Introduction:

Are you feeling stuck, lost, or unsure of how to break out of your self-destructive comfort zones? Discover a path to personal growth and transformation.

My Story

In 2009, on a chilly Christmas holiday afternoon, I took a seat in a movie theatre. My eyes were glued to the screen as the end credits rolled, and for the first time, I didn't want to leave. The world of Pandora was a stark contrast to my own aimless existence.

"Sooner or later, though, you always have to wake up." - Jake Sully

Waking up to a personal and professional abyss, having failed in all aspects of life, was painful.

At 24, unable to tolerate the idea of education or advice, with a hatred for reading and only three voluntarily read books, feeling frustrated after being told that college and university would lead to a good job, but instead finding oneself working at McDonald's without even earning Employee of the Month.

Romantic endeavours were a disaster. A hopeless romantic with anger and trust issues, quick to fall in love but struggling to communicate effectively and make a connection. Convinced woman's role was to make me happy and solve all my problems. I was needy, clingy, insecure, and hateful - the epitome of a "Bad Boy."

Consumed by hatred and mistrust towards others, entertaining thoughts of harming them, blaming everyone else for the situation I was in and feeling like a ticking time bomb.

Struggling with overwhelming feelings of self-pity, relying on various coping mechanisms to numb the pain and erase memories, reaching a point where even the spelling of my own name had to be double-checked with a passport.

As the theatre emptied that night, a strange feeling lingered.

If Jake Sully, a broken and angry man who believed that a gun was the solution to every problem, could find a way out, perhaps there was a cure to my insanity too.

In 2022, on a chilly Christmas holiday afternoon, I took a seat in a movie theatre. My eyes were glued to the screen as the end credits of Avatar 2 rolled, and for the second time, I didn't want to leave.

As I reflected on who I had become, a thrill ran through my body.

To my right sat the most confident, intelligent, kind, adventurous, caring, and beautiful young woman I had ever met, with just the right amount of silly to keep life fun and unpredictable.

Hatred was a long-forgotten and obsolete feeling. A brief flashback into my past gave me a taste of the destructive, draining feelings I once experienced daily, but even anger had no place in my life anymore.

I explored hundreds of books and online resources, took up two new professions as an IT engineer and Visual Effects Artist, and continuously learned and mastered new skills through self-study.

With a proud smirk, I looked back at my hateful, neurotic, and insecure old self through the wormhole of my memories.

I was truly happy.

"Happiness is simple... like date night," - Jake Sully

13 years ago, those words wouldn't have made any sense to me. Happiness seemed like fiction, and irritation when sensed in others. Even a simple date night was complicated and out of reach.

Looking back, I realise that happiness is a skill that requires effort and attention to maintain. It's like physical therapy after an injury, with tough training, pain, and disappointment along the way. But once understood, it becomes quite easy to maintain.

With all that in mind, I still wanted to stay in Pandora... for just another 192 minutes.

The End.

Own a Piece of the Story with the Early Supporters Pass

• As an owner, you'll receive exclusive perks such as access to the book in progress and the final version, as well as newsletters, special content, and much more.

• This Pass highlights key moments, decisions, and lessons. By owning a piece of this story, you'll have the ability to cultivate personal growth and self-mastery and adapt to changes in today's fast-paced world.

• 5% reserved for various giveaways.

• The 1st Phase is now on sale for 10 Matic ( $12 at the time) with 4000 available.

• The 2nd Phase will be 15 Matic.

• The total supply is 20,000 passes.

The Pass can be minted directly at https://www.mindattic.io/about or on OpenSea at https://opensea.io/collection/pandoras-wake-up-call. The chain used is Polygon.

Please note: for security reasons, it is recommended to have a secondary wallet/account for minting and transferring any collectables to your main wallet afterwards.

The Polygon network has a very low transaction fee, so stay safe out there.

• Collect this work +50 EXP

• Levelling up as a writer, educator, tech enthusiast, and artist.

Thanks for reading and welcome to Mind Attic