Freedom and independence are two things which we all seek and want. Once one’s freedom is taken he or she would start a natural reaction to[singlepic id=126 w=320 h=240 float=right] regain it in any way possible. Life and the system which we put for ourselves are two major sources for losing what we call freedom. The freedom which I am talking about is different from what you know…it’s the freedom of our own mind.

Most of us or even all of us start losing the real freedom of thinking, creating, deciding, learning, and teaching starting from our first day in this life. The first revolution which we must make is against our minds. The reason is that our mind is designed in a way in which it uses everything we learn from others or life itself in order to deal with everything we face. With time we all become similar to each other because we learn about major things from the same source. Start by looking at your family, then your community, then your country, then the whole world and I am sure you will find great similarities in the way we react to most of the things which worry us or are consider important in our eyes.

I do believe that only the first human had a real chance to discover, learn and decide alone without the effect of those who are around us. This may sound crazy but let us look at every standard, system, habits, and reactions we have made for ourselves…did we even participate in making them? Our mind became a receiver which absorbs what we are “supposed” to learn and acts upon this data base. Unfortunately if we try to change what we already saved in our mind we will face a firewall which will try to prevent us from doing this. The reason is that our mind sees in the change we want to make a risk which prefers not to take.

So the real revolution which we need is inside each one of us. Do not be afraid to sit down with yourself and think about everything you do and every belief you have. Remember that in the end you are the one who is supposed to decide and choose and that a little change in the data base which you gained only from those who are around you is not a risk but a true adventure which you will see good and difficult things in it. Forget about the standards, forget about what you are supposed to do, forget about the system, and forget about what is considered the most important and sacred in your eyes because the fact is that everything you learned from others is not yours but you simply chose to believe in and follow to feel secured.

If you reach a level in which you can create instead of believing in, lead instead of following, and decide instead of leaving others to decide for you…you will see a different life which only a minority see. Wrestling your mind is not easy but once you go through the first stage you will start to feel the difference. Our whole life is translated to us through our mind so imagine changing it to see life in your own colors…colors which no one knew before you.

Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad

A Palestinian-Arab living in East Jerusalem, Ziad graduated from College Des Freres in Jerusalem in 2003. Ziad finished his major in International Relations and English Literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ziad is a former President of the Watan student movement at the university. He is interested in Middle Eastern political issues and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Founder of the Middle East Post and MEL (Middle East Future Leadership Network), he represents Palestinian youth at several international conferences.

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