but first we will have to initiate the actions by causal reminder. This will be neither challenging or invasive to us because we have agreed just to be the observer for now.